Susan K. Trautman is the Chief Executive Officer of Great Rivers Greenway. Since 2010, she has been instrumental in advancing a vision of improving the St. Louis Region to be a more vibrant place to live, work and play by developing a network of greenways to explore and enjoy. Great Rivers Greenway is a regional park district covering 1,200 square miles and serving a population of two million people. Working with over 200 partners, she oversees initiatives that impact more than 100 municipalities, creating and preserving outdoor spaces, connecting people to nature, linking and strengthening neighborhoods, encouraging healthier active lifestyles, and stimulating the economic well-being of the region. Trautman is spearheading an effort to develop the Brickline Greenway, a major public‐private partnership to connect multiple neighborhoods to four parks in the City of St. Louis: Forest Park, the Gateway Arch National Park, Fairground Park and Tower Grove Park. The Brickline will ultimately be an open space network of up to 20 miles of accessible multi-use pathways, connecting the city’s vibrant neighborhoods, parks, business and arts districts, transit hubs, and myriad cultural and educational institutions while promoting equity, economic development, environmental leadership, active lifestyles and connectivity.
In 2024, Trautman was named as one of the Titan 100 which recognizes the top 100 CEOs & C-level executives as the area’s most accomplished business leaders in their industry using criteria that includes demonstrating exceptional leadership, vision, and passion. Susan Trautman was honored as one of St. Louis Magazine’s A-List 2023: Shaping the Region. Other accolades include NAACP 2018 Ina Boon Social Justice award for work related to minority inclusion in the CityArchRiver project, an immense public private project to reimagine, connect, enhance, and transform the Arch and surrounding park for future generations. She was recognized as a Missouri Athletic Club’s 2016 “Women of Distinction”. Trautman was listed in the 2014 Alive Magazine “Buzz List” as an influential leader enriching St. Louis. She was a 2011 St. Louis Business “Top 25 Influential Business Woman” and in 2012 was awarded the “Missourian Award” for her long time efforts in improving the quality of life in Missouri through parks and recreation services. She has served on various boards, including St. Louis Regional Health Commission, Beyond Housing, Urban Land Institute and American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. She served on the Board of Directors for the National Recreation and Park Association and served as 2015-16 Chair. Among honors received under Trautman’ s leadership Great Rivers Greenway has received the 2016 Mayor’s Award, numerous American Society of Landscape Architect’s Award of Excellence; the 2015 Missouri Park and Recreation Association Give Back Award; the 2011 Focus St. Louis Quality of Life Award, the 2018 and 2011 East West Gateway Outstanding Local Government Achievement Award, and Lauchcode 2020 Moonshot Organizational Dreamer Award.
Trautman’s background includes serving as the Director of Parks and Recreation with the City of Des Peres, as Planner/Principal with SWT Design, and serving the City of Clayton, Mo., as Director of Parks and Recreation and as Executive Director of The Center of Clayton. For nearly 40 years, she has been responsible for guiding the development and enhancement of numerous park and open space facilities, trails, recreation centers, and delivering successful projects such as the $27 million Lodge Des Peres and the $19 million Center of Clayton.