Her Story
About Susan
Susan King serves as Executive Director of a nonprofit in Spencer, Virginia. She began her nonprofit career in 2011 immediately after college and has been with her current organization for nine years, advancing from assistant director after a year and a half to her current leadership position. Her work centers on childhood development, bridging service gaps, and ensuring equitable support for all families. Earlier in her career, she contributed to the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation and programs at Head Start and Early Head Start. She holds a bachelor's degree, having begun her studies at a local community college before completing her education at a university. King emphasizes values of grace, integrity, and service in her professional and personal life, drawing from her experiences as a single mother while leading community initiatives in a rural area.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Susan
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I was very fortunate when I first started sitting on boards and committees. You sit alongside a woman who was at the end of her career... she told me very early on that the key was to put yourself in rooms with people that you saw something great that you wanted to be like. And to choose 5 to 10 people for your inner circle who you felt like were great people who had the characteristics and the talents and the gifts and abilities that you wanted to be more like.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
There are still going to be people who look down at you because you are a young woman... your value is not defined by the fact that you are a woman. Your confidence does not have to be defined by the fact that you are a woman. You can be a strong leader as a young woman, as long as you are teachable and that you will make mistakes and that you are willing to give grace, to hold yourself accountable, and to move forward in a way that allows for growth and allows for correction.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
We live in a very rural area. Which, we're blessed to have a lot of nonprofits, but there isn't a lot of nonprofit funding to fulfill every mission... when you have a wide variety of nonprofits in an area. We're all seeking the same people who have to give the same amount of hours to volunteer. The same funding... So that is probably the greatest challenge.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Grace. And serving all people, and especially families with grace. An integrity... We all give we all pour from a cup that some of our cups might be a little bit bigger than others some days. Some of our cups might be a little too hot to pour too fast, you know? What we have to give every day is different. And we have to allow ourselves and other people the grace to do that.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.