Suzanne earned a B.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Nutrition (Dietetics) from South Dakota State University, an M.S. degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from the University of Eastern Illinois, and a Ph.D. degree in Human Sciences from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is also a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Prior to joining NIFA, Dr. Stluka served over 15 years with Cooperative Extension Service as the Associate Director at Montana State University Extension and in several leadership roles at South Dakota State University Extension. Throughout her career she has maintained an active research and extension portfolio, exploring topics such as community resiliency, farm stress, trauma, food insecurity, nutrition education, community development, community coaching, and policy, systems, and environmental work in the areas of nutrition and physical activity; primarily conducted in and with rural, frontier, and tribal communities. In July 2020, Dr. Stluka moved to NIFA where she now serves as the Deputy Director for the Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition.
