Seasoned Health Care Executive Strategic Advisor Board Director

Susan builds trusted relationships and applies seasoned strategic judgment in complex regulatory and civic environments.

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Meet Susan

Susan Hayes Gordon is a nationally recognized senior healthcare policy and external affairs leader with decades of experience advising executive leadership and governing bodies in complex regulatory and community landscapes. She brings governance-oriented perspective grounded in long term-stewardship, public accountability and institutional trust.

Susan spent 38 years at the highest levels of one of the nation's leading children's health institutions, serving as SVP and Chief External Affairs Officer at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Over that tenure, she built and led a comprehensive external affairs function spanning government relations, public policy, community partnerships, and strategic communications — becoming one of the region's most trusted voices at the intersection of healthcare and policy.

With a strong track record in Medicaid and behavioral health strategy, stakeholder engagement and regulatory affairs, Susan offers exceptional value to clients seeking strategy advice and for-profit health care boards seeking to grow, innovate and strengthen public trust.

Learn more about Susan and download her credentials PDF

Why I Serve

I have always believed that organizations succeed when they truly understand and honor the communities they serve and the stakeholders in their mission. That belief has shaped my work in external affairs for more than 3 decades and inspires my interest in board and client service. I am ready to bring that perspective to organizations prepared to put it to meaningful use.

Areas of Expertise

Relationship Development
Organizational Leadership, Team Building, Mentoring
Government Relations/ Public Policy Development
Healthcare Strategy and Regulatory Navigation
City, State and Federal Legislative Advocacy
External Affairs Relationship Management and Stakeholder Engagement
Community Relations
Community Partnerships and Coalition Building
Medicaid and Behavioral Health
Strategic Communications
Board Governance, Nonprofit Leadership, Civic Engagement

I had the privilege to work alongside Susan Gordon for over 30 years. Her strong moral compass, fact based approach to problem solving and unwavering commitment to improving child health were critical to her advocacy success at every level of government. No one has had a greater impact.

Patrick M. Magoon, Former President & CEO, Lurie Children’s

Policy, Advocacy, Government, Community Strategies

Career Highlights & Signature Accomplishments

Susan co-led the development of Lurie Children’s behavioral health strategic plan and advocacy in the face of the children’s mental health crisis that exploded during the pandemic. She worked closely with John Walkup, MD, Chair of Lurie Children’s Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Dana Weiner, PhD, Chief Officer for Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation in Illinois, and policy makers to increase access to children’s mental health and address challenging child welfare matters.
Year after year, Susan and her team protected and enhanced essential Medicaid funding that represented 38% of the hospitals net revenues in from 2014-2024, including $600 million in FY 24 alone.
Over the years, Susan and her team secured over $30 million in capital funding, $114 million in pandemic related support, and played a pivotal role in the creation of the Pediatric Pandemic Network, delivering $25 million to the ten-hospital consortium annually since its inception.
Susan advised the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services as Chair of the Medicaid Advisory Committee (2010-2018); led a group of the nation’s top ten hospitals in developing Medicaid recommendations for the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA); and for decades served on the CHA Government Relations Subcommittee of its Public Policy Committee and on the IHA Advocacy Outreach Committee.
Susan served as Vice Chair of Lurie Children’s Policy and Advocacy Committee, which deliberates recommendations for institutional positions on public policy. She also staffed and attended Executive Committee meetings, Finance Committee meetings and Board meetings of Lurie Children’s Board of Directors.
Susan played a key role in establishing the Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education Program in Congress in 1999, which reimburses children’s hospitals across the country that train the next generation of pediatric doctors. (Currently appropriated at $385 million annually.)
Susan and her team (inspired by and in collaboration with the pediatric experts at Lurie Children’s) influenced countless child health policy initiatives to improve child health and safety spanning car seat safety, immunizations, comprehensive gun safety and beyond. Of note:
- Passed landmark legislation (first in the nation) requiring HIV testing for mothers and newborns so that those who test positive can receive lifesaving AZT therapy.
- Passed legislation improving access to life saving therapies for spinal muscular atrophy (a neuromuscular disorder that, left untreated, results in progressive muscle wasting and can be fatal).
- Passed legislation regarding nurse staffing ratios, safety in the workplace, managed care and more.
Susan played a central role managing urban planning and community strategies including:
- Securing community and government support for the $630 million Lurie Children’s Hospital and its heliport in downtown Chicago; and serving as Chair of Lurie Children’s Heliport Review Committee from 2012-2025.
- Negotiating a 20-year master plan agreement with community partners in Lincoln Park at Children’s Memorial Hospital.

Having worked with Susan Hayes Gordon for decades to strengthen children’s health policy, I can say that the world is a better place because of Susan’s charming and relentless advocacy.

Robyn Gabel, Illinois House Majority Leader

Board & Civic Service

Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow
The Magnificent Mile Association
- Board Member (2015 – Present)
- Founder and Leader of the Magnificent Mile Association Emerging Leaders Program
Marquette University Mentor/ Marquette Mentors Program 2019-Present
Civic Federation of Chicago
- Board Member (2013 -2025)
Collaborative for Children’s Health Policy (2018-2025)
- Co-Founder and member of Executive Council
Illinois/American Business Immigration Coalition
- Member (2013 – 2025)
Invited by Illinois Legislative Leaders to be a keynote speaker on leadership at the Emerging Women Leaders Conference (2024)
IL Dept of Health Care and Family Services Medicaid Advisory Committee
- Chair (2010-2018)
Loyola Academy, Wilmette, IL
- Co-Chair of President's Dinner (2014-2015)
St. Francis Xavier School, Wilmette, IL
- Board President 2008-2010

For nearly 15 years, I had the privilege of partnering with Susan Hayes Gordon to advocate with city, state and national policymakers on behalf of children and families and hospitals. Susan is driven, strategic, creative, and relentless. When Susan is involved, meaningful change happens.

AJ Wilhelmi, Pres. & CEO, Ill. Health & Hospital Association

What Susan Has to Offer Clients/Boards

Policy Intelligence: After decades spent at the intersection of healthcare and government, Susan understands the people and processes by which policies are influenced.
Stakeholder Trust: Susan spent decades developing and nurturing relationships with city, state, and federal elected and appointed officials; regulators; community leaders; trade associations; and advocacy groups and has joined and created coalitions, including being a founding member of the Collaborative for Children’s Health Policy in Illinois.
Institutional Credibility: As the external face of one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals, Susan has consistently represented the institution with integrity and impact in front of governors, state and federal elected and appointed officials, civic leaders and the public. That credibility follows her.
Mission Alignment: Susan is drawn to organizations where the mission matters—healthcare, civic institutions, companies that understand their role and responsibility to the community. She brings that value system into every engagement and board room.

The impact that Susan Hayes Gordon made in 38 years at Lurie Children’s was broad and deep. She connected clinicians, researchers, hospital leaders, staff and board members around the mission in a way that elevated everyone's impact.

Lauren Gorter, Founders’ Board Past Pres., Lurie Children’s

Awards

Cretin Derham Hall High School Carondelet Award (Oct 2024)
Woman’s History Month Award given by Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza (March, 2024)
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago George D. Kennedy Distinguished Leadership Award (December, 2025)

It has been a pleasure to work alongside Susan to advance transformative system change for children's mental health care in IL. The impact of her advocacy will be felt for decades to come.

Dr Dana Weiner -Children's Behavioral Health Transformation

Let's Connect

Susan welcomes thoughtful conversations about board service and select advisory roles and speaking engagements. If you are a search firm, board chair or executive exploring governance and strategy needs, she'd be pleased to connect.

Susan@SusanHayesGordon.com