​Betsey Suchanic

Betsey Suchanic

Degree: 2019, MPA

Job Title: Inclusive Economic Development Advisor, New Growth Innovation Network

Betsey Suchanic (MPA '19) is an Inclusive Economic Development Advisor at New Growth Innovation Network, where she conducts research, develops insights, and engages economic development and community development practitioners working across the United States. 

New Growth Innovation Network (NGIN) is a nonprofit organization focused on closing structural opportunity gaps to ensure that economically disenfranchised people of color, women and neglected geographies are a core part of regional economic growth and prosperity. In her role, Betsey works across company projects, two of which are the Inclusive Recovery Initiative and our Small and Mid-size City Hub. The Inclusive Recovery Initiative engages regional economic development organizations around to embed inclusive economic recovery strategies into their regional plans. The Small and Mid-size City Hub is a national community of small and mid-size cities, with populations ranging from 50,000 to 500,000 residents, that brings together best practices for inclusive and equitable growth and community wealth building.

While studying at the University of Delaware (UD), Betsey worked as a Public Administration Fellow with the Institute for Public Administration (IPA), contributing to the Delaware Complete Communities Toolbox. This opportunity gave her an up-close look at local governments, community development, and supporting community well-being. This experience, combined with her graduate summer internship for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation's Philadelphia office, led her to explore how public spaces can lead to economic benefit and community well-being.

Her time at UD gave her skills and experiences to support public libraries. She built technical skills in GIS mapping, community outreach, and program evaluation through my work on the Delaware Complete Communities Toolbox. She also engaged with local government leaders across communities in Delaware, which gave her a much deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities local governments face.

In the future, Betsey hopes to continue to support local communities in taking steps toward economic justice and to build community wealth. These include diving deep into access to entrepreneurship, workforce development and homeownership and the systemic barriers that key populations face in these avenues to build wealth.

Betsey lives in Washington, DC, where she is involved locally in her Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood, and continues to work as an artist, in both graphic design and photography.