Susan A. Anderson, M.Ed., has decades of experience in leadership roles with Alaskan, national, and international nonprofit and Indigenous organizations. Of Tlingit heritage, she is deeply committed to strengthening communities through education, cultural knowledge, and the arts. Throughout her career, she has worked to expand opportunities for Alaska Native communities, support nonprofit organizations, and advance initiatives that preserve and celebrate Indigenous culture. She was raised in Anchorage, Eagle River, Valdez, Seward, and spent time in Juneau, Alaska. She received a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and a master’s in adult education administration from Western Washington University. She also holds a post-graduate certificate in project management and was selected to attend the Stanford University Executive Program for Philanthropy Leaders.

Susan has led major philanthropic and educational initiatives, including helping develop statewide grantmaking strategies that distributed more than $41 million in education and training grants across Alaska. Known for her collaborative leadership style, she has built strong partnerships among foundations, Tribal organizations, nonprofits, and government agencies to expand opportunities for communities throughout the state. She has also served in numerous leadership roles across Alaska’s nonprofit and education sectors, including as Board Secretary of Alaska Pacific University and as a board member and chair of several statewide organizations. Her volunteer and board service includes the Alaska Children’s Trust, Alaska Funders’ Group,
ANCSA Education Consortium, Philanthropy Northwest, University of Alaska Foundation, and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.