Susan Gale Perry, Chief Executive Officer
Susan Gale Perry is the Chief Executive Officer of Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA), a $150M national nonprofit committed to building a child care system that helps families work, supports children’s healthy development and learning, and keeps our economy growing. Under her leadership, CCAoA drives solutions that turn a patchwork of resources into a child care system that works for everyone in partnership with its national network of state and local child care resource and referral (CCR&R) organizations that build the supply and quality of child care, grow the child care workforce, help families and business solve their child care challenges, and deliver on-the-ground information and solutions to policymakers. In addition to advancing and the CCR&R network, CCAoA provides expertise and direct services to more than 22,000 military families to meet their child care needs and support our nation’s national security; produces data and research that drives effective practice and policy, and spurs policymakers to act and build solutions – contributing to policy wins in states and ongoing federal child care funding increases over the past several years.
Susan is a nationally recognized early childhood and human services leader whose greatest passion is creating solutions rooted in hope, pragmatism, real-life experiences, and strong relationships that grow opportunity, health and well-being for all children, families, and communities.
Before rejoining CCAoA in 2023 as CEO, Susan served as Chief Deputy Secretary of Opportunity and Well-Being at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), where she oversaw 15 divisions, including Early Care and Education, Child and Family Well-Being, and Public Policy. Her leadership journey also includes roles as Executive Director of the Delaware Office of Early Learning, founding Executive Director of the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation, and Senior Director for Policy and Programs at The North Carolina Partnership for Children. Notably, she previously served as Deputy Executive Director at CCAoA from 2002 to 2010.
Susan holds a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Concordia University, St. Paul, and a bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies from Hamilton College.
