As a trusted advisor to nonprofit organizations and foundations for over thirty years and as author Nonprofit Lifecycles: Stage-based Wisdom for Nonprofit Capacity, Susan founded the Nonprofit Lifecycles Institute in 2015. In 2019, Susan named Jennifer H. Bonnett the President and CEO of the Nonprofit Lifecycles Institute. Susan moved to the role of Senior Advisor continuing through March 2021.

Joining the organization as a consultant in 2016, Jennifer has vast experience consulting with nonprofits and community-based foundations to target their capacity building dollars toward the greatest community impact. In her role with the Institute over the past year, she has had the opportunity to shape the future, and Susan is incredibly grateful for their shared vision for the future of the Institute to reach significant numbers of organizations whose shared impact so positively changes the face of our communities.

Susan designed and led capacity building programs for an illustrious list of foundations across the U.S. and Canada including: national funders Ford Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Warhol Foundation; as well as many place-based funders who have adopted lifecycles as a key component of their work: Gifford Foundation (Syracuse, NY), Dekko Foundation (IN), GR Dodge Foundation (Morristown, NJ), Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust (Phoenix, AZ), Rose Community Foundation (Denver, CO), Vancouver Cultural Services (British Columbia).

Her work is used in nonprofit management schools including: American University, Baypath University, Drexel University, George Mason University, Lasalle University, Metro State University, Saint Mary’s University and University of Missouri KC.

As founder of The Stevens Group, Nonprofit Lifecycle Institute and Principal-in-Charge of Larson Allen’s Nonprofit and Government Division throughout her illustrious career, Susan has led thousands of organizations on the path to success.