Susan Solomont

Susan Lewis Solomont recently moved back to the United States after living in Madrid, Spain, with her husband, Alan D. Solomont, the United States ambassador to Spain and Andorra (2009-2013).

While in Madrid, she chaired the Women’s Leadership Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce and created the Women’s Leadership Network, a series that helped to shine a light on the role of women in Spain in areas such as entrepreneurship, social media, marketing, and corporate social responsibility. Solomont also chaired the U.S. Embassy’s Volunteers in Action program and is a member of the board of advisors for the Spain Start-up and Investor Summit.

Prior to moving to Madrid in 2010, Solomont was a senior philanthropic advisor at The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI), a nonprofit consulting firm based in Boston that advises individuals, family foundations, and corporations on how to design philanthropic programs to create meaning and impact. During her more than 10 years at TPI, Solomont’s work focused on creating entrepreneurial and strategic approaches to private philanthropy, enabling corporate clients to develop new approaches to corporate civic engagement, and developing thoughtful, results-oriented approaches to charitable giving and community engagement.

Before joining TPI, Solomont had an independent consulting company that worked with nonprofit organizations on issues such as governance, board relations, capacity building, and sustainability strategies. Earlier in her career, Solomont worked as director of corporate development for WGBH, the nation’s premier public broadcasting station, where she successfully raised more than $35 million annually for WGBH’s signature TV and radio programs.

Committed to be an active citizen in the community in which she lives, Solomont has been a board member and lay leader of many institutions, including the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, the New England Aquarium (board chair, 1999-2004), the Women’s Health Initiative at Boston Medical Center (co-chair, 2006-2009), Newton Wellesley Hospital, the Berklee College of Music Valencia Advisory Board, the Citi Center for the Performing Arts (formerly the Wang Center), the Commonwealth Institute, the WGBH Board of Overseers, the Boston Jewish Community Women’s Fund, and Temple Beth Elohim (building campaign chair, 2005-2009).

Solomont has received several awards recognizing her community leadership, including the FEDEPE International Woman of the Year Award in Madrid and the YWCA Outstanding Women’s Leadership Award in Boston. She holds a bachelor of science degree from Cornell University and a master’s degree in education from Tufts University. Solomont and her husband have two wonderful daughters: Becca and Stephanie.