Faculty & Staff

Faculty

Sarah Jane Rehnborg, Ph.D.
Interim Director; Lecturer and Associate Director for Planning and Development

Francie Ostrower, Ph.D.
Professor of Public Affairs and Fine Arts

and Senior Fellow

Joshua W. Busby, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Public Affairs

Suzi Sosa
Director, Dell Social Innovation Challenge; Senior Fellow, Social Entrepreneurship

Staff

Moira Porter
Senior Program Coordinator

Peggy Randow
Administrative Associate

Chaz Crompton
Marketing/Communications Specialist

Suzi Sosa

Director of Dell Social Innovation Challenge; Senior Fellow in Social Entrepreneurship

Email: suzi.sosa@austin.utexas.edu
Website: http://www.dellchallenge.org

Suzi leads the Dell Social Innovation Challenge and is responsible for stewardship of the vision and strategy of the program. She also leads strategic partnership development, including the DSIC Advisory Boards, Regional Champions, and international sponsors. Suzi first joined the DSIC as a Final Judge in 2008 and served in that position for three years before joining full-time in October 2010 to lead the program. In January 2011, Dell announced a five-year, $5 million gift to support significant global expansion and transformation of the initiative beyond a simple venture plan competition.

In addition to her role as Executive Director of the DSIC, Suzi is also the Associate Director of the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service at the LBJ School of Public Affairs in The University of Texas at Austin. She is an Associate Adjunct Professor and teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses in Social Entrepreneurship.

Suzi has more than ten years of experience in social entrepreneurship in both the for-profit and non-profit worlds. She has a particular interest in innovation, design thinking, and organizational models of social enterprise. She is a Contributing Editor in social entrepreneurship for Inc magazine.

Prior to joining the DSIC and the University of Texas at Austin, Suzi was the Chief of Staff at MPOWER Labs and the President of the MPOWER Foundation. She has also led a number of non-profit social enterprises, including RISE Austin and Austin Women Entrepreneurs. Suzi has a Masters in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and a B.A. in the Plan II Honors Program from the University of Texas at Austin.

Email Suzi Sosa

In the News


Forbes.com - 07/10/2012	Let's Stop Overlooking Systems Innovations Suzi Sosa looks at the emerging systems innovation trend in a new Forbes.com post. Read the article >
Austin Woman Monthly - 02/29/2012	Suzi Sosa: Changing the world, forging the next generation of entrepreneurship Austin Woman Monthly features Suzi Sosa on the cover of their March issue and tells how she is changing the world and forging the next generation of entrepreneurship.
Forbes.com - 02/27/2012	Student Innovators Save the World: Part 2 This is the second part of a two-part series that provides a deeper look into the importance of social innovation and entrepreneurship and the inspiring students that are making change happen around the world. Read the article >
Forbes.com - 02/23/2012	Student Innovators Save the World: Part 1 Suzi Sosa discusses how the future that today's students seek includes economic opportunity and prosperity as well as a strong society and protected environment. Read the article >
GivingCity Austin - 07/27/2011	Why I Give Suzi Sosa describes a new funding model that could change philanthropy in Austin.
Direct2Dell - 04/18/2011	Announcing the 2011 Dell Social Innovation Competition Finalists We are pleased to announce the five Finalist teams of the Dell Social Innovation Competition. These teams will move on to compete for the $50,000 Dell Social Innovation Grand Prize on May 16^th. These teams were chosen from more than 100 Semi-Finalists who each submitted a detailed venture plan and a video pitch.
Direct2Dell - 03/09/2011	And the semi-finalists of the Dell Social Innovation Competition are… Semi-Finalists are announced in the 2011 Dell Social Innovation Competition.
Inc.com - 02/23/2011	Why We Need Social Entrepreneurship in the Middle East Underneath the political and economic discontent in the Mideast right now is also profound social unrest. The case for how new social enterprises could contribute to regained stability.
The Daily Texan - 02/08/2011	Contest funds student ideas for fighting social woes University students worldwide will compete this week for a chance to win a $50,000 grand prize to jump-start their plan for social entrepreneurship. The fifth annual Dell Social Innovation Competition is a partnership between Dell Computers and the LBJ School’s RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service.
Austin Business Journal - 02/02/2011	Dell, University of Texas empowering entrepreneurs — blog Dell Inc. and the University of Texas are collaborating on a competition meant to empower young social entrepreneurs.

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