Susan Madsen

Susan Madsen

Professor of Organizational Leadership & UWLP Director, Utah State University

Bountiful, Utah

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Speaker levelProfessional Speaker

Primary sectors

Utah focusYes

About

Dr. Susan R. Madsen is considered one of the top global scholars and thought leaders on the topic of women’s leadership, has authored or edited nine books, and has published hundreds of articles, chapters, and reports. Her research has been cited in the U.S. News and World Report, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Parenting Magazine, Chronicle of Higher Education, and The Washington Post. She is also a regular contributor to Forbes and other local and state newspapers. Professor Madsen is a Professor of Organizational Leadership in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University and serves on many nonprofit and community boards. She is also the Founding Director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project, the visionary behind Utah’s A Bolder Way Forward, and her passion is to strengthen the impact of girls and women in Utah and worldwide.

Read the extended bio

Dr. Susan R. Madsen is a Professor of Organizational Leadership in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. She is also the Founding Director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project and is leading a statewide social change movement titled, A Bolder Way Forward. Professor Madsen and her team have written many Utah research and policy briefs and white papers, research snapshots, partnered reports, newspaper editorials, and other resources. They host many events each year to support the mission of their work. Susan is also a well-known global scholar, authoring or editing nine books and publishing hundreds of articles, chapters, and reports. Madsen’s research has been featured in the U.S. News and World Report, The Atlantic, The New York Times, Parenting Magazine, Chronicle of Higher Education, The Washington Post, and she is a regular contributor to Forbes. She is a well-known speaker in local, national, and international settings. For example, she has presented at the New York Times, Argentina Parliament Palace, House of Commons in England, Lithuania President’s Palace, Costa Rica Parliament, and NGO sessions at the United Nations. She serves on or advises many nonprofit, community, and education boards and committees, including Envision Utah, South Davis Communities that Care, Utah Financial Empowerment Coalition, Women’s Work Utah, and more. Dr. Madsen received a bachelor’s degree from BYU, a master’s from Portland State, and a doctorate from the University of Minnesota. She and her husband Greg are the proud parents of four adult children and six grandchildren.

Speaking formats

Experience level

Professional Speaker

Frequent / professional speaker (10+ speaking engagements in the last 2–3 years)

Topics & expertise

Civic & Community

  • Civic engagement & public service
  • Community organizing & coalition building

Communication & Storytelling

  • Difficult conversations & feedback

Culture/HR & Talent

  • Organizational change & transformation

Gender & Equity

  • Gender lens on policy & community decisions
  • Inclusive leadership practices
  • Men as allies
  • Motherhood, caregiving & careers
  • Pay equity & negotiation
  • Women in leadership / closing the leadership gap

Leadership & Management

  • Giving & receiving feedback
  • Leading through change

Utah & Regional Issues

  • Faith, culture & work in Utah
  • Women’s leadership in Utah

Wellbeing & Personal Growth

  • Confidence, impostor syndrome & self-advocacy

Other

  • All topics women/girls in Utah

Signature talks

  • The Status of Women in Utah
  • Strengthening Your Influence as Women
  • Strengthening Your Impact: Leadership Development for Women
  • Women's Empowerment: Challenges and Opportunities
  • Women in the Workforce: Understanding the Status, Challenges, and Opportunities
  • Strategies Male Allies Use to Advance Women
  • Am Unconscious Bias Workshop: From Awareness to Action!
  • Giving & Receiving Effective Feedback
  • Understanding Confidence as Women

Selected engagements

  • Strengthening Your Influence as Women LeadersSNAC International Conference - Women in Snacks Breakfast Keynote · Montage · Deer Valley, Utah · October · 2025
  • Women's Empowerment: Challenges & OpportunitiesBank of America/Deloitte Annual Conference · Kiln, SLC · September · 2025
  • Becoming a Leader: Discovering and Unleashing Your PotentialYoung Single Adults Regional Conference · Salt Palace · Salt Lake City · August · 2025
  • Women and Leadership in the United States: A Case StudyBrussels Women in International Security (WIIS) · Brussels, Europe · August · 2025
  • Women's Equality in AcademiaSpecial Session for Academic Leadership in Central Europe · Bled School of Management, Slovenia · March · 2025

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