Susanna Harris, PhD

Inquirer
DISC Type : cd

Director of Platform at Breakout Ventures

San Francisco, California, United States

Overview

Susanna Harris is the Director of Platform at Breakout Ventures, where she specializes in helping biotech and deep tech founders translate complex science into compelling narratives. With a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from UNC-Chapel Hill, she has built a career focused on science communication, community engagement, and supporting innovation.

She is a passionate advocate for mental health in academia, stemming from her own experiences. This led her to found PhD Balance, an international organization that creates supportive spaces for graduate students to help them thrive personally and professionally. She enjoys connecting with people and working with those who dont take themselves too seriously.

Unique fact: She founded the international mental health community PhD Balance after starting an Instagram page called "PhDepression" to find others who understood the struggles of graduate school.

Personality Overview

Upfront

ROI Conscious

Judgemental

They care equally about the product and its potential impact.  They respond well to confident salespeople. They can be nudged to make faster decisions by offering what they value.

Topics They Care About

Science Communication
Her core professional focus is helping scientists translate cutting-edge research into accessible and engaging materials for stakeholders, investors, and the public.
Biotech Innovation
In her role at Breakout Ventures, she supports and publicizes the developments of early-stage biotech and deep tech companies to improve human and planetary health.
Graduate Student Wellbeing
As the founder of PhD Balance, she is a prominent advocate for improving mental health resources and breaking the stigma around mental illness in higher education.

Media Appearances

Breakout Ventures Announces Key Promotions and Expands Leadership Team. Featured in Business Wire

See Now

Work History

1-2025
Director of Platform at Breakout Ventures
1-2024 - 1-2025
Director of Community at Breakout Ventures
4-2023 - 1-2024
Freelance Account Supervisor at Stellate Communications
9-2022 - 2-2023
Community and Communication Lead at Vibe Bio
1-2022 - 9-2022
Senior Manager, Engagement and Communications at Xontogeny

Education

2014 - 2020
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2010 - 2014
Bachelor's of Science from University of Iowa

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 14 Location : San Francisco, California, United States Job Level : Mid-senior Designation : Director of Platform at Breakout Ventures
URL has been copied!

Insights For Selling To Susanna

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Ask them questions confidently while doing discovery, don’t be apologetic
  • Tell them that you are there to help them create visible impact within their organization
  • Make sure that they have the necessary authority, they could present false stature sometimes

DONT's

  • Avoid long winding pitches, stay objective
  • Avoid repeating yourself or making generalizations
  • Don’t try to be an alpha salesperson, give them equal space

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Susanna is

  • Confidence in the product plays an important role, followed by powerful testimonials.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Susanna

  • They might hesitate a little, but they will say no if they are not convinced.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Susanna move?

  • They are neither the fastest decision makers nor the slowest.
  • Can Susanna take some risk or not?

  • Once they have analyzed the pros and cons, they can take some risks.

You And Susanna

Personality Compatibility


More Profiles

Discover additional public profiles from our index.

Search more profiles

Looking for someone else? Search here for anyone.

Or visit Humantic AI to know more.