Susan Benson

Founder of The Trust for the Americas, Secretary of the Board

Susan Shattuck Benson founded The Trust for the Americas in 1997 based on her experience designing and managing OAS multinational projects in the fields of information systems, library and community development and marketing of craft.  With a start-up grant from the U.S. Mission to the OAS in 1998 she built a team to create the first programs of technology for marginalized populations and for transparency, which evolved into today’s programs.  As president of the OAS Staff Association in the 1990’s she led a successful lawsuit against the Administration for its decades-long violation of the salary agreement.  She then negotiated a new salary system, which remains in effect.   She was awarded grants from the Ford Foundation, the Berlin Senate and Fulbright Program for her graduate work.