Director of Illinois Soybean Foundation
Suellen Burns is the Director of Illinois Soybean Foundation. In her role, she develops and implements fundraising strategies that support the strategic vision of the ISA Foundation. She also engages with other organizations to conduct educational programs, conservation management practices, new sustainability programs, on-farm demonstrations, and pilot projects that support farmers in scaling-up conservation practices.
Burns is a versatile social impact executive with experience in the arts, conservation, productive landscapes, and built environment. She has over two decades of experience in grantmaking, fundraising, program development and assessment, communications, marketing, finance, executive leadership, and capacity-building. Her previous employers and clients include the Driehaus Foundation, DePaul University, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Donnelley Foundation, Friends of the Chicago River, and Arts Bridge, among numerous others. She holds a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MS in Leadership and Policy Studies from DePaul University.
