No One Right Way – Creating New Systems for Volunteer Engagement
Moderator Susan Sanow, CVA

Susan Sanow, CVA

Susan Sanow, CVA has been a part of Volunteer Fairfax for almost 10 years. She began as a VF Board member and joined the staff for what was supposed to be a 5-week assignment in 2011. She never returned to the board. As VF’s Special Projects Manager, Susan currently leads the educational programs and the organization’s board matching program.

Susan spent 21 years at the Center for Nonprofit Advancement (Washington, D.C.) where she had a wide array of responsibilities including membership, communications, and nonprofit outreach and education. She founded The Washington Post Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management (now AIM Award) and the Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman EXCEL Nonprofit Leadership Award. She is the author of numerous magazine and newsletter articles on nonprofit management and is co-author of the book Winning Ways: Great Nonprofit Management Ideas from the Washington Post Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management (2001).

Susan is an experienced meeting facilitator and trainer on nonprofit management, boards of directors, and volunteer management. Susan has presented workshops for Volunteer Fairfax, the Center for Nonprofit Advancement, The Foundation Center-Washington, Booz Allen Hamilton Nonprofit Series, Virginia Volunteerism and Service Conference, Rebuilding Together National Conference, the BoardSource National Leadership Forum, NAMI’s National Chapter Executive Leadership Conference, and the Points of Light National Conference.

Susan holds a B.S. in Consumer-Community Services from Michigan State University. She became a Certified Volunteer Administrator in 2020.