Susie supports HEI leaders and teams, often during times of significant change. With a background in senior-level fundraising, she has since worked with universities, schools and educational institutes on assessments to achieve fundraising goals, develop fundraising operations and transformational campaigns, and deliver leadership training.
Susie spent over seven years in the senior management team at the University of Exeter leading the University’s first international campaign, “Creating a World Class University Together”, raising over £25 million and quadrupling annual philanthropic income. Her fundraising clients include University of Sheffield, University of Manchester and Cancer Research UK.
She is also a champion of best practice governance and is responsible for developing Halpin’s cross-sector governance expertise. She has led high-profile, complex and highly customised reviews of governance processes which have informed strategy and led to operational change. Recent clients include University of West London, Sunderland University, Leeds Trinity, UUK, QAA, University of Westminster and the Royal College of Art, London Institute of Banking and Finance and University of Bath.
Susie is a Trustee of the Halpin Trust, and has been a Governor at Exeter College and Plymouth College of Art. Known for her thought-leadership, Susie is in demand as a conference speaker and writes regular commentary for the higher education sector.
In 2019 she was named as one of Unilever’s ’50 Leading Lights in Kindness’ in the Financial Times. Susie is the kickstarter of the hugely successful Kindfest, which debuted in 2020 and is now an annual event.