Susan Kroger

Director of Programs, COO

Susan Kroger has 15 years of nonprofit experience and has served in leadership positions in several organizations in South Dakota. She holds a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Northern Iowa and is finishing up her PhD in Rural Sociology at SDSU with an emphasis in gender and policy. Her research interests include the use of social media within social movements and barriers to social movement participation.

“Susan has been an incredible partner to Lost&Found’s emerging mental health research efforts, and we’re excited to have her on our team as we expand our efforts to new campuses in South Dakota and around the region,” says CEO Erik Muckey. “Susan’s unique research skill set and entrepreneurial mindset make her the perfect fit for a role that defines the way we gather, understand, and act upon student mental health data.”

Outside of her academic pursuits, Susan is the co-founder of LEAD South Dakota, an organization that has helped thousands of new South Dakotans become involved in politics since its inception in 2016. She’s also employed full time as a research director with Sanford Research where she consults on more than 20 evaluation metrics projects as a data scientist. Susan enjoys helping nonprofits establish sustainable data processes and has consulted with several local organizations on development and strategic planning. She lives in Sioux Falls with her 9-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son.