St. Louis Business 500: Q&A with Suzanne Sierra, St. Louis Mosaic Project

Insights from St. Louis Mosaic Project’s Executive Director.

As the leader of an organization whose goal is to maintain St. Louis as the fastest-growing major metropolitan area for immigration, Sierra says her role’s biggest challenge is remaining hopeful and forward – looking amid uncertainty brought on by recent changes in federal immigration policy. She takes heart in the fact that her 9-to-5 is to help new arrivals fall in love with St. Louis.

2026 QUESTIONNAIRE

PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES

What has been your/your company’s most significant success over the past 12 months? Creating a more welcoming regional environment for foreign-born individuals and their families—one that led to St. Louis being ranked No. 1 for foreign-born population growth among the top 30 U.S. metros in 2024. This milestone wouldn’t have been possible without the collaboration of businesses, universities, nonprofits and economic development partners who understand the value of a globally minded region and are actively hiring internationally trained talent.

What has you most excited about the future of your company or industry? I’m energized by the opportunity to sustain this momentum and amplify the message about the economic and social impact of supporting professionals from other countries. Whether it’s helping someone find meaningful employment, launch a small business or build community, our work is helping people fall in love with St. Louis—and encouraging them to invite their families and networks to join them here.

If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? I would shift the narrative around immigrant talent. Too often, highly skilled individuals are overlooked due to language barriers, accents or unfamiliar credentials. If we could reframe these as assets—not deficits—we’d unlock a wealth of economic innovation and cultural vibrancy for the entire region.

What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve had to overcome? Remaining hopeful and forward-looking during periods of uncertainty and change in federal immigration policy.

What’s a risk you took in business that didn’t pan out—but taught you something valuable? Every time a door closed, it made space for another—often one that was a much better fit. The lesson: trust the redirection.

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