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Susan Redford

Distinguished Carr Scholar Alumna - Class of 1993 & 1996 (B.A., M.P.A.)

Few people can say their work affects lives in all 254 Texas counties. ASU alumna Susan Redford is one of them.

A West Texas native of Levelland, Redford has taken a winding road from her days as an ASU student senator to her current post as executive director of the Texas Association of Counties (TAC). Her journey began with an ASU Carr Scholarship.

“I was fortunate to receive a Carr Scholarship to complete my undergraduate work, as well as a Master of Public Administration degree,” Redford said. “Not only did the Carr Scholarship lure me to ASU, it enabled me to complete both degrees without any debt. I’ll forever be grateful for that opportunity.”

“I also loved living in the Women’s High Rise and serving as a resident assistant,” she added. “But, my favorite memory would be serving as vice president of the Student Senate. It was an amazing opportunity and honor.”

Next came a law degree from Texas Tech University, followed by 10 years as a practicing attorney, mainly in the county and district attorneys’ offices in Ector County (Odessa). She then spent eight award-winning years as Ector County judge before joining TAC in 2015 and becoming executive director in 2019.

“I encourage all high school students I encounter to look at ASU as an option.”

In that position, Redford oversees a nonprofit agency with 196 employees and a $68 million budget that provides myriad services to Texas county governments, including legislative, legal, communications, employee benefits, risk management, education and technology support. She credits her ASU education with not only starting her on her career path, but also helping navigate each step of the way.

“ASU’s student-to-professor ratio made for a strong learning experience and helped me become intrigued by the world of public administration,” Redford said. “I was also able to get involved in many clubs and activities without getting lost in a sea of students. That involvement helped me learn valuable leadership skills that I still use to this day.”

For her stellar career success and dedication to the citizens of Texas, the Alumni Association has named Redford its 2022 Distinguished Carr Scholar Alumna.

“Honored doesn’t even begin to describe my feelings,” she said. “ASU provided me with the foundation to achieve all that I have, and for that I’ll always be grateful. I encourage all high school students I encounter to look at ASU as an option. To be named a distinguished alumna is one of the greatest marks of distinction I have received. I am truly humbled!