Leadership Team : Susan Fant
Susan Chesley Fant Biography and CV
I am a professional with experience in international strategy, project management and consulting focused on growing in strategy and new technology. Currently, I am the Executive Director of the Foresight Education and Research Network (FERN) and an independent consultant specializing in digital strategic planning, with an emphasis on foresight and scenario planning.
Specialties include: Business Strategy, Writing, Editing, Public Speaking, Scenario Planning, and Business Relationship Building.
Interests include: Creative Industries, Technology, Politics, Real Estate, Sustainable Development, Foresight, and Business Strategy in Emerging Economies. I have specific experience studying and working in the United States, United Kingdom, China, and Belize.
Most of my academic career has focused on blending creative and research writing with business. Experience includes Master's level research writing and writing/editing with regional newspapers and magazines. I am a graduate of the University of St Andrews in Managing in the Creative Industries (MLitt), which included coursework in scenario planning. While at St Andrews, I connected with Gill Ringland at the St Andrews Management Institute to learn more about professional scenario planning.
Currently, I am the Executive Director of the Foresight Education and Research Network. I activate and create foresight networks that attract members to FERN including 190+ LinkedIn group, 800+ internal database, and 240+ Shaping Tomorrow Ning. I also create partnerships with academic programs and businesses engaged in foresight. What I enjoy the most about my role with FERN is every week I communicate with foresight students and professionals from every continent, excluding Antarctica.
As a consultant, my current specialties include website management, communications strategy, social media fundraising via digital strategy plans. My client base consists of various entrepreneurs and not for profits including the Alabama Writer’s Forum and University of St Andrews North American Foundation. My most current project is located here: http://www.rockinatxranch.com .
Susan Chesley Fant's CV
Experience
Executive Director: Foresight Education & Research Network
1/2012 – Present, Mountain View, CA (telecommuting) www.fernweb.org
- Creating partnerships with PhD and Master’s Foresight programs
- Networking and connecting international professionals and academics
- Managing staff in strategy, public relations and conference planning
Consultant, Susan Chesley Consulting
11/2010 – Present, Birmingham, AL
- Building businesses and communications strategy for entrepreneurs by creating websites, SEO/Google outreach and performing start up budget analysis
- Example project: www.rockinatxranch.com
On Site Director & Group Leader, Duke University
Summer 2011, Florida & North Carolina
- Responsible for managing 5-12 staff and 30-100 students
- Specialized in vendor and client relationships, employee training and budgeting
- Secured positive client, staff and vendor reviews
Teaching Assistant, Duke University
Summer 2009, Dangriga, Belize
- Supervised and taught gifted high school students about technology, sustainability and ecotourism
- Managed presentations to Belizean news outlets and government officials
Teaching Assistant, Duke University
Summer 2008, Shanghai, Xi’An, and Beijing, China
- Supervised and taught international business to gifted high school students
- Researched the similarities/differences in North American & Chinese business practices
Other Experiences of Interest
2009: PA Consulting (UK) & Regions Financial (US) Student Analyst
2008-2009: The Hilltop News(Birmingham-Southern Newspaper): Editor in Chief
2008: Interim in Italy Classical Art and Architecture: Rome, Florence & Venice
2007 & 2008: Southern Living Magazine: Internship & Mentorship
Education
University of St Andrews: Masters Degree in Managing in the Creative Industries, 11/2010
St Andrews, Scotland, UK // Emphasis on new media, network theory, entrepreneurship and scenario planning
Dissertation: Sesame Workshop’s Co-Production Model in Middle East, South Africa & Bangladesh
Birmingham-Southern College: Bachelors Degree in Business and Leadership, 05/2009
Birmingham, Alabama, USA // AACSB Accredited
2007 Charles Vail Funded Research Assistant in Entrepreneurship
Teaching Assistant: BA400 International Business Strategy & BA201 Foundations of Business Thought
Skills/Qualifications
7 years of public speaking experience to audiences of 10-300 people
7 years of business, journalistic and academic writing for multiple publications and projects
Alabama School of Fine Arts Creative Writing Graduate (2005)
Master’s level experience with qualitative and quantitative research in business strategy