Susannah Lickus graduated from the Roaring Fork Leadership Academy in May 2025. Just months later, she made a bold decision to step away from her job, shoulder a backpack, and follow a deep inner calling – one that led her across the Colorado Trail and into the Himalayas of Nepal. We recently caught up with Susannah to reflect on her journey, her Academy experience, and what she’s carrying forward into this next chapter.

What are you up to now? Where are you living, and what’s next?

After graduating from RFL in May 2025, I left my role at English in Action in July and began a period of transition and exploration. I hiked the Colorado Trail in August, traveled to Nepal in October, and returned to the Roaring Fork Valley in mid-November. I’m currently living in Carbondale and actively job searching. I’m open to exploring nonprofit work again, and really wanting to focus in roles within the outdoor industry.

My background is in Spanish – I studied it in school, taught it in the past, and grew up traveling with my family. Learning another language has always felt important to me because it opens doors to deeper connection and understanding. I’ve also always had a big passion for the outdoors, and right now I’m really interested in merging community building and outdoor experiences into one path.

How did your Academy experience influence your decision to take this leap?

One of the biggest takeaways for me was the DISC assessment – learning more about my personality and recognizing that I’m such a giver. I’m often the ringleader checking in on everyone else, sometimes at the expense of myself. RFL helped me recognize that pattern and begin to find more balance, to prioritize myself in a healthier way.

RFL gave me the confidence to listen to my body and trust what it was telling me. Taking a leap like this can be scary, but I’m really learning to trust the process.

Tell us about the Colorado Trail experience.

My best friend lives in Carbondale, and we’re longtime adventure buddies. We had been planning to hike the Colorado Trail for a year as a way to really challenge ourselves and step outside our comfort zones.

There’s so much noise and external “fluff” in our world, and we were excited to step away from that. Hiking nearly 500 miles with heavy packs strips life down to its basics – you wake up, hike, and deal with whatever is right in front of you. It taught me how important it is to be direct, to advocate for yourself, and to prioritize your needs.

We started in Denver and ended in Durango, hiking the full trail in 29 days with just one rest day, averaging about 17.5 miles a day. We worked with friends and family to resupply us along the way so we could truly stay on the trail instead of hitchhiking into towns. Having our people meet us meant so much – it allowed us to share this huge moment with those closest to us.

There were hard moments, -especially in the middle of the trip when it rained constantly, but we kept morale up with jokes and checked in with each other often. We discovered we liked the “sufferfest” more than we expected. I miss the trail every day.

And then Nepal — right after?

Yes – I knew I was going to Nepal even before I left for the Colorado Trail. Another friend was going, and I decided to join her. I was definitely concerned about going from one intense experience straight into another, but not working gave me the flexibility to say yes.

We went in October, about a month after I finished the trail, and summited a 20,000-foot peak with an incredible guide. What stood out most was how intentional our guide was about teaching us the history, culture, and Sherpa lifestyle. The Himalayas feel deeply spiritual – vast, rugged, and sacred. As someone who feels deeply connected to the outdoors, I could truly feel the energy there.

We stayed in tea houses – communal, dorm-style lodging – and passed through hike-to towns where everything is carried in by porters, yaks, or mules. It was powerful to reflect on the contrast: just weeks earlier I was carrying everything I owned on my back, and now I was witnessing an entirely different relationship to labor, community, and support.

I would love to go back someday.

What are one or two big takeaways from these trips?

From the Colorado Trail, I learned that even in hard situations – being exhausted, facing bad weather, struggling to get to camp – I can still choose optimism. I learned to appreciate small successes and small comforts. You create the environment you want to be in, and you get to choose how you respond. Even if the situation isn’t what you chose, your reaction is yours. We talked about that in RFL, but it really hit me on the trail.

From Nepal, and from recovering from a couple of intense injuries over the past few years, I’ve developed a deep gratitude for my body. Movement doesn’t have to be extreme to be meaningful. A walk to the coffee shop can be just as significant as hiking 500 miles.

Living in this valley can sometimes skew our relationship with the outdoors; it’s easy to compare yourself to others. I’m learning to be more intentional and gentle with myself.

What did you take away from your Academy experience overall?

So much.

RFL taught me to embrace change, even when it’s scary, and to be vulnerable – especially now, as I navigate job searching, networking, and interviews. Putting yourself out there takes energy. RFL helped me feel more confident in being vulnerable and trusting that whatever comes next will be right, no matter the timeline.

The relationships matter deeply. I’m still in touch with my cohort, and we’re talking about doing a meetup – possibly virtual to accommodate schedules. Just a few weeks ago, I ran into three RFL folks in one day. I really feel like I have a network here. Truly, you can meet someone from RFL anywhere in the valley.

What advice would you give to someone considering RFL Academy or Mastermind?

Trust the process. It’s said a lot, but it’s absolutely true!

Leadership is a practice, not a role. It’s about showing up as your authentic self and continuing to learn, adapt, and grow. You are enough as you are. The skills RFL teaches don’t change who you are – they add to you. They amplify your strengths and support you in growing into the next version of yourself.

Any final thoughts?

I’m incredibly appreciative of RFL. It shows up in my life more than I realize. Our advisors told us that RFL would continue to seep in – and they were right. I still have Greg’s “What if?” questions on my fridge, and I look at them all the time.