Susan brings 15+ years of experience in the venture capital industry to BootstrapLabs. She has worked with multi-billion-dollar private equity funds, venture fund of funds, up-and-coming venture funds as well as industry associations through her business Stella Advisors. She provides extensive expertise in investor relations, strategic communications and leadership and organizational growth.

Previously, Susan was principal and director with Knightsbridge Advisers, a venture capital fund of funds, where she was responsible for investor relations and marketing efforts. From 2006 to 2009, Susan served as the Director of the Thunderbird Global Private Equity Center (TPEC), a thought-leadership platform developed by the Thunderbird School of Global Management to advance knowledge on the key issues and trends facing global private equity. From 2004 to 2006, Susan was a partner in Venture Archetypes, a San Francisco-based strategic advisory firm that works with emerging technology and life science companies which seek venture capital backing.

Her background also includes professional assignments with Intel; the German Ministry of Economics and Labor; Roland Berger Strategy Consultants in Germany; and the United Nations, as part of a three-year stint living and working in Mongolia.

Susan received an MBA in International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management where she received the highest honor awarded to a single graduate, the Barton Kyle Yount Award. She also holds a BA, magna cum laude, from Drake University.

She is proficient in Mongolian and German languages.