Profile

Susan Schmidt

Bio

Susan leads change.

When Susan Tomlinson Schmidt envisions a better world, she sees an army of Certified Nonprofit Professionals working relentlessly to make change for good. Throughout her more than 25-year career, she has worked to make this vision a reality by strengthening nonprofit organizations from the inside out through the development of social-change leaders who are prepared to tackle the most complex of societal issues.

Susan’s passion for social-impact organizations shined through her work as president of the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, a network of colleges, universities, and nonprofits that strengthen the social sector through the development of a talented and prepared workforce. She joined the Alliance in 2013 serving as the executive leader until a planned exit in 2022. Susan brought a culture of growth, entrepreneurship and continuous quality improvement to the organization. Susan led the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance through significant change with the addition of several new programs, including Leaderosity, an online training platform that is redefining how the nonprofit sector approaches talent development.

Susan guides nonprofits to leverage new technologies that make a significant impact across the entire sector. A frequent speaker on the national stage, Susan has given keynote addresses on topics related to workforce trends, employee engagement, talent recruitment and development and the next generation of leadership.

Before joining the Alliance, Susan served as the executive director of the Institute for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership at the University of Memphis. She also directed the university’s Nonprofit Leadership Alliance program. Susan received a master’s in public administration from the University of Memphis and is a Certified Nonprofit Professional.

Susan is an active civic servant, supporting many local and national social-impact organizations. She serves on the board of the National Human Services Assembly, she is a reading mentor with Lead to Read KC and she is active in her children’s schools, raising funds to support co-curricular activities. 

When not working to enhance the social sector, Susan enjoys spending time with her husband, David, a professional chef, and her two sons, Patrick and Walker. Their ideal weekend includes cooking, sitting on their three-story deck and shopping for mid-century antiques.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/susantschmidt/