Dr. Abby Fanlo Susk ’12 returned to speak at the Class of 2026’s commencement this morning. She said, “I’m beyond honored. Hotchkiss gave me an incredible education that allowed me to do the work I do today. For everything it’s given me, I’m really honored for the chance to give back in a small way by sharing some of my experiences with the class.”
In an interview with The Record prior to delivering her address, Dr. Fanlo Susk reflected on her time at the school. She said, “The joy of truly just getting to be with my friends all the time was just so special and meaningful.”
“Hotchkiss gave me an incredible education that allowed me to do the work I do today,” said Dr. Fanlo Susk.
As a Bearcat, Dr. Fanlo Susk played field hockey and tennis. She said, “I remember being on the bus to and from sports, and listening to my iPod. I have distinct memories of listening to Slightly Stupid songs.”
She was also an Editor-in-Chief for The Record.
While at the school, Dr. Fanlo Susk built a a passion for history, civics, politics, and literature. She said, “I attribute a lot to my Upper Mid year AP U.S. History class with Mr. Tom Flemma. AP U.S. History was probably one of my favorite classes I’ve ever taken in my life. It was truly at Hotchkiss where I thought, ‘Oh, I really am interested in politics and civics and political history.’”
At Stanford, she fell in love with international security and military history after majoring in political science and minoring in military history.
Following the completion of her bachelor’s degree, she earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Stanford’s political science program.
Dr. Fanlo Susk said, “As a Ph.D. student, what I found to be interesting was social conflict, international conflict, and communal violence, which were all deeply impacted by communications technology and the way that we communicate.”
In college, she was a Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellow, an Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education Fellow and Mentor, and a Junior Scholar at the Carnegie International Policy Scholar Consortium and Network (IPSCON).
After graduate school, Dr. Fanlo Susk pursued policy making at Meta. In 2023, she led policy and strategy for the U.S. government’s Department of Defense to ensure AI use is in line with the nation’s values.
In 2024, she began serving on the product policy team at OpenAI. She is currently helping create policies for responsible AI use. Dr. Fanlo said, “I’m proud because I feel like I’ve built a career that allows me to, on a daily basis, to make sure that these very ubiquitous, very powerful technologies are used in ways that help the average person. I hope I can further our ability to live positive lives.”
“How do you find out what your values are, and how do you follow them when life and the world is uncertain?” said Dr. Fanlo Susk.
In her speech, Dr. Fanlo Susk reflected on what she called “the importance of learning how to be in touch with your own North Star, your own values.”
As she spends her time writing rules and policies, she thinks a lot about how these rules align with the goals or values of the organization in question.
She said, “How do you find out what your values are, and how do you follow them when life and the world is uncertain? How do you navigate developing your own path, the rules you want to follow, and stay aligned to your values?”
Ultimately, she wanted to remind students of the importance of being yourself. She said, “Stay true to what you want for yourself, and constantly cultivate an understanding of what your own goals and values are.”
