Zsuzsanna Lippai

Zsuzsanna is the Chief Executive Officer of The Fuller Project, where she leads the organization's strategic direction including overseeing editorial and business sides and driving organizational growth. She ensures alignment between journalistic vision, operational efficiency, and resource allocation to maximize impact. Her leadership extends to cultivating partnerships, securing funding, and positioning The Fuller Project as a leader in reporting about women.

A champion for gender equality and inclusive leadership, Zsuzsanna brings nearly two decades of experience in transforming organizations and advancing women's rights globally. Her career is marked by successful strategic planning initiatives, operational leadership, and building extensive networks across the non-profit and philanthropic sectors.

Prior to joining The Fuller Project, Zsuzsanna spent eight years at the Open Society Foundations, a global human rights philanthropy. There, she demonstrated her commitment to gender equality by initially managing a $1M portfolio supporting young feminist organizations. She then served as director for strategy and impact for the Human Rights Initiative, where she oversaw operations and grant-making for a $40M budget. In 2021, Zsuzsanna became the acting director of OSF's women's rights work, stewarding the philanthropy’s $100M gender equality commitment. Zsuzsanna's tenure at OSF was marked by transformative changes in strategic planning and evaluation practices. Her advocacy skills resulted in pioneering family planning benefits for staff, showcasing her ability to effect organizational change that supports gender equality.

At the Institute for Inclusive Security, Zsuzsanna developed an organization-wide impact measurement system and advised on national policies for women, peace, and security. Her work with Bosnia and Herzegovina's Agency for Gender Equality contributed to the country's first National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security.

Zsuzsanna's leadership in evaluation and strategy is evident in her co-authorship of "What Matters Most: Measuring Plans for Inclusive Security," a groundbreaking guide for advancing women's participation in the security sector. Her career spans roles at prestigious organizations including the National Democratic Institute and Search for Common Ground, where she consistently delivered innovative solutions at the intersection of strategy, evaluation, and learning.

Recognized for her leadership potential, Zsuzsanna was selected as a 2022 INN Emerging Leaders Council fellow; 2020 92Y Women inPower fellow; and a 2021 Truman National Security Fellow. She has held leadership positions in professional networks, serving as Program Co-Chair of the Advocacy and Policy Change Working Group at the American Evaluation Association and co-host of the New York Philanthropy Evaluation Roundtable.

Zsuzsanna's academic background includes an MA in international peace and conflict resolution from American University and a BA/MA in international relations from Corvinus University in Budapest. Fluent in multiple languages, she brings a global perspective to her work. Zsuzsanna resides in Maryland with her family, raising her two boys to be good feminists.