Susan Furtney

Susan Furtney, MPH, FACHE brings nearly three decades of business development, operations management, analytics and consulting experience in both corporate and non-profit organizations across the healthcare ecosystem. As Health Lead’s first chief strategy and learning officer, Susan oversees the business development, investor relations and communications functions and evolves the organization’s learning, policy, measurement and evaluation strategies.

Before joining Health Leads, Susan spent seven years in senior leadership roles at the State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate University Hospital. Most recently, she was the founding chief strategy officer (CSO) for the hospital leading regional strategy, corporate/business development and innovative strategic initiatives for the health system. Prior to her CSO role, Susan served as the administrator for ambulatory services, providing strategic and operational oversight for 28 primary care, specialty care and dental practices serving a 17 county region in central New York.

Prior to Upstate, Susan was the executive director of community engagement and primary care administration at St. Joseph’s Health. She previously held leadership roles in international consulting firms, a national health benefits company, a public health non-profit agency and healthcare systems in North Carolina, Kentucky and Georgia.

Susan currently serves on the board of directors for the Central New York Community Foundation, community impact committee of the United Way of Central New York and the leadership council of the Early Childhood Alliance of Onondaga County.

Susan received a bachelor of science in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master of public health from Emory University. She is also a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.