Susan Taylor
Susan Taylor is a seasoned archival systems expert and institutional memory specialist with over 20 years of experience in archives and museums. Her journey began when she took her first job at a local historical society while still in high school, sparking a lifelong passion for preservation and storytelling. After earning her degrees abroad at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, Susan spent years working in government archives, including significant time at the National Defense University and later at the Library of Congress, where she served as the law library's accessibility liaison. In July 2024, drawn back to her roots, she founded the Office of Special Collections, a consulting practice dedicated to helping clients digitize archives, house collections, and preserve paper-based materials, particularly in the DC and New York area.
Throughout her career, Susan has navigated some of the world’s most prestigious archives—including the Library of Congress, National Archives, New York Public Library, British Library, and UK National Archives—extracting stories protected within archival systems and identifying where preservation has failed. Her specialty lies in military archives, stemming from her early work with the Navy and her deep commitment to veterans. Whether uncovering an ancestor’s military history through maps and media or guiding organizations in designing archival workflows, Susan combines technical expertise with a passion for revealing stories that might otherwise go untold.
Susan also brings operational precision and leadership to complex projects, informed by her SEAL Team VI background. She has held executive roles, including Chief of Staff at Matri, Inc., and Director of Global Marketing and Customer Engagement at Domo Tactical Communications, while also contributing to the creative community as DotGov Design Chair for AIGA DC. Through her newsletter, documentary work, and consulting practice, Susan merges analytical rigor, creative storytelling, and hands-on preservation to ensure that both institutional and personal histories are safeguarded and celebrated.
• PMP (Project Management Professional)
• Accessibility Certifications
• Culinary Arts Certification
• Certified Web Professional - Web Accessibility Specialist (CWP)
• University of St Andrews - MA Hons, International Relations
• University of St Andrews - BS, International Relations
• Law Library Accessibility Liaison at Library of Congress (Previous)
What do you attribute your success to?
Honestly, I really think I'm pretty tenacious. Archives are not always easy - there's always some letter, there's always a photo, and it's not always the most direct path to finding it. I love a good puzzle, and I think my love of needing to find the answers, and doing whatever I can to find them, is key. I am not mad at all about spending time in a dusty basement sifting through boxes to find those answers. That tenacity and puzzle-solving spirit, combined with my willingness to do the hard work of digging through archives, is what has made me successful in this field.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I really think there's a big part in your career that people don't talk about, and that's just following your joy. It's really about finding that middle of the Venn diagram what are you good at, and what do you just really, really enjoy. I think there's so many different people and so many different personalities. I'm an introvert, that's why I love my work. I like to work alone. I like to be in a dusty basement. I really do think that all of the jobs that I ever had before that I was frustrated in were just me being in a place that I just really wasn't supposed to be. I just hadn't found the right fit yet. And it's uncomfortable to move change is hard but finding that right fit where your skills and your joy intersect is so important.