Susan McPherson

Job Title / Role
Founder and CEO

What gives you hope that a better world is possible? 

Building meaningful connections that last the test of time.

Susan McPherson is a serial connector, angel investor, and corporate responsibility expert. She is the founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies, a communications consultancy focused on the intersection of brands and social impact. She is the author of The Lost Art of Connecting: The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Relationships (McGraw-Hill). Susan has 30+ years of experience in marketing, public relations, and sustainability communications, speaking regularly at industry events including Massachusetts Conference for Women, BSR, DLD, Worth Women and Techonomy, and contributing to the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Forbes. She has appeared on NPR, CNN, USA Today, The New Yorker, New York Magazine and the Los Angeles Times.


Susan is the recipient of Forbes magazine’s 50 over 50—Impact 2021 award and Worth Media’s Worthy100 award. She has also won numerous accolades for her voice on social media platforms from Fortune Magazine, Fast Company and Elle Magazine. Currently, Susan invests in and advises women-led start-ups, including: iFundWomen,Inc., The Meteor, Our Place, Spicewell, The June Group, Hint Water, The Helm, Apolitical and The Muse. She has recently started investing in women-led Broadway productions including Like Water for Elephants and SUFFS. She previously served on the boards of USA for UNHCR, Bpeace, The Lower Eastside Girls Club and presently serves on the board of The 19th News. She is on the advisory boards of the Apolitical Foundation, Lebec Consulting and Just Capital.

Additionally, she is a member of the MIT Solve Women and Technology Leadership Group and serves as an adviser to several nonprofits including She’s The First and The OpEd Project. Susan is a Vital Voices global corporate ambassador and a member of the New York Women’s Forum and Extraordinary Women on Boards. She resides in Brooklyn.

Discover more about Susan’s book The Lost Art of Connecting

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Are you interested in learning more about McPherson Strategies and the services we offer? Social impact strategy, communications, partnership development, content development and more.