Susan (Sue) Bean, a veteran development professional of over 20 years and a Certified Fund Raising Executive, was appointed Vice President & Chief Development Officer for Sound Mental Health in April.
Bean was drawn to SMH because “I love the mission, and this is an amazing time with new CEO Patrick Evans. I feel I can have a major impact at the core level to help people realize how supporting SMH is a huge opportunity.”
Bean was exposed to the role behavioral health plays in primary care while she served as the Executive Director of the Highline Medical Center Foundation for six years. “I saw how Highline’s ER was struggling to treat so many mental health care patients that it impacted the entire medical center. It’s obvious that if you wait too long for mental health care, it only gets worse.”
“When looking at SMH’s mission, I asked myself, ‘can I have an impact?’ Everyone seemed ready for a new strategy.”
Bean’s goals for 2017-18 include working with SMH board members, key stakeholders, and SMH program leaders to bring former supporters back into the fold while appealing to new audiences.
“I want the message to be that we are worthy of their support,” she says. She will begin with core supporters including existing donors, SMH’s 500 employees, and the organization’s 22,000 clients.
Bean hopes to engage by creating a new giving club for individual donors, hosting several in-house parties, involving corporate sponsors and grant funders, and starting a formal legacy society with planned gifts and bequests.
First on the calendar: A November 14 luncheon at Olive 8 in downtown Seattle with the theme “Imagine,” based on the John Lennon song.
“I’m excited by this event, she enthuses. “I want the community to see themselves as part of the solution and work with us to impact change.”
To learn more or to contact her, she can be reached directly at 206-302-2260 or at susan.bean@sound.health.