Susan Andersen ’89 Honored with Distinguished Alumni Award

Susan Shin Andersen ’89 is the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.

The George School Alumni Award recognizes alumni who have used their talents, expertise, and personal commitment to make a positive impact on those around them. Susan Shin Andersen is recognized for her passion for community-building, direct impact volunteer service, and connecting individuals to resources that can empower them. Susan has over fifteen years of experience both working in research administration for large academic medical centers and non-profit organizations.

Born in South Korea, Susan immigrated to America when she was four years old. Her parents left their government and nursing careers in Korea in order to provide for their children in the United States, working long hours running their own dry cleaning store. She grew up in Richboro, PA, where her family found community in their Korean-American church. It was through her parents that she first learned her passion for service to others in her community, even in small ways.

Susan naturally carried out the core values of responsibility to others and personal integrity throughout and after her time at George School. She went on to receive her Bachelor’s Degree (AB) in Sociology at Bryn Mawr College. Following her graduation, she worked for the Legal Aid Society Civil Division, assisting clients facing eviction from both privately-owned and public housing.

After earning a Juris Doctorate (JD) at Rutgers School of Law-Newark, Susan embarked on a career in the field of research administration for over a decade, working for academic medical centers in regulatory support, contract negotiation, and policy and procedure development. Her current role as Research Policy Manager at NYU Langone Health has led her to practice policy and process management, development, and implementation.

Since moving in 2009, Susan has built a strong community in Montclair, NJ. With over 15 years working with non-profit organizations, Susan brings passion to service. Since AAPI Montclair’s inception, she has been an active member of the Advocacy Committee and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2022. She is also a longtime volunteer at Toni’s Kitchen, an organization that works to eliminate food insecurity in Montclair and surrounding towns, and member of its Advisory Committee, a supporter of the Montclair Scholarship Fund, was a class parent at Nishuane Elementary School, and is a member of the Vestry of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, where she serves on committees addressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and new leadership development. She is currently running for Montclair Township Councilor-at-Large.

Along with volunteer work, Susan enjoys running, hiking, practicing yoga, and experiencing arts, food, and cultural events in the area. Learn more about Susan on her website.

Susan will accept her award on Saturday, May 4 during the All-Alumni Gathering.