Susan Shorters is President and CEO of High Impact Partners (HIP). Founded by Ms. Shorters in 2009, HIP is a management consulting firm specializing in training, workforce and professional development, grants management, and project management. Ms. Shorters founded and named HIP to reflect her professional and personal passion to have a positive impact on people, projects, and performance. HIP achieves positive impact through a customer-centered, collaborative approach that delivers value-added solutions using a multi-disciplinary team of skilled subject matter experts and project managers.
Prior to launching HIP, Ms. Shorters was a contractor for several multi-year U.S. Department of Labor grant projects where she led teams of professionals to deliver training and coaching to grantees across the U.S. Ms. Shorters also directed the production of workforce development tools and resources on topics such as employer engagement, mentoring, and case management to bolster grantees’ performance outcomes. In addition, Ms. Shorters managed the successful implementation of national conferences, federal partner convenings, and customized trainings and webinars.
Ms. Shorters began her professional career on Capitol Hill at the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, where she worked in several Congressional offices and the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms. Ms. Shorters also directed the National Faith-Based Academy at the National Congress for Community Economic Development (NCCED) and led the NCCED Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) to develop a workforce pipeline of leaders from colleges and universities into the field of community economic development. Ms. Shorters also served as a program specialist for several national funder intermediaries and philanthropic organizations. Prior to working in the nonprofit sector, Ms. Shorters led a major accounts portfolio at Xerox Corporation.
Ms. Shorters has a passion for small businesses and serves as an advocate in her role on the Board of Directors for the Washington DC Chamber of Commerce and as a Co-Chair of the DC Chamber’s Small Business Advisory Council. In addition to the DC Chamber, Ms. Shorters serves as a member of the Greater Washington Black Chamber of Commerce (GWBCC) where she is an active member of the Workforce Development Committee, as well as the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).
Impact and Blessings are Ms. Shorters’ north stars. She uses her leadership, collaboration, strategic planning, communication and solutions focus to drive positive impact for people, projects, and performance, and to be a blessing in the process. Ms. Shorters credits prayer and her faith in God for carrying her through trying circumstances and blessing her with opportunities that led to success. In turn, Ms. Shorters seeks to be a blessing to others and pay it forward
