About Us

Susan F. Rice, Ed.D., ACFRE

Susan has worked in nonprofit fundraising management for public and private educational institutions, social service agencies and public policy organizations for over twenty-five years. At UCLA, she directed the $35 million dollar management school component of UCLA's capital campaign. She developed a board of advisors to raise the funds, conducted a feasibility study, developed recognition opportunities and worked with the University of California and UCLA Foundation to ensure that University policies and donor interests received equal attention. Before the campaign ended, the management school had exceeded its campaign target, expanded its goals to include a new facility for the school, and renamed the school for one of its donors.

Before her alumni and development position at UCLA, she headed the award-winning Governmental Relations Program at UCLA. Designed to bring influential alumni and primarily state legislators together on campus and in Sacramento, the program has grown to be one of the largest of a publicly assisted university in the nation. In both positions at UCLA, she expanded alumni participation in giving funds.

At Santa Monica College, she advised the President on fund raising and community relations. Susan also developed a board of advisors for the Library Sculpture Garden and assisted in the establishment of a foundation to fund long-term priorities.

Susan has served as a corporate officer at three other major nonprofit organizations: President/CEO of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA); Vice President for Development of the Business Executives for National Security (BENS); and Deputy Director of Marketing and Development and Director of Major Gifts for Special Olympics International.

Susan teaches fundraising at UCLA Extension and has also provided training on fundraising and nonprofit management through the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the University of Judaism, Saint Mary's College (Notre Dame, Indiana), and Pepperdine University. She has counseled the following organizations: the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, the Southeast Symphony Association, The RAND Corporation, the Aspen Institute, SRO Housing Corporation, The International Human Rights Law Group, Business Executives for National Security, United States Institute of Peace, the East Timor International Support Group, Brentwood School, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the Writers Guild Foundation, Friends of Ballona Wetlands and the Westside Children's Center. Prior to her career in fundraising, Susan taught political science at Santa Monica College, served the League of Women Voters of California as president, and co-chaired or led seven nonpartisan ballot measure campaigns.

Susan is involved in community service as a board member of the Pepperdine University Board of Regents, the Los Angeles World Affairs Council Board, Saint Mary's College (Notre Dame, Indiana), the UCLA Foundation Board of Governors, the Los Angeles League of Women Votes Education Fund. She recently completed eight years of service on the board of the fundraising certification organization, CFRE International, her last two years as board chair.

Susan has been honored as a Distinguished Alumna by Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana and the Pepperdine University School of Education and Psychology. She holds an Advanced Certified Fundraising Executive credential, one of 55 in the nation, and holds Administrator and Supervisor Credentials from the California Community Colleges. Susan has written articles on fundraising for Advancing Philanthropy and is the co-author of “Women, Money and Political Clout” in Women as Donors, Women as Philanthropists , Von Schlegell and Fisher, eds, Jossey-Bass, 1994.