Smile Train President and CEO Susannah Schaefer Honored with Charles B. Wang Community Service Award

Elmont, NY (April 9, 2024) – Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused organization, today announced their President and CEO, Susannah Schaefer, has been named the 2024 recipient of the Charles B. Wang Community Service Award. Schaefer is the second person to receive the honor, which was presented during the New York Islanders game at UBS Arena on Tuesday, April 9.

The award is named after the Islanders late co-owner and recognizes individuals within the metropolitan New York area who have made a special or profound impact on the lives of individuals, families, or the community at large. Schaefer was selected for this prestigious award for her dedication and service to Smile Train, an organization Wang founded in 1999. The organization strives to ensure all children in need have access to safe, high-quality, and comprehensive cleft care.

“It is an honor to be chosen for this award, and even more so, to be recognized for following in the footsteps of Charles Wang, who was not only a leader in our community, but a mentor and role model to me personally,” said Schaefer. “I look forward to continuing to support Smile Train’s vision of a world where every cleft-affected person has access to the care they need to live a full and healthy life.”

This year marks Smile Train’s 25th anniversary. Schaefer, who joined Smile Train in 2013 after serving on the organization’s Board for over a decade, previously worked for Wang in a number of capacities. She first served as his Special Assistant at Computer Associates (now CA Technologies), and following his retirement, became his Chief of Staff for his business and philanthropic interests.

Under Schaefer’s leadership, Smile Train has expanded access to local, high-quality cleft care in 75+ countries and trained more than 40,000 medical professionals around the world in cleft care. She also led the charge in putting cleft care on the global health agenda at the UN and WHO. Today, as a result, Smile Train has partnerships with some of the biggest and most respected names in healthcare, including Haleon and Dentsply Sirona, and likeminded NGOs, such as Kids Operating Room and Lifebox.

To date, Smile Train has supported more than 1.9 million free cleft surgeries in 90+ countries. As the winner of the Charles B. Wang Community Service Award, Schaefer was presented with a silver stick along with a $25K donation from the Islanders to Smile Train.

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About Smile Train
Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children’s lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.org.

Media Contact
Nicole Bell | Public Relations
nbell@smiletrain.org | (646)829-0996