"We all have a responsibility in this world."

by Samantha Baize

The morning was sunny and the air was crisp as I pulled up to The Rachofsky House – a famously sophisticated habitat of some of the most coveted art in the world – to find a slew of members of our glamour squad, scurrying about to prepare for an all-day cover shoot. Amongst the team of begrudgingly talented individuals, one woman stands out, even from a distance, as I drive my car through the opening gates of the property. Suzanne Droese – wife, mother, public relations executive, "charity chic" – gracefully unloads eleven pair of designer shoes from her Mercedes, her long, strawberry locks glistening in the sun, her boundless legs gliding across the pavement. Although this would only be our second face-to-face meeting – our first being brief and over a year ago – she greets me with a smile and a hug. Her reputation of warmth and sincerity seems to precede her already.

The daughter of an international businessman and a "corporate wife", public relations seemed to be a natural place for Suzanne to land. Her parents were often entertaining worldly people at her childhood home in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land and Suzanne fused effortlessly with the guests. "In being a part of that world, I've always been interested in people, and in making 'connections' – and by that, I mean putting people, opportunities and like-minds together," she says. An entrepreneur by nature, she started her first company at 23 and with the exception of a brief hiatus after her twin boys, Will and Henry, were born, she has yet to come up for air. Her most current feat lies in the PR firm, Rest + Revolution, which she began and runs with dear friends, Todd Fiscus and Josh Madans. "We're all about doing things in an interesting, creative and well, revolutionary way. We've been so warmly received and I've loved every minute of it. And, I have to say that I have the best clients ever!" Even at just a couple of years old, the firm is thriving. But many of our minds still tend to go straight to philanthropy when Suzanne Droese's name is dropped in conversation.

After chairing the Cattle Baron's Ball, the Art Ball and Palm Night, she admits that she doesn't hope to be a "professional chairperson". Her passion for life is evident with every breath she takes and she wants to be able to put everything that she has into whatever she has committed. This year her commitment is to TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art, which benefits amfAR and The Dallas Museum of Art,  and which she is a co-chair. Her giddy enthusiasm is apparent from the moment she speaks of the subject. "I am thrilled to be a part of the legacy of this incredible event, which in its 11 year history, has raised an astounding $25 million in support of amfAR's AIDS research initiatives and the DMA's contemporary art acquisition program.

Noon approaches at The Rachofsky House and in walks an attractive man with two strikingly handsome 11 year-olds. Suzanne's husband, David – a well-known modernist architect – has pulled the twins out of school for a brief photo-op with Mom. "How did the Language Arts test go?" she asks as they shift in an effort to find their perfect poses. "Well. Really, really well," says Henry, the dark-haired boy. With her arms around both, Suzanne glances to her right and gives Will 'the mom look'. "Eh, it was okay," he shrugs. Already designating their personalities in my mind, I asked David about their sons. "Will's the laid-back, artsy type. Henry's a lot more organized, a little version of Suzanne," he says. Although she never broke her professionalism, Suzanne definitely turned into Mom the minute the boys walked through the door. In fact, her phenomenal mothering skills are one of the things I hear about most when her name is mentioned.

So how does one woman find the time to conquer every aspect of her life, whether it's being a wife, a mother, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist or a style superstar? "Finding that balance can be a real struggle. But the busier I am, the more efficient I seem to be. I also think that as parents, there is a responsibility to show our children that you can have a career that coexists with a healthy, well-rounded personal life – and for me, that's being involved in the community. We all have a responsibility in this world." Perhaps it is her constant glow, or her ability to finesse her way through things in which most would become overwhelmed, or maybe it's her bona fide passion for life that makes me so envious of Suzanne – not a love-to-hate kind of envy, but a that's-a-good-person-to-look-up-to kind of envy. It seems to me that Suzanne Droese may be one of the few that has it all figured out. She puts it simply, "Family, friends and faith. What more does anyone need?"