The AAFCS Member Spotlight program highlights individual members, their experiences, and how they have benefited from AAFCS membership. It offers an opportunity for you to share your story with your colleagues and the greater FCS community.

To submit your profile for the spotlight, download a submission form here!

Grady Sue L. Saxon, Ph.D., CFCS, Retired
Emeritus member, Alabama AFCS

A 30-year member of AAFCS, Grady Sue has long believed that professionals should join and support their professional organizations.  We turned the spotlight on Grady Sue, and here’s what else we learned about this former educator, early childhood education director, author, wife, mother and community service volunteer.

Why did you choose the field of family and consumer sciences?  My parents were merchants who worked long hours, so I had no training in the skills needed to run a home.  I also enjoy people, and by majoring in family and consumer sciences, I would learn those skills and could become an Extension educator. But, there wasn’t an opening in that area when I graduated so I accepted a position teaching kindergarten. I found that I loved teaching!  Best of all, I graduated trained for a profession, but also trained in the lifetime skills that my working mother did not have the time to teach me.  This was invaluable to me.

How has membership in AAFCS been of value to you and your practice?
Over the years, my membership has allowed me to keep up with current trends in child development and to learn about the experiences of those in other areas of family and consumer sciences.  As a retiree, it (AAFCS) is my only means of keeping up with what is happening in my chosen field.  Conferences and literature allowed the personal involvement with others outside of my state; this expanded my view of what was going on across the country.

AAFCS is...an organization that encourages its members to be active in their fields by participation in professional activities beyond their day-to-day work responsibilities.  A good portion of my working life was spent working with children and later preparing teachers to teach K-3.  As a retiree, I don’t want to lose my identity as a teacher.  Since I am no longer involved on a day-to-day basis, one of the ways that I can keep up with trends is to maintain my certification with AAFCS.  To get those points, I must attend some related workshops and meetings that keep me informed.

Recent accomplishments:

• Author, How to Raise Children:  A Recipe in Plain English (book cover featured above)
• Sand Between my Toes (available on www.amazon.com)
• President, City of Leeds Board of Education
• State Chairman of the Rules/Bylaws/Policies Committee of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International

To obtain more information about this member spotlight, click here.