Supporting Smiles
Susannah (“Susie”) Schaefer is executive vice chair, president and chief executive officer of Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused organization with a sustainable and local model of supporting surgery and other forms of comprehensive cleft care.
Schaefer joined Smile Train in February 2013, after serving as a member of its board for over 10 years. As president and CEO, she oversees Smile Train’s vision to expand access to healthcare and increase local cleft care capacity in countries where Smile Train has active programs. Schaefer has led an organizational rebrand, seeded funding for hundreds of thousands of new smiles, grown and improved Smile Train’s digital medical records database and global cleft surgical training and education programs, and greatly expanded Smile Train’s non-surgical comprehensive cleft care programs, including in areas of nutritional support, speech therapy, oral health and psychosocial counseling.
She came to Smile Train after almost 20 years in the private sector, bringing a vast network and past experiences. Previously, Schaefer worked directly for Smile Train’s Founder, the late Charles B. Wang, first as the special assistant to the chairman and CEO at Computer Associates (now CA Technologies), and following his retirement, as his chief of staff for his business and philanthropic interests including the New York Islanders Hockey Club and NeuLion Inc.
Earning her bachelor’s in communications from Oswego in 1990, Schaefer is a member of NonProfit PRO’s Advisory Board, a Trustee of Smile Train UK, and serves on numerous boards, as a director, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children; Lifebox, a global nonprofit organization that makes surgery safer in low-resource settings; and the Oswego College Foundation.
During the 4 p.m. Commencement ceremony on May 14, Schaefer will receive an honorary doctorate for her accomplishments toward the greater good.