Chief Innovation Officer
In her role as PATF’s Chief Innovation Officer, lifelong disability champion Susan Tachau works on special projects and advocacy activities.
Susan co-founded Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) in 1998 and served as its Chief Executive Officer from 2003 to 2022.
In 2021, Susan founded the Appalachian Assistive Technology Loan Fund (AATLF), PATF’s wholly-owned subsidiary. AATLF has a mission to provide microfinancing opportunities to people with disabilities who live in the Appalachian region.
Susan is a co-author of PATF’s publications Cents and Sensibility: A Guide to Money Management, Smart homes Made Simple: Your Guide to Smart Home Technology, and Funding Your Assistive Technology: A Guide to Funding Resources in Pennsylvania.
Susan serves on several Boards of Directors and Advisory Committees, including National Disability Institute, National Disability Finance Coalition, PA Statewide Independent Living Council, HomeWorks (a micro-board that supports individuals with disabilities who are living independently), and Montgomery County’s Office of Senior Services. Susan is chair of National Council on Independent Living’s Technology Subcommittee.
In 2021, Susan was awarded the AARP Purpose Prize as well as the Ned Gramlich Lifetime Achievement Award for Responsible Finance from the Opportunity Finance Network. Susan received a B.A. from Colorado College, a M.A. from the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Colorado College. Susan and her husband are the parents of three adult children, one of whom is an assistive technology user.