Susan Knowles

Susan began her (post-MBA) career in investment banking. She worked at Kidder, Peabody & Co and Bank of America Securities in New York and San Francisco for over seven years and focused on structured debt financing. She then transitioned to the life science industry, taking a business development role at Applied Biosystems, where she worked for eight years, and Illumina, where she worked for seven years.. At both Applied Biosystems and Illumina, she focused on strategic planning, product management and market development in reproductive health, infectious disease, and metagenomics market segments.  Her expertise includes understanding customer needs for next generation, sequencing applications and products, and working with researchers to develop and promote clinical evidence that supports genomic testing.

In 2018, Susan joined UCSF Health as the Director of Genomics Services. She is responsible for the operations of three clinical genomic testing labs and collaborates with technical directors to assess new technology including genetic analysis platforms, bioinformatic tools and sample handling automation. She is also part of the projects teams at UCSF Health, which design how to effectively incorporate genomic information into electronic health records and maximize reimbursement for genomic tests. 

Susan has a BS degree from The George Washington University in economics, studied at the London School of Economics, and an MBA from the University of Chicago. She currently lives in San Francisco and, in her spare time, serves on the First Graduate Board of Directors and enjoys cooking and road biking.