Ep. 191 - Susan Madsen - World Renowned Women's Leadership Expert

Professor Susan R. Madsen is considered one of the top global thought leaders on the topic of women and leadership. Her research has been featured in the News and World Report, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Parenting Magazine, Chronicle of Higher Education, The Washington Post, and she is a regular contributor to Forbes. She is a sought-after global speaker and trainer and has presented at United Nations NGO sessions, The New York Times, the U.S. State Department, USAID, the Argentina Parliament Palace, the House of Commons in England, the Lithuanian President’s Palace, and in many other countries around the world. In past years she has conducted research in China, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe and has facilitated women’s leadership development programs and seminars with women leaders from over 40 countries.

Dr. Madsen founded the International Leadership Association’s (ILA) Women and Leadership Affinity Group and the Academy of Human Resource Development’s Leadership Special Interest Group. In 2013 and 2015 she chaired a global women and leadership conference for the ILAShe and colleagues also lead discussions globally to help more women’s leadership scholars understand and get involved with public policy. Dr. Madsen has also been an advisor and/or trainer on women’s leadership to national organizations and associations like the American Council on Education, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, American Association of University Women, and others.

Dr. Madsen thrives on being a change agent. In 2009, she created the Utah Women and Education Initiative and led a research team to investigate what might be done to get more Utah women to attend college and then graduate. In 2011-2012, she worked with the Utah governor and his staff to create the Utah Women’s College Taskforce that resulted in a report to the state calling for change. Dr. Madsen also founded the Utah Women in Higher Education Network (UWHEN) in 2010 and was recently recognized with special honors as she moved off the board in early 2019. In 2013, Dr. Madsen founded the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP), which is focused on strengthening the impact of Utah girls and women through encouraging, developing, and advancing women in leadership. As part of that work, she has overseen the production and release of public research (accessible to the general population as well as policy makers, educators, and other stakeholders). She and her team also hosts or co-sponsors 20-30 events annually, each focused on engaging and instructing girls and women in a variety of ways and on numerous subjects, all with the end goal of inspiring and encouraging enhanced educational goals and leadership aspirations. Professor Madsen’s efforts reach and influence tens of thousands in Utah annually. She also serves on or advises many Utah nonprofit and community boards, including Envision Utah, Silicon Slopes, Real Women Run, United Way of Utah County, Better Days 2020, Utah Financial Empowerment Coalition, South Davis Communities that Care, and the Utah Governor’s One Utah Roadmap Team. She has also been an advisor or trainer on women’s leadership to national organizations and associations like the American Council on Education, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, American Association of University Women, and others.

Dr. Madsen received her doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota in Work, Community, and Family Education with a specialization in human resource development. She has other degrees in exercise science/wellness and speech communication education, and she started her career many years ago as a middle school speech and debate teacher. She and her husband Greg have four adult children, a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law, and two adorable grandchildren. In her spare time, she enjoys golf, snowshoeing, hiking, and traveling.