Susan Sanders (M.Arch ’89) returned to Atlanta in 2010 to become the director of development for the College of Design (née Architecture). Sanders has successfully secured several major gifts from college alumni — to renovate and retrofit the Architecture Annex for the School of Building Construction; a major gift to create the Innovation & Design Collaborative directed by the School of Industrial Design; and the John Portman Dean’s Chair for the College. She works closely with alumni, assisting them in fulfilling their philanthropic goals.  She also collaborates with the dean of the College, working on vital initiatives with the executive advisory board, faculty, alumni and friends that expand and deepen philanthropic support for the College.

Prior to returning to Georgia Tech, she co-founded and served as executive director of the Institute of Design + Culture in Rome, Italy. In addition, she was the creative director for Carrier Johnson Architects in San Diego; taught architectural design for the Universities of Arkansas and Kansas and the Savannah College of Art & Design; and served as the Hyde Chair of Excellence for the University of Nebraska.