Suzanne Lohrbach, PhD, LICSW, is the Executive Director for the KVC Institute for Health Systems Innovation. In this role, she leads a broad team working to transform the experience of childhood for all children and improve the health and wellbeing of children, families and communities. She is a clinician, researcher, teacher, service delivery system designer and the developer of the Safe & Connected™ practice model.

The KVC Institute focuses on developing creative solutions to complex social problems and translating research into practice by developing processes for assessment, critical thinking, improved decision making, meaningful family and youth involvement, and court improvement for human service systems, direct service providers, educators and families. By accelerating research and the adoption of evidence-informed practices, the KVC Institute plays a key role in strengthening families, helping children who have experienced trauma, improving the health of those with mental health needs, and creating a brighter future for all people.

Dr. Lohrbach has over 40 years of experience as a clinician, supervisor and consultant within the public and non-profit sectors of child welfare, child, adolescent, adult mental health and youth justice. She consults, teaches and presents nationally and internationally on differential response systems in child welfare, intervention in high-risk child protective service delivery, trauma-informed practice, domestic violence, family involvement, youth development, research-to-practice initiatives, and group supervision. Her work in systems transformation and service system design is well known nationally and internationally.

Dr. Lohrbach received her Bachelor of Arts from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, her Master of Science from Winona State University, Winona, Minnesota and her PhD in Social Work with specialties in child welfare and youth studies from the University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota. She is licensed in the State of Minnesota as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker.