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Dynamic catalyst uniting people, policy and partnerships for meaningful progress

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and a graduate of Stephen F. Austin High School in Austin, Texas, Suzanne S. Youngkin ’89 arrived on the Hilltop in 1985 and quickly got involved. She pledged Pi Beta Phi, wrote for The Daily Campus, was selected for the Mam’selles Fashion Board, was a Beta Theta Pi little sister and studied abroad in Spain. While a student, she worked part-time at nearby clothing boutiques, interned in media relations, took part in intramural sports, attended many football games at Texas Stadium as well as music and dance performances at Meadows, and attended church locally. She credits the small class sizes and diverse range of topics for broadening her perspective. Youngkin graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication arts and public relations with a minor in Ibero-American studies.

After graduation, she launched her career in public relations, holding leadership roles including vice president at Ogilvy PR and chief communications officer for the Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources. In those roles, she earned industry accolades for creative campaigns and award-winning work. She then dedicated two decades to raising children as a full-time, stay-at-home mom – an experience she considers among her greatest privileges. She currently serves on numerous boards, including the State Ballet of Virginia, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Council, Wolf Trap Associates, and is president of the charitable Phos Foundation.

Youngkin serves as the first lady of the commonwealth of Virginia alongside her husband of 31 years, Governor Glenn Youngkin. A champion for the well-being of women and girls, her initiatives focus on behavioral health, workforce readiness, and connecting Virginians with life-enhancing resources. 

She is vocal on the danger of fentanyl poisoning, the exploitation of the vulnerable through human trafficking, and the prioritization of youth mental health – working to destigmatize addiction and encourage healing. The first lady’s fentanyl awareness initiative, It Only Takes One, has contributed to Viriginia leading the nation in the reduction of overdose deaths. 

Recognizing dignity in work, and in response to worker displacement during the COVID-19 pandemic, she and Governor Youngkin co-founded VA Ready, a nonprofit that helped thousands of Virginians reskill for in-demand jobs.

As first lady, Youngkin created the Spirit of Virginia Award to recognize individuals and organizations making a meaningful difference. She curates the first-of-its-kind Art Experience at Virginia’s Executive Mansion, celebrating Virginian artists through a rotating collection of diverse works. She is also deeply engaged in at-risk communities through Partnership for Petersburg, as well as in schools and churches; and she leads the giving of the entirety of the gubernatorial salary to Virginia nonprofits alongside the Governor.

Another initiative championed by Youngkin, Sisterhood in L.I.F.E., centers around the values of loving, inquiring, flourishing and enduring and works to build upon meaningful opportunities, resources and gatherings for Virginians.

The Youngkins are founding members of Holy Trinity Church in McLean, Virginia, which began as small gatherings in their basement and has since grown to serve hundreds. They are also founders of Meadowkirk, an ecumenical retreat center that hosts churches and nonprofits on more than 250 acres in Middleburg, Virginia, and own a small, private equine farm in Great Falls, Virginia. Most important, they are the proud parents of four young adults – Grant, Anna, John and Thomas. 

As Youngkin’s time as first lady of Virginia comes to a close this January, she hopes to leave a legacy of kindness, connection and demonstrative service to the commonwealth.