Ms. Fordice has more than thirty years of experience working with nonprofit organizations. Most recently Susan served as the Executive Director for The Harris Center Foundation from 2020 until she retired at the end of 2024. She transitioned the Foundation from a legacy Board to a community-led Board. She implemented nonprofit governance best practices, developed and implemented an annual internal grant program and established an annual fundraising luncheon.

She also served in leadership roles with the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute/The Hackett Center for Mental Health, Mental Health America of Greater Houston, The Menninger Clinic, Rice University and the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center since moving to Houston in 1993. Prior she worked in medical centers and medical schools in Los Angeles and Chicago.

She earned a Bachelor of Science from South Dakota State University in Brookings, in Childhood Development and Family Studies.

Additionally, she has served in leadership roles, and as a volunteer with many nonprofit boards and organizations. Her professional and community service includes being a part of the American Leadership Forum (ALF), Medical Class 5, September 2012 to May 2013, and ALF Senior Fellow from 2013 to the present. She was a member of the Greater Houston Partnership, the Center for Houston’s Future Forum Class of 2016, Lone Star Veterans Association, Lone Survivor Foundation, Mayor’s Go Healthy Houston Committee, and the Association for Philanthropy. She was a founding Member of the Yates Children Memorial Fund Advisory Committee and Veteran Advocacy, Service, & Training Committee. She served as a Trustee with The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD from 2017 to 2019 and with the Mental Health Needs Council from1999 to 2018. She was the Treasurer and Executive Committee Member for The Network of Behavioral Health Providers for three years and has volunteered for various organizations including Postpartum Support International, Homes for Heroes, Habitat for Humanity and animal rescue groups.