Salima Suswell is a widely recognized leader, strategist, and community advocate dedicated to civic engagement, government and public affairs, and empowering underrepresented voices. She is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Evolve Solutions LLC, an award-winning management consulting firm operating at the intersection of politics, government affairs, and public policy. Since 2010, Evolve has worked to address racial and socio-economic disparities in urban communities through impactful grassroots initiatives.
A dynamic entrepreneur and trusted advisor, Salima has built a strong reputation for navigating complex government systems while bridging the gap between community needs and policy-making. Known for her strategic, vision-driven leadership and ability to mobilize diverse stakeholders, her impact spans mentorship, civil rights, and systemic community development across local, state, and national levels.
Salima has achieved several historic civic appointments in Pennsylvania. In 2017, Governor Tom Wolf appointed her as the first Muslim woman to serve on the Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women—a role to which she was reappointed by Governor Josh Shapiro in 2023. In Philadelphia, she was appointed to the Mayor’s Commission for Faith-Based and Interfaith Affairs by Mayor Jim Kenney in 2020, and to the Mayor’s Commission for Muslim Engagement by Mayor Cherelle Parker in 2024.
Her leadership has earned widespread recognition, including being named a Diversity and Inclusion Pioneer by The Philadelphia Inquirer (2019), a Faith Leader to Watch by the Center for American Progress (2022), the UNCF Keeper of the Flame Award recipient (2023)—where she serves on the Philadelphia Chapter’s Leadership Council—and the City & State Pennsylvania Impact Award winner (2024). She has also received official proclamations and honors from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Pennsylvania State Senate, Philadelphia City Council, Women-UP, The Philadelphia Public Record, and The Philadelphia Tribune.
Salima studied Business Administration at Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business and Organizational Development and Leadership at Saint Joseph’s University’s Haub School of Business.