Suzanne D’Addario Brouder grew up in the music industry as a 4th generation family member of D’Addario and Company, global manufacturer of instrument accessories. A graduate of Miami University of Ohio with a BS in business administration and marketing, Suzanne received a scholarship to play division 1 field hockey, participating in the sport throughout her college tenure and subsequently receiving induction into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021.

Serving as the executive director of not-for-profit D’Addario Foundation for 10 years, Suzanne has overseen the growth and refinement of effective grant-making processes that ensure the up to $1 million dollars in monetary and product support invested annually in quality music education, has a high likelihood for sustained impact.  Through a disciplined vetting system, Suzanne leads the extensive evaluation that results in support to 200+ high quality, robust music instruction programs yearly. 

Suzanne has served as a conscientious ambassador for the Foundation, significantly increasing the visibility of the Foundation’s work and spearheading the Foundation’s first successful development efforts.  Suzanne was able to acquire a substantial commitment to launch the Foundation’s College Scholarship Program that encourages low-income students to apply to college by providing monetary assistance to cover expenses. Suzanne initiated the relaunch and growth of the D’Addario Performance Series providing U.S. debut performances to the world’s best emerging guitarists. She established the Foundation’s first-ever direct service program providing under-privileged students with six hours a week of free stringed instrument instruction in a school district that has not had a string program in over 30 years. And has spearheaded the establishment of both the Girls in Music Initiative and the Bridge Fund.

Under Suzanne’s tenure, the D’Addario Foundation has won the Music and Sound Retailer Community Service Award for multiple years, and she was awarded the She Rocks Award in 2019.  Suzanne serves as a board member at D’Addario and Company, Inc as well as an advisory member for the non-profit Midori and Friends.