Susan Pettyjohn joined Washburn & McGoldrick in 2016 after 26 years in higher education advancement work at William and Mary and Appalachian State University. During her time at William and Mary from 1990 until 2007, Susan oversaw all areas of development and was the primary administrator for the William & Mary Endowment Association. Susan became interim vice president in 2005 and during this time, she was instrumental in the successful conclusion of the $500 million Campaign for William and Mary in 2006.

In 2007, Susan became the Vice Chancellor for Advancement at Appalachian State University. She led the assessment, reorganization, planning, and implementation that culminated in the successful conclusion of the $200 million Campaign for Appalachian, Making a Difference in the World, One Student at a Time. Her leadership of the ASU Foundation as President helped to develop a strong and vital board of directors and a more effective strategy for investing.

In addition to Susan’s success in fundraising, her strengths and experiences include organizational assessment and management, strategic planning, campaign planning, and board development.

She is also very experienced with alumni relations, advancement services, budget management, donor relations, town and gown relations and programs, events planning, annual giving, and communications. Susan has been on the faculty of the National Planned Giving Institute at William & Mary and attended the Cornell Administrative Management Institute.

Since joining Washburn & McGoldrick, Susan has worked with both public and private colleges and universities as well as the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Clients she has served include Western Carolina University, Rollins College, St. Catherine University, NC State University, Towson University, Wheaton College in Massachusetts, Denison University, the College of Charleston, Virginia State University, Vassar, the University System of Maryland Foundation, and the UNC System. Her counsel has included feasibility studies, program assessments, campaign planning, training and coaching for major gifts as well as managers of fundraisers, workshops for academic and administrative leaders as well as leadership volunteers, strategic planning for institutionally related foundations, and development of programs for women philanthropists.

Susan also has been an instructor for the company’s Intensives training program for major gifts, deans, and volunteer leaders. Most recently she has been part of the team that has developed the on-line version of Intensives and is one of the primary instructors.

Susan received a Bachelor of Music degree from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Master of Arts degree in Higher Education from William and Mary. She serves on the Development Board for the School of Education at William & Mary and is a member of the Steering Committee of the Society of 1918, William & Mary’s women in philanthropy program.

Susan spent many years sailing on the Chesapeake Bay and she taught sailing to women for several years.