Susan Abrams

Susan Abrams is CEO of Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center (IHMEC). Under Susan’s leadership, the Museum has become a global leader in Holocaust and museum education and opened the groundbreaking exhibition, the Take a Stand Center, including the world’s first interactive, holographic Abe & Ida Cooper Survivor Stories Experience. The interactive survivor holograms are being licensed globally, changing the trajectory of Holocaust memory and education. For this work, IHMEC was awarded the National Medal by the Institute of Museum & Library Services, the highest honor for a museum. Susan previously served as Chief Operating Officer for JCC Chicago and held leadership positions at Northwestern University and Chicago Children’s Museum, where she was instrumental in the planning and execution of the museum’s move to Navy Pier. She also has worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company and an analyst at Goldman Sachs. Ms. Abrams holds an MBA degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. She is the author of The New Success Rules for Women: 10 Surefire Strategies for Reaching Your Career Goals (Random House, 2000) and regularly speaks to students and corporate groups on related topics. Abrams is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, The Chicago Network, and Northwestern’s C100.