Throughout her career as a mother, wife, teacher, and 14 years as First Lady of Wisconsin, Sue Ann Thompson has focused much of her attention on women’s health issues, education, and volunteerism.  Out of love and compassion for her daughters and all the women of Wisconsin, Sue Ann established the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation in 1997 during her tenure as First Lady, and after 34 years in the classroom she retired from teaching to assume a full-time role as the Foundation’s President. 

The goals of WWHF are to help women to become advocates for their own health; provide women with the information, resources and tools they need to be healthy; and make a difference in the overall quality of life for women and their families. They provide education, prevention and outreach programs for the women of Wisconsin, as well as sponsor several women’s health research initiatives.  WWHF focuses on the six greatest threats to women’s health:  cardiovascular disease, cancer, mental health, domestic violence, osteoporosis, and alcohol and smoking cessation. 

Herself a breast cancer survivor, Sue Ann has worked with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation serving as Honorary Chair of the Foundation’s Dane CountyRace for the Cure.  Sue Ann currently serves as a member of the Leadership Team for the National Health Care Standards Project on Domestic Violence. 

She has received numerous national and state awards for her work in the field of women’s health. In 2002, Sue Ann received the YWCA Women of Distinction Award.   In 2001, Wyeth-Ayerst and Good Housekeeping Magazine gave Sue Ann the Award for Women’s Health, and GE Medical Systems dedicated the Sue Ann Thompson Mammography Suite, the first corporate on-site full-field digital mammography facility using the GE Senographe 2000D. 

Sue Ann’s volunteer activities extend outside of women’s health.  She served as a volunteer Board Member for Very Special Arts Wisconsin for 14 years and is on the National Very Special Arts Board which provides arts opportunities for children and adults with disabilities.  Sue Ann is also a Board member for her alma mater Viterbo Universityin La Crosse, and currently serves on the Board for the Madison Cultural Arts District.  She has traveled to as part of the Executive Board for the World Food Programme which provides food and services to women and children in third world countries.  Sue Ann is an emeritus member of the Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free committee.  This national committee, based in Washington D.C.and made up of Governors’ spouses from across the country, works to raise awareness of the alarming trend of underage drinking and decrease its incidence through education and prevention. 

Sue Ann and her husband, former Governor of Wisconsin and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy G. Thompson, have three grown children – Kelli, Tommi, and Jason; and five grandchildren, Sophie, Ellie, Jason, Jr , Hayden and Eily.