Susan Kramer recently joined the JWRP as director of external relations after volunteering with the organization for more than seven years. As a volunteer, Susan offered strategic planning, organizational development and fundraising expertise. In her new role as director of external relations, Susan is creating an infrastructure that will enable the JWRP to expand with respect to participants, partner organizations and funders. As a member of the JWRP’s executive leadership team, Susan is building on the organization’s foundation to implement global strategies that will help move the JWRP into its next phase of growth.

Prior to joining the JWRP team, Susan held a number of senior philanthropic and Jewish communal positions. For two and half years, Susan was president/CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas and successfully led the organization into its second century. In partnership with professionals and lay leaders, Susan increased Dallas' fundraising campaigns with record numbers. Their efforts helped the Dallas Federation acquire more than 1,600 new donors during her tenure and increase the Annual Campaign by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Among other successful accomplishments, Susan also launched and rebuilt the Jewish Women's Philanthropy Center, re-engaged and re-imagined Dallas' relationship with its partner region, the Western Galilee, and completed one of the largest Jewish Community Needs Assessment and Community Scans in the country. Known for her remarkable outgoing personality and drive to succeed, Susan was a diligent proponent of change at the Federation, implementing the “Kramer Institute,” a weekly course in which staff professionals are trained in leadership skills and donor development.

Returning to her familiar roots, family and home in Colorado, Susan followed her “calling” at JEWISHcolorado (formerly known as Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado), resuming an expanded and redefined role as the chief development officer in the organization in which Susan built her career. As JEWISHcolorado reinvented itself for a new generation of Jewish donors and users, Susan was specifically tapped to bring her unique vision, passion, experience and energy to the role to help navigate the professional and lay leadership teams into the next era of fundraising and community building for Denver/Boulder.

A role that Susan has most recently embraced is as adjunct faculty at Regis University in Denver. Susan is teaching fundraising in the master’s of nonprofit management department. Her students benefit from her years of experience and passion for the industry.

A sought-after speaker for community events, celebrations and dedications, Susan also is a mentor and coach for fundraising professionals across the country.

Susan holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Maryland and a master’s in nonprofit management from Regis University. She also is a graduate of Denver University’s Certification for Jewish Communal Professionals.

Susan is married to Brett Kramer; they have two sons, Jules, who made Alliyah to Israel in 2007 and is a tour guide licensed by Israel’s Ministry of Tourism, and Max, who attends the University of Colorado at Denver.