Susan Bigelow (Republican)

1584 S Mountain View Dr
Sheridan, Wyoming 82801-3219
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A twenty-year resident of Sheridan, Susan has lived in northeast Wyoming for three decades and has deep ties to the region. In 1992, Susan and her late husband John made a quality-of-life decision to leave their aerospace jobs to work and live in Susan’s hometown of Spearfish, South Dakota, where Susan completed her MBA degree and began a career in economic development.

In addition to project development, grant writing, spending time with family, and volunteering in the community and at her church, Susan enjoys exploring the Big Horn Mountains. Whether she is downhill skiing, snowshoeing, hiking a Red Grade Trail, biking on a gravel road, or backpacking in the Cloud Peak Wilderness, she embraces the grit and beauty of the Wyoming landscape. Her friends, children, grandchildren, and great-grandsons often join her for these outdoor adventures. Susan is an avid reader and member of several book clubs. She also enjoys gardening, playing the piano, and traveling with her dog Migo.

Former System Test Manager for national defense missile programs. Economic development northeast Wyoming. Served as VP of External Relations & Economic Development for Sheridan College, expanding technical training and assisting corporate relocations like Weatherby. Founder of Bigelow Grant Writing Services in 2018. Over her Wyoming career secured over $90 million in state and federal grants for Wyoming projects to build infrastructure and facilities, provide training, and support students.

Public school K-12 graduate from Spearfish Public Schools. Post-secondary: AS (Laramie County CC); BS in Electronic Engineering (Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo). Graduate: MBA (Univ. of South Dakota); PhD in Community College Leadership (Colorado State). Professional credentials: Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE); Certified Economic Development Professional; Economic Development Finance Professional; and a certificate in Catholic Social Teaching.

Past president of Wyoming Economic Dev. Assoc., 2003 Leadership Wyoming graduate, and 30-year Rotarian. Serves on the board for The Hub on Smith, the local senior center, Sheridan Chamber member, and former GOP precinct woman/state delegate. Lay director at Holy Name Catholic Church. Co-founded the Care for Caregiver Workshop series, partnering with AARP Wyoming to replicate this compassionate program statewide to serve families.

I am running for House District 51 because I believe in Proven Leadership for a Better Tomorrow. For more than 20 years, Sheridan County has been my home. As a 30-year Rotarian, I have tried to live every day by the principle of “Service Above Self.” As a Leadership Wyoming graduate, I believe deeply that we hold our state in trust for a time we will not see and for people we will not know. That profound sense of stewardship is exactly why I am stepping forward to serve as a conservative Republican.

Today, our traditional “Wyoming Way”—civil debate, commonsense governing, and respect for our neighbors—is being overshadowed by national division and political noise. Sheridan County doesn’t need more turmoil or empty rhetoric; we need steady, principled leadership focused on real results.

My professional background spans aerospace engineering, local economic development, and community college administration. As an engineer, I approach every challenge by looking at the data, finding the root cause, and focusing on what works. Over my career, I have secured more than $90 million in funding for Wyoming projects.

I will bring that exact problem-solving mindset to Cheyenne. I am committed to defending local sovereignty, delivering meaningful property tax relief, and protecting our constitutional heritage. I will choose substance over soundbites to ensure that Sheridan, Dayton, Ranchester, and Big Horn continue to thrive.

I strongly support local and state-level economic development because Wyoming’s future depends on our willingness to invest in our own success. I also support a robust K-University public education system and true local control—the philosophy that the best government is the closest to the people. Guided by my conservative values, I will fight for:
• Economic Growth & Workforce Housing: To ensure our children and grandchildren can live and thrive here, we must actively promote Wyoming as a premier place for business investment. This requires resilient community infrastructure—including robust water, wastewater, utilities, and roads—alongside attainable housing options for young people and working families. Housing is an infrastructure issue and must be addressed as such.
• Public Education & Technical Training: Sheridan County benefits from excellent K-12 and community college opportunities. However, recent funding constraints have strained these vital budgets. I will fight for stable and flexible funding so our high schools and Sheridan College can strengthen and expand the career and technical skills training that local employers depend on.
• Defending Local Sovereignty: Decisions about our libraries and schools belong here at home—not in Cheyenne. We elect local leaders to govern our communities, and we must trust them to do so. I will fight state-level overreach—such as attempting to dictate local library content—and work to return control to our local communities.