Susan Maree Ryan was born in Sydney on 10 October 1942. She was educated at Brigidine Convent Maroubra and graduated from the University of Sydney in 1962 with a Bachelor of Arts. In 1963 Ms Ryan worked as a school teacher and in 1966 was [Student] Residence Officer at the Australian National University. From 1970 to 1972 she was employed as a tutor in English Literature at the Canberra College of Advanced Education. In 1972 Ms Ryan completed a Master of Arts in English Literature at the Australian National University.
 
Ms Ryan was a founding member of the Belconnen Branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in 1969 and was later the Vice-President of the Branch. She served as a delegate to the ALP Australian Capital Territory Branch Council from 1973 to 1976 and was a member of ALP Federal Policy Committee on Women.
 
Ms Ryan became involved in Australian Capital Territory (ACT) representative politics in 1974 when she became a member of the ACT Advisory Council. She continued her involvement when the Advisory Council was reformed as the ACT Legislative Assembly. During this period she was employed as National Executive Officer by the Australian Council of State School Organisations and then as a consultant by the Commonwealth Schools Commission and as Education Officer by the International Women's Year Secretariat.
 
In December 1975 Ms Ryan was elected as one of the first two Senators for the ACT and was the first Labor Senator for the ACT. During the period from December 1975 to March 1983 she served on a number of parliamentary committees including the Senate Committee on Education and the Arts and the Senate Estimates Committees. She was also a member of the Council of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies from 1981 to 1983.  

Ms Ryan was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry from December 1977 to March 1983. Her responsibilities in the Shadow Ministry were as follows:
 
 29/12/1977 - 19/03/1980: Spokesperson on Communications
 29/12/1977 - 11/03/1983: Spokesperson on Arts and Letters
 01/02/1979 - 11/03/1983: Spokesperson on Women's Affairs
 19/03/1980 - 23/11/1980: Spokesperson on Media
 23/11/1980 - 11/03/1983: Spokesperson on Aboriginal Affairs
 
On the election of the Hawke Labor Government in March 1983 Ms Ryan was appointed the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs. She was also named Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Status of Women. As a result of the administrative changes following the December 1984 election, Ms Ryan became the Minister for Education in the second Hawke Ministry. In the third Hawke Ministry, following the July 1987 election, Ms Ryan was given the position of Special Minister of State with special responsibilities which included the bicentenary, the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse and the implementation of the Australia Card program. As part of her parliamentary duties Ms Ryan attended the Australian Irish Relations Conference in Kilkenny and made official visits to Norway, Denmark and Sweden.
 
On 16 December 1987 Ms Ryan announced her resignation as Minister and Senator to become publishing editor of Penguin Books. Her resignation took effect on 19 and 29 January 1988 from the Ministry and the Senate respectively.
 
Throughout her career Ms Ryan has been involved in women's issues and organisations including as a founding member of the Women's Electoral Lobby, ACT Branch.
 
Ms Ryan was the Executive Director of Plastics Industry Association Inc. Melbourne from 1989 – 1993. From 1993 – 1997 she was the Executive Director of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia. Since 2000 she has been the President of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees. She was awarded the Order of Australia in 1990.
 
SOURCES:
 
Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1986, 23rd Edition.
Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia, 1988, 24th Edition.
Who's Who in Australia 1985.
Who's Who in Australia 1991
Who’s Who in Australia 2007
The Canberra Times, 10 June 1974.
The Canberra Times, 22 September 1975.
The Canberra Times, 25 September 1980.
The Canberra Times, 17 December 1987.
The Sun Herald, 28 September 1975.
Prime Minister, Press Release, 11 August 1987.