Susan Summers, CFRE
Director
2023-2025
Lone Star College
Susan Summers joined Lone Star College Foundation in 2015 and serves as the Director of Donor Relations, where she serves as a senior member of the Foundation staff, creating and implementing fundraising and communication strategies that enhance giving and cultivate new donors to the Foundation.
As a 20+ year veteran of the Advancement profession, Susan has worked in a variety of sectors including private K-12 education, healthcare, and social services, along with her recent eight years of higher education experience. Susan has enjoyed hands-on and in-depth experience in all areas of Advancement, including annual funds, capital campaigns, major gifts, portfolio management, board development, fundraising and cultivation events, marketing and communications, donor relations, and alumni relations.
Career highlights include launches of inaugural, “first-ever” efforts, including all components of a brand-new Advancement office; annual fund campaigns that continue to raise $300K - $1M annually; an alumni association; and a capital campaign that raised $6M from 150 donors in a one-year period. In her current role, Susan has formalized the donor relations program at Lone Star College Foundation by implementing a measurable communications plan to include e-newsletter and social media; an annual Employee Giving Campaign which has cumulatively raised $1.3M since inception; and the Celebration Circle giving society which raises an average of $500K annually and helps to build donor loyalty and consistency.
Susan holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from The University of Texas at Austin and holds a CFRE issued by CFRE International. She co-chaired the Marketing and Communications Committee for three TACCF annual conferences, and she coordinates the Montgomery County Development Professionals networking and professional development group. She and her husband David live in The Woodlands, Texas with their rescue puppy Lola, and are blessed to live near their two adult sons, who have established their homes and careers in the Houston area.