Susannah Delano has secured important wins on the frontlines of California’s movements for gender equity, racial justice, and health care access for over 20 years.
Since Susannah joined Close the Gap California’s groundbreaking campaign for gender parity in 2018, women’s representation in the State Legislature has rebounded from a 20-year low of just 22% women to an all-time high of 48% and counting. Today, California is the only Top 10 global economy to have effectively achieved gender parity, and more than doubles the national average for percentage women of color serving in its state house. In recognition of her driving role, Susannah was named to Capitol Weekly’s “Top 100” most influential figures in state politics in 2023 and 2024, a first for the many organizations working to promote women in office.
Susannah’s leadership is rooted in her early experience bargaining groundbreaking contracts and defeating proposed budget cuts alongside SEIU homecare workers from 2002-2010. From 2010-2017 Susannah led Planned Parenthood Northern California’s advocacy and electoral work, mobilizing to deliver key votes that expanded access to reproductive health care during a time of reinvigorated national assault.
A graduate of Occidental College, Susannah is based in Vallejo, California with her artist husband, her 17 year-old, and their two Zoom-friendly cats.
