In 1992, Susan made a quality-of-life decision to leave Southern California and her aerospace job to work and live in her hometown of Spearfish, South Dakota, where she started a second career in economic development. Susan served as the executive director for the Spearfish Economic Development Corporation in 1994 and 1995. She served as the executive director for the Campbell County Economic
Development Corporation and CEO of the five-county EDA district for a decade from 1995 to 2006. Susan continued her work in economic development and community development in her various roles at the Northern Wyoming Community College District/Sheridan College and Gillette College from 2006 to her retirement from the college district in June 2018 as the Vice President of External Relations and Economic Development.
Susan’s education includes an Associates of Arts and Sciences from Laramie County Community College, Cheyenne, WY; a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronic Engineering from California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD; and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Education and Human Resource Studies with an emphasis on Community College Leadership from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. Susan also earned three professional certifications: Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), 2007- 2012; Certified Economic Development Professional (CEcD), 2000-2012; and Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP), awarded 1996.
Susan is a past president of the Wyoming Economic Development Association, a 2003 graduate of Leadership Wyoming, and a longtime member of Rotary International where she served on the board for both the Energy Rotary Club in Gillette, WY, and the Sheridan Rotary Club. She served on boards for local advocacy and economic development organizations. Susan has served as a committee member of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce and Bigelow Grant Writing Services is an active member of the Chamber.
In addition to grant writing, spending time with family, volunteering in the community and at her church, Susan enjoys skiing, hiking and biking with friends and family in the Big Horn Mountains and the Black Hills. Susan is an avid reader and member of several book clubs. She also enjoys gardening, playing the piano and traveling with her dog Migo.