Susan E. Schotanus has more than 25 years of professional experience in crisis intervention, trauma-informed care, youth development, higher education, and student success. Throughout her career, she has worked with at-risk adolescents and underserved populations across central Wisconsin, helping individuals overcome barriers while promoting resilience, educational achievement, leadership development, and career success. In addition to her role at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, Susan continues to serve with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, where she supports rehabilitation, reentry, and evidence-informed correctional practices.

Susan currently serves as the Coordinator of the Multicultural Resource Center and as a First-Year Seminar Instructor at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. In these roles, she develops student success initiatives, cultivates campus and community partnerships, mentors students, and leads programs that foster belonging, leadership, and academic persistence.

Susan is completing her Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) at National University in the College of Law and Public Service. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in public administration, with an emphasis in nonprofit organizations and leadership from Upper Iowa University. She also holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice from Northcentral Technical College.

Throughout her career, Susan has designed and facilitated programs that promote leadership development, community engagement, employment readiness, and educational success for at-risk youth. Her work has included coordinating volunteer initiatives with local community organizations, developing a group home newsletter that encouraged creative writing, photography, and marketing skills, and establishing a library during the COVID-19 pandemic to promote literacy and lifelong learning. She has also collaborated with nonprofit organizations to implement crisis intervention strategies and trauma-informed practices that strengthen organizational effectiveness and support accreditation efforts.

A lifelong resident of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, Susan is a first-generation college graduate committed to strengthening communities through education, leadership, and public service.