Scott Suckow is an affiliated partner with VPI Strategies, where he specializes in strategic alliances and alliance development, community building, government relations, association management, event development and ex*****on, program design, strategic planning, non-profit mergers, executive coaching and fund development. Through VPI Strategies, Scott is a senior consultant for Perry Communications Group, where he works with patient advocates to address policy issues that impact access to care and treatment. Perry Communications Group is an independent, full-service strategic communications firm specializing in public relations and public affairs. Also through VPI Strategies, Scott provides executive management services to the Liver Coalition of San Diego. Their mission is to save lives by improving liver health and preventing liver disease through community-based education, linkages to care, advocacy and research programs. Previously, Scott served as the Vice President of Development and Government Relations with Mental Health Systems, a large California state-wide provider of behavioral health services. He is the past Executive Director of the International Bipolar Foundation, a non-profit headquartered in San Diego, with globally accessible programs in over 75 countries. He is also the former Chief Executive Officer of Mental Health America of San Diego County, the leading mental health advocacy organization in San Diego County. Scott has raised over 35 million dollars to fund research, direct services, support educational programs and plan advocacy campaigns in his non-profit career. He has a long history of involvement in the non-profit community, particularly around improving healthcare access and standards of care. He has held leadership positions throughout the country with some of the nation’s leading voluntary health organizations, and has been responsible for accomplishing organizational success in some of the nation’s largest metropolitan markets. Those include:
- American Diabetes Association (San Jose, CA)
- American Liver Foundation (Anchorage, AL, Boise, ID, Honolulu, HI, Portland, OR, San Diego and San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, Minneapolis, MD and New York City, NY)
- Huntington’s Disease Society of America (Iowa City, IA, Minneapolis, MN and Omaha, NE)
International Bipolar Foundation (San Diego, CA and global)
- Mental Health America of San Diego County (San Diego, CA)
- Muscular Dystrophy Association (San Diego, CA)
Over the course of his career, Scott has provided testimony at the local, state, and federal levels of government and helped draft state legislation. He has coached non-profit executives on the “Art of Storytelling,” taught community partners how to “Develop and Leverage Relationship Capital” and presented seminars on “Advocating for Change.” In addition, Scott has mentored non-profit leaders on presenting the agency’s “Case for Support” and conducted small group sessions on media trainings for agency spokespersons. Scott has served on numerous national, state, and local boards of directors. He was the appointee on three county government level commissions, focused on HIV/AIDS, health & human services, and poverty. Scott was named one of San Diego Magazine’s “50 People to Watch,” is a LEAD San Diego graduate, received an Outstanding Community Partner Award from Community Health Improvement Partners, and is a Star of Advocacy recipient by California Chronic Care Coalition.
