Suzanne Ashmore-Smith was educated at Santa Sabina College, Strathfield, and the University of Sydney, where she graduated in Arts (BA) and obtained her teacher's certificate. She later completed a law degree at the University of New South Wales (LLB).

She taught in schools in Papua New Guinea and Thailand and was a part-time tutor in politics at the UNSW for three years. In 1978 she became Assistant Research Officer with the Australian Taxation Office, later rising to become Assistant Commissioner.

Suzanne Ashmore-Smith joined the ALP c.1960. After returning to Australia from a long residence overseas, she rejoined the party and was elected a delegate to various party councils and to the Labor Women's Conference.

Sources used to compile this entry: Putting Skirts on the Sacred Benches: Women Candidates for the New South Wales Parliament, Australian Women's Archives Project, 2006, http://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/pssb/home.html; The Radical vol. 9, no. 5, September 1978; Commissioner of Taxation: Annual Report 1999-2000; Commonwealth of Australia: Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit. 16 June 1998.