SUSAN ARP COMMUNICATIONS
Susan Arp has more than 35 years experience in government and community planning, non-profit management and media relations throughout East Tennessee.
She brings expertise in fund development consultation for non-profit organizations, developing and executing public relations strategies, branding campaigns and events, and coordinating media and community relations for her clients.
Susan’s experience with non-profit and quasi-public agencies as a planner, fund development officer and chief executive give her real-world experience and know-how. She has served as an Account Executive with The Ingram Group public affairs firm, Administrative and Development Director of Knoxville Opera, and nine years as Executive Director of United Way of Greater Kingsport. She began her career in Chattanooga in 1971, and worked for 14 years in regional public planning positions in the Chattanooga area.
In 2016 she worked with Equinox Environmental on a City of Knoxville contract to develop the Urban Wilderness Vision Plan and was responsible for coordinating Stakeholder Engagement. Current clients include the East Tennessee Historical Society and Locust Street Group. Recent projects also included a Fundraising Feasibility Assessment on the Maryville-to-Townsend Greenway Master Plan for the Regional Greenway Council and five years coordinating the public relations and branding for the Pat Summitt Foundation. She served as an Account Representative during the SRW’s team’s five-year contract for public and community relations with the Knoxville Community Development Corporation, as well as in a similar role during the SRW team’s public and community relations contract with the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, TN. She was the primary project manager responsible for organizing and producing the highly successful 2007 and 2011 East Tennessee Quality Growth Conferences held in Knoxville, Tennessee
Susan has lived throughout middle and east Tennessee, attended Middle Tennessee State University and completed a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. She is an alumna of Leadership Kingsport, Leadership Johnson City, University of Tennessee Knoxville’s Chancellor’s Associates. She was a member of the Leadership Knoxville Class of 2018. Susan enjoys traveling to fun places, spoiling her two granddaughters, relaxing with friends and family at their Watts Bar Lake Cabin or exploring the lake on their pontoon boat.