Entering her 25th year as a member of the Southern Conference staff in 2019-20, associate commissioner Sue Arakas oversees the conference’s budget, financial resources, office operations and meeting planning. She also supervises the management of daily business operations and administers all policies and procedures of the conference. The conference internship program is also under her supervision.

In addition, Arakas serves as the league’s senior woman administrator and as the staff liaison for various league sport and standing committees. Arakas has been involved with the league’s Student-Athlete Leadership Institute since its inception and has oversight responsibility for the Southern Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). The Asheville, North Carolina, native also spearheaded the league’s celebration of the 25th anniversary of women’s championships during the 2007-08 season.

While with the SoCon, Arakas has been involved in national organizations such as Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly NACWAA), and is a 2004 graduate of NACWAA/HERS East, a professional leadership development institute. She currently serves as the chair of the Conference Woman Administrators, whose membership includes women administrators from conferences in Division I, II and III and the junior college levels.