Susan Graf

I lead regional development and community outreach for Alpine Bank, an employee-owned, independent community bank in Colorado. Prior roles include CEO of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce and executive roles in a variety of mid-sized CPG companies including Vice President of Finance and Administration at Bhakti Chai and Vice President of Operations and Human Resources at Leanin’ Tree, a Boulder greeting card manufacturer. The Boulder County Business Hall of Fame inducted me into the class of 2023. I have served on more than a dozen non-profit boards and now help socially and environmentally conscious organizations connect with the capital they need to fulfill their missions. I also make time to hike and bike around Boulder County, the Western United States and Europe.

My advice to students...

The thing that has been most helpful in my career is to be curious;
   - Try new and uncomfortable things
   - Pay it forward. Help people with no expectation for ‘repayment’
   - Attend programs and events that interest you or will have interesting people
   - Volunteer for organizations you are passionate about
   - Be willing to take on what needs to be done and do your best
   - Follow-up if someone offers you assistance or introductions. You never know where those connections might lead