Susan Fales was born in Rome, Italy and raised in New York City. She graduated from the Lycee Francais de New York in 1980 (Baccalaureat, Academie de Caen) and with honors from Harvard College with a degree in History and Literature.

She began her writing career as an apprentice on the original Cosby Show. After two years on staff, she was transferred to the show’s spin-off, A Different World where in 1990, she became Co-Executive Producer/Head Writer, at the time, one of the only female and youngest showrunners in Hollywood. Under Susan's stewardship, A Different World was nominated for the prestigious Humanitas Award. The episode she wrote on AIDS, "If I Should Die Before I Wake," received the 1991 Maggie Award from Planned Parenthood, the 13th Annual Media Access Award from the California Governor's Committee for Employment of Disabled Persons, and the Nancy Susan Reynolds Award. Susan went on to executive produce Can’t Hurry Love (CBS), Linc’s (Showtime which she co-created with Tim Reid,) as well as to serve as a consulting producer on the series Suddenly Susan. Susan is the recipient of the Producer’s Guild of America’s Nova award, a Special Recognition Award from the Friends of the Black Emmys, and the Excellence and Heritage Award from Dillard University.

Susan’s writings have appeared in Town & Country, Vogue, Glamour, American Heritage, Ebony, Essence, Avenue, Architectural Digest, Travel and Leisure and The New York Times. Her article for Vogue about growing up bi- racial, entitled “My Life in Black and White,” was reprinted in Vogue Espanol, and has been used as a teaching piece by a number of universities. In 2003, Susan published Always Wear Joy (HarperCollins), a critically acclaimed memoir about her mother, the late actress/singer/dancer, Josephine Premice. The memoir was a finalist for the NAACP Image Award and the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Legacy Award for Nonfiction. It was an Atlanta Daily Choice Awards winner, and received a starred review from Kirkus. In 2010, Susan published her debut novel, One Flight Up (Atria/ Simon & Schuster). Publisher’s Weekly hailed her second novel, Imperfect Bliss as a “stylish, sharp-edged satire. Currently, Susan Fales-Hill serves as showrunner/EP on BETs upcoming show Twenties created by Lena Waithe. Fluent in French and Italian, Susan lives in New York with her family.

Film/TV Show that has inspired your work:

Film: Glory, Belle, The Women (1939) and Joy Luck Club. Television: Upstairs Downstairs, All in the Family, The Carol Burnett Show, I Love Lucy, Law and Order and Downton Abbey

Dream Actor/Actress to work with:

Mahershala Ali, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Tracee Ellis Ross

The book everyone should read:

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

When you’re not creating you are:

Doing Bar class at Physique 57, cooking for family and friends, walking the galleries of the Met Museum, attending a lecture at the New York Historical Society, watching magnificent bodies in motion at the ballet (soft porn for women,) or simply cuddling with my dog, Prince, a rescue.

Social cause you’re most passionate about:

The proper representation of people of all colors in the arts be it the fine arts, dance, the theater, television, film, literature. Exposing the next generation of children to the arts, making certain ALL have access. Telling the stories of outliers of color that have been suppressed, making certain the truth of our nation's history in particular is revealed.

What does the Mission mean to you?

The Mission is a place where no one looks at me as though I've descended from Mars when I speak of the purpose of my work, which is to remind others of our common humanity. The Mission is about serving a cause greater than ourselves. The Mission is home.