Areas of Expertise
- Roles & Responsibilities
- Composition & Board Development
- Structure & Culture
- Board-Staff Relations
- Assessments
- Strategic Thinking & Planning
Susan Meier is an independent consultant based in Chicago, IL and has served as a Senior Governance Consultant for BoardSource since 2004. Prior to starting her own practice in 2012, she served as the vice president of consulting and training for BoardSource from 2004 to 2011. Susan has spent more than 30 years in governance and nonprofit work, working collaboratively with nonprofit executives and board members to identify governance challenges and opportunities and to implement proven strategies to address a broad array of governance issues.
Much of Susan’s work has focused on increasing board engagement, board/staff relations, and leadership transitions. Specifically, she engages boards in a deeper understanding of roles and responsibilities, strategic and generative thinking, concrete ways to maximize board meetings, and addressing culture and dynamics in the boardroom. Her 13 years as a senior executive at Prevent Child Abuse America has given her concrete experience in understanding the complex and unique challenges of federated organizations and structures. Susan also has extensive experience in facilitating sensitive and important conversations and in helping boards build on their strengths to become higher-performing boards.
Susan works with all types of nonprofit organizations. Some current and past clients include ASME, American Lung Association, Annenberg Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Center for Excellence in Nonprofits, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Feeding America (and select chapters), Community Memorial Foundation (and local grantees), National Council for State Boards of Nursing, National Domestic Violence Hotline, Ronald McDonald House Charities Global (and select chapters), Shedd Aquarium, and the United Way of Central Oklahoma, among others. Susan also has served as guest faculty for American University, the Kellogg School of Management Nonprofit Executive Education program, the George Washington University, and the Issues in Nonprofit Governance conference hosted by Georgetown Law, the IRS, and Independent Sector.
Susan has served on a number of boards of directors and currently serves as vice chair of the Ripon College Board of Trustees. She graduated cum laude from Ripon College. She is the author of the BoardSource publication The Board-Building Cycle: Finding, Engaging, and Strengthening Nonprofit Board Members, Third Edition.
Susan specializes in:
- Board engagement
- Strategic & generative thinking
- Board culture & dynamics
- Board & board member assessment
- Strategic board cultivation & recruitment
- Leadership transitions