Susan Ruether
Program Manager
Washington,DC
Summary
Experienced Program Manager skilled in managing functional operations and projects both internationally and domestically. Advanced understanding of organizational strategies, financial management, procurement and contracting. Expertise in fundraising and grant writing.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Program Manger - Fundraising
PSI
07.2022 - Current
- Interacted with private sector partners to identify shared priorities for fundraising
- Brought in x new clients
- Fundraised x dollar amount
Program Manager, Asia and LAC
Population Services International (PSI)
Washington, DC
06.2020 - 06.2022
- Program management backstopping lead for two phases of a multi-country project funded by DFID and Unilever: HBCC for Populations Vulnerable to COVID-19 (3.6 million GBP annually); phase two awarded to PSI as noncompetitive based on high performance in phase 1
- Program support to PSI Myanmar, PSI Cambodia, PSI Vietnam and regional awards (~$20 million annually)
- Lead technical assistance for PSI Myanmar HIV/TB team and SRH team: report reviews, project designs, product forecasting, analysis of service delivery through clinic franchises and health impact reviews
- Lead successful management of office localizations in Myanmar and India.
Senior Associate Program Manager, Acceleration Market
Population Services International (PSI)
Washington, DC
04.2019 - 05.2020
- Program and financial management backstopping for PSI Myanmar and regional awards (~$20 million annually)
- Lead technical assistance for PSI Myanmar Family Health Team (FP/RH team): report reviews, Keystone project designs, product forecasting, analysis of service delivery through clinic franchises and health impact reviews
- Co-lead technical assistance for the PSI Myanmar Social Enterprise including business performance reviews and health impact reviews
- Lead reviews of financial performance of projects against monthly and annual goals; lead project reviews for health impact and donor compliance and plan adjustments with senior teams in country.
Associate Program Manager, Asia
Population Services International (PSI)
Washington, DC
05.2016 - 03.2019
- Program and financial management backstopping for large, diverse portfolios in Asia: Pakistan, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea and Gates-funded regional malaria project (~$40 million annually)
- Supported new business initiatives including a $21M family planning grant from DFID (UK AID) won in 2017
- Achieved annual revenue and health impact goals for largest portfolios each year
- Lead reviews of financial performance of 20+ projects against monthly and annual goals; lead project reviews for health impact and donor compliance and plan adjustments with senior teams in country
- Design and conduct program and financial management trainings for in-country staff across the portfolio; e.g
- Subaward compliance, budget creation and monitoring, youth-friendly health delivery.
Country Manager
PSI Belize
Belize
01.2015 - 05.2016
- Lead implementing team for USAID-funded HIV prevention program; reached 100% of targets on time and on budget in 2015
- Goals included HIV testing for key populations, linkages to care for positives and support for adherence
- Proposal development lead for MAC Foundation grant- funds supported a 35% increase in HIV prevention services to female sex workers in 2016
- Lead integration of STI testing into package of services for clients
- Led platform to meet 100% of company quality standards for 2015
- Coordinated HIV response with the Belize National AIDS Commission and Ministry of Health
- Represented PSI to the Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) in Belize.
Consultant
(PSI)
Honduras
06.2014 - 12.2014
- Conducted data analysis, interviews and secondary research to investigate links between youth violence prevention and adolescent sexual reproductive health programming in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras
- Published final report and presented findings in Spanish at high profile conference in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Intern
LAC Department (PSI)
Washington DC
05.2013 - 06.2014
- Grant writing and reporting for USAID cooperative agreements and other donor-funded projects
- Secondary research and writing/synthesis for article evaluating HIV Combination Prevention program in Central America
- Tracked grant deliverables in coordination with country offices.
Research and Policy Associate Consultant
DC Alliance of Youth Advocates
Washington, DC
08.2012 - 05.2013
- Co-author of DC Five Year Plan to End Youth Homelessness, 2013 - approaches were adopted by the city council and legislation resulted in an additional $5M per year (for 5 years) for youth housing programs
- Convened groups of local youth supporters to identify advocacy goals and developed action plans
- Wrote blog posts focused on youth homelessness.
Safe Housing Programs Director
Latin American Youth Center, Community Wellness Division
Washington DC
11.2010 - 06.2012
- Managed multiple prevention programs, housing and street outreach programs for homeless youth
- Oversaw monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of programs; used data and results to realign program design
- Supervised a team of six staff members
- Supervised street outreach focused on Latino and immigrant youth
- Managed budgets and increased funding for programs by 41% in two years.
Education
M.P.H. - Concentration in Global Health, Monitoring and Evaluation
The George Washington University
09.2012 - 05.2015
B.A. - International Affairs and Creative Writing
The University of Colorado
01.1997 - 05.2001
Skills
Policy and procedure improvements
Budgeting and Resource Management
Partnership development
Professional writing
Fluent in Spanish
Fundraising
Publications
- Effectiveness of a combination prevention strategy for HIV risk reduction with men who have sex with men in Central America: a mid-term evaluation., Firestone, R, Rivas J, Lungo S, Cabrera A, Ruether, S, Wheeler, J, Vu, L, BMC Public Health, 2014, 14, 1244
- Crisis in the Triangle: Addressing adolescent reproductive health and violence prevention in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. Ruether, S, Anfinson, K, Greifinger, R, Roberts, J, Heichelheim, J, USAID, 2015
Timeline
Program Manger - Fundraising
PSI
07.2022 - Current
Program Manager, Asia and LAC
Population Services International (PSI)
06.2020 - 06.2022
Senior Associate Program Manager, Acceleration Market
Population Services International (PSI)
04.2019 - 05.2020
Associate Program Manager, Asia
Population Services International (PSI)
05.2016 - 03.2019
Country Manager
PSI Belize
01.2015 - 05.2016
Consultant
(PSI)
06.2014 - 12.2014
Intern
LAC Department (PSI)
05.2013 - 06.2014
M.P.H. - Concentration in Global Health, Monitoring and Evaluation
The George Washington University
09.2012 - 05.2015
Research and Policy Associate Consultant
DC Alliance of Youth Advocates
08.2012 - 05.2013
Safe Housing Programs Director
Latin American Youth Center, Community Wellness Division
11.2010 - 06.2012
B.A. - International Affairs and Creative Writing
The University of Colorado
01.1997 - 05.2001