Meet the Founder and President of the The Gaston Group who serves as Secretary of the Board of Advisors for the Sorensen Institute of Public Policy at the University of Virginia, is an alumnus of William & Mary, and is anactive member of her community, a mother to two grown sons and is an accomplished equestrian.
Susan S. Gaston grew up determined to make a difference in the decisions made in legislative bodies that range from local government to state regulatory agencies to the General Assembly to the United States Congress.
As Founder and President of the The Gaston Group, the government and public affairs consultant collaborates with elected and appointed officials on both sides of the political aisle on behalf of clients that include Fortune 200 and 500 companies, trade associations, nonprofits and businesses of varying size and scope. Establishing and fostering authentic relationships are at the core of her work. She is accustomed to driving halfway across the Commonwealth for a face-to-face meeting, attending an after-hours function to converse with an official and arranging a sit-down in a legislator’s district.
“Everything I do is grounded in trust and integrity. If you don’t have that from your first meeting with a legislator, you’re not going to have a positive, long-lasting relationship. Successful lobbying and consulting are based on that relationship. Elected officials and their staffs know me; they know who I represent and the issues that I represent. They know they can rely on me for subject matter expertise, a trusted resource, and that will enable them be a more successful policy maker.”
Her days in politics started as an elementary school student accompanying her father, Bob, on trips to Washington from her small Kentucky hometown, Henderson, which introduced her to the importance of advocacy. Bob Soaper was a longtime lobbyist for the oil and gas industry and former president of the National Oil and Gas Association.
Sitting in the Capitol gallery, Susan was immersed in watching lawmakers debate.
“This is pretty fascinating!” she said to her father. “I knew then that was something I wanted to do.”
Susan is an Honors graduate of William & Mary with a degree in American Government and English. She also holds a Master of Arts in Human Resources from The George Washington University. Her professional experience started as an Intern and Legislative Correspondent to United States Sen. Mitch McConnell in the Washington, D. C. office.
After holding successful leadership positions with Citizens National Bank and the Virginia Peninsula Association of REALTORS®, Susan founded the The Gaston Group in 2000. She is President and Chief Executive Officer of the firm that has built its reputation on integrity and trust, representing client interests in areas such as housing, zoning, land use, manufacturing, critical minerals and rare earth, technology, energy, telecommunications, the arts, equine and the horse industry, agiculture, seafood production, technology, veterans issues, finance and economic development.
“Almost all of the issues I am passionate about have to do with giving people a better quality of life, whether it’s protecting their jobs, giving them opportunities and access to affordable housing, creating sustainable legislative frameworks for business productivity that protect and grow jobs, or advocating for the health of our United States veterans. I have a belief in my clients’ objectives and the faith that down the line, it’s going to do positive for the community and the Commonwealth.”
The Williamsburg resident is an active participant in the community:
- Board of Directors for Old Point National Bank (Peninsula)
- Board of Directors, William & Mary Libraries
- Class Ambassador for William & Mary Alumnae Association
- Member, Bruton Parish Episcopal Church
- Member, Williamsburg Garden Club
- Member, National Society of Colonial Dames
Susan is married to Dr. David. W. Gaston, President and CEO of Gaston Educational Consulting and co-founder of Gaston-Schaefer Consulting. They are parents to two sons: John, a Captain in the United States Marine Corps, and Henry, the Director of Business Development for the Hampton Roads Alliance. Susan is an accomplished equestrian who owns and shows herOldenburg geldings, Fallston and Bon, along with two Labrador Retrievers, Anne Morgan and Mary Turner.
