Sue Gunderson is a leading visionary in the field of empowering families to make their housing safe for children. In order to powerfully implement her vision, she joined the CLEARCorps/USA team in 2005 as the Executive Director. In this capacity, she provides expertise, guidance, and leadership to a wide audience. She oversees the extensive CLEARCorps Affiliated Network, and she provides consultation to many city, state and federal healthy homes legislative initiatives. In addition, she tirelessly collaborates on pioneering programs around the United States that serve to demonstrate the effectiveness of working at the level of the family and community to make housing safe from lead, from asthma triggers, and from other toxins that compromise childhood wellness. 

Prior to taking on her role at CLEARCorps, Sue was the Executive Director of Sustainable Resources Center (SRC) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was during her twenty years at SRC that Sue honed her skills in successfully managing multiple projects with multimillion dollar budgets with deliverable deadlines. Sue gained invaluable experience and expertise in overall leadership of a non-profit environmental organization: fundraising, budget development, and program management. It was during her years at SRC that Sue became evangelical about the effectiveness, importance and power of collaborating with families and communities to eliminate the housing dangers to the health of children. This belief, which is daily put into practice, is based on years of experience, and is a signature of CLEARCorps/USA and of Sue.

Early in her career, Sue was the Director for Outdoor Recreation Grant Units for the State of Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development.  As a Senior Planning Grants Analyst before that, she provided technical assistance and determined project eligibility to communities in their grant applications. Sue also wrote grant manuals and conducted workshops, administered over 100 active grants and ensured compliance with state and federal regulations.

As Energy Program Manager for the District 7 Planning Council in St. Paul, Minnesota, Sue served as a Programs Development and Marketing Specialist. She assisted clients with housing improvement loans and served as the liaison to the St. Paul Neighborhood Energy Consortium. In addition, Sue was a Planner for Peoria Park District in Illinois, for the nationally recognized Energy Management Plan. She conducted employee and community energy education programs, provided a comprehensive city energy conservation program and developed policy and procedures for use in state and local governmental units.

Sue received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Urban Planning from the University of Illinois. She currently resides with her family in St. Paul, Minnesota.