Sally Susman is an advisor, advocate and author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Breaking Through: Communicating to Open Minds, Move Hearts and Change the World (Harvard Business Review Press).

Until 2026, Susman served as Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Pfizer, the global biopharmaceutical company. She directed engagement with Pfizer’s external stakeholders across communications, corporate responsibility, global policy, government relations, patient advocacy and investor relations. Susman played a central role in Pfizer’s strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic, overseeing communications on the vaccine’s safety and efficacy. Susman continues to serve on the board of directors for The Pfizer Foundation.

Over the past decade, Susman has earned numerous accolades, including PR Week’s Best In-House Pro of the Past 20 Years; New York Women in Communications’ Matrix Award; and Forbes’ World’s Most Influential CMOs. She has also been recognized on Forbes’50 Over 50; PR Week’s U.S. Power List; and Crain’s New York Business’ Notable LGBTQ+ Leaders. A sought-after thought leader in the media, Susman regularly contributes to Time and MS Now.

Before joining Pfizer, Susman was Executive Vice President of Global Communications at The Estée Lauder Companies, where she led corporate affairs strategy for the company and its 28 brands. Prior to that, she managed international positioning and stakeholder engagement across Europe for American Express.

Earlier in her career, Susman served in government as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Commerce and Legislative Assistant for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.

Today, Susman serves on the boards of UL Solutions (NYSE: ULS), an applied safety science company, FGS Global, a strategic advisory communications consultancy, and, effective May 2026, Flutter Entertainment (NYSE: FLUT), an entertainment technology company.

Her nonprofit board service includes The Church, whose mission is to foster creativity on the East End and to honor the living history of Sag Harbor as a maker village; and the International Rescue Committee, founded by Albert Einstein to help people affected by humanitarian crises recover and rebuild their lives. She is also a LinkedIn Top Voice, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and an Aspen Institute Act III Leadership and Legacy Laureate.

A Connecticut College alumna, Susman delivered the institution’s 2023 commencement address.

She resides in New York City with her wife, Robin Canter.