CAROLINE F. CONNOLLY

Abt Global is a mission-driven consulting and research firm that connects data, technology, and insights to solve the world’s toughest challenges in health, social and environmental policy, and international development.

Actively contributed to the global social innovation ecosystem through integrated health and equity initiatives.

Engaged ministries of health, funders, and multilateral partners to advance equity-driven delivery models across LMICs.

• Lead enterprise-wide strategy, partnership engagement, and global operations for Abt’s primary health, infectious disease, and health systems strengthening portfolios across 20+ countries.
• Act as an operational and strategic bridge between field teams and headquarters to align project execution with institutional goals and donor priorities.
• Designed regional innovation labs to support LMIC-based partners in piloting new approaches to community-led health systems.
• Partnered with ministries and civil society to co-create national scale-up strategies for equitable primary care delivery.
• Spearheaded a $1.2B pipeline; improved win rate to 50% through performance-focused pursuit systems.
• Forged partnerships with Africa CDC, WHO, and others; grew collaboration and regional ownership by 60%.
• Led convenings and forums integrating global-local dialogue, reaching 1K+ stakeholders.
• Represented Abt at 20+ strategic forums; expanded organizational visibility and donor engagement.
• Implemented DEI and mentorship frameworks, boosting staff-led proposal ownership by 45%.
• Co-developed global engagement strategies for primary health programs, resulting in a 60% expansion of partner alignment and regional buy-in.
• Built and launched internal knowledge-sharing communities; improved peer learning and increased technical contributions by 45%.
• Introduced budget forecasting and risk frameworks, resulting in $3M in savings and 100% donor compliance.
• Designed and led multi-stakeholder convenings; integrated field-level programming into global platforms.
• Created mentorship pipelines that accelerated leadership development across 20+ countries.
• Created an agile working environment, enabling rapid response to changing business needs without sacrificing quality or performance standards.
• Developed strong relationships with key industry partners, fostering collaboration and mutual growth opportunities.
• Directed design and execution of business transformation initiatives to drive performance, profit optimization and growth opportunities.
• Grew talent pool by actively recruiting top-tier candidates from diverse backgrounds while implementing robust training programs for skill development across all levels of staff members.
• Cultivated a culture of innovation by promoting creative thinking and encouraging employees to take calculated risks in pursuit of solutions.

Kantar Public was a global public policy, evidence, and advisory business supporting government, multilateral, and philanthropic partners.

Led global strategy across health, sustainability, and equity portfolios while advising on public-private models to embed social innovation within governance systems. Managed donor engagement and coordinated multi-partner events. Oversaw global strategic growth and repositioning of Kantar’s international development practice.

• Directed initiatives shaping global social innovation narratives while navigating internal governance and M&A transformation.
• Increased company revenue by implementing innovative business strategies and expanding product offerings.
• Managed high-performing teams to successfully execute corporate objectives and drive organizational success.
• Built productive relationships with industry partners and competitors to support strategic business objectives.
• Cultivated forward-thinking, inclusive, and performance-oriented business culture to lead industry in innovation and push progress.
• Streamlined operations for improved efficiency, reducing overall costs and increasing profitability.
• Managed partnerships and strategic business relationships by negotiating contract terms and handling conflicts.
• Improved operational efficiency by redesigning internal processes and implementing cutting-edge technology solutions.
• Identified new revenue generation opportunities to maximize bottom-line profitability.
• Drove continuous improvement by fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and open communication across all levels of the organization.
• Directed research and development efforts in alignment with long-term strategic goals to maintain competitive advantage within the industry sector.
• Implemented strong hiring and training techniques to promote team cohesiveness and streamline overall workflow.
• Analyzed industry trends and tracked competitor activities to inform decision making.
• Cultivated donor relationships and crisis-proofed operations during periods of high visibility.
• Developed flagship advocacy platform to elevate country-level innovation models within global public policy agendas.
• Managed strategic donor initiatives with Gates Foundation and UNICEF, strengthening influence in global development financing.
• Developed a 5-year global strategy; expanded portfolio by $250M and reduced operational costs by 15%.
• Established risk and MEL systems; improved program delivery speed by 30% and donor satisfaction by 25%.
• Built a 45-person global team; embedded DEI leadership programs, increasing internal promotion.
• Designed and led 10+ donor convenings; tripled multilateral engagement.
• Played key role in M&A readiness and branding strategy through global board leadership.
• Produced flagship knowledge products and co-chaired 10+ strategy summits that shaped public policy investment decisions.
• Designed digital dashboards and knowledge systems, cutting rework by 35% and accelerating decision-making.
• Integrated win/loss analysis and feedback loops across business units, reducing opportunity loss by 20%.
• Created SOPs, playbooks, and performance tools that improved proposal efficiency by 30%.
• Kantar Public was a global public policy, evidence, and advisory business supporting government, multilateral, and philanthropic partners.

Cardno was a global professional services firm specializing in health, infrastructure, climate, and economic development programming in 50+ countries.

Advanced community-based innovation models through cross-sector partnerships and policy advocacy. Represented Cardno at global summits to position the firm as a partner of choice for funders seeking inclusive, measurable development outcomes.

• Directed global proposal strategy, partnership development, and communication strategy across Cardno’s international development practice.
• Delivered external positioning to elevate the organization as a convener and secured multi-region funding partnerships through adaptive, data-informed strategies.
• Led multi-country partnership dialogues with foundations and local NGOs to align investment and delivery strategies.
• Designed systems to monitor equity, sustainability, and innovation adoption across 6 regional portfolios.
• Managed $700M+ pipeline; improved win rates by 51% with strategic reforms and pursuit alignment tools.
• Designed global SOPs, launched knowledge systems; increased technical participation by 60%.
• Expanded visibility by 60% via donor briefings and campaigns; co-led growth strategy with executive team.
• Cultivated new partnerships across 6 regions; drove $50M in new co-financed projects.
• Directed global staff capacity-building initiatives, improving team performance by 50%.
• Integrated digital health tools and automated reporting mechanisms to enhance transparency and decision-making.
• Represented Cardno at global forums; strengthened consortia alignment and advocacy.
• Launched cross-functional learning platforms; led 120+ staff trainings, boosting technical participation by 60%.
• Led cross-functional teams for the successful completion of major projects, resulting in increased efficiency and client satisfaction.
• Collaborated with senior management to develop strategic initiatives and long term goals.
• Established a culture of continuous improvement, fostering innovation and driving sustainable growth across the organization.
• Spearheaded organizational restructuring initiatives, streamlining operations and reducing overhead costs.
• Developed new revenue streams by identifying growth opportunities and forging strategic partnerships with key industry players.
• Analyzed industry trends and tracked competitor activities to inform decision making.
• Cultivated company-wide culture of innovation and collaboration.
• Formulated and executed strategic initiatives to improve product offerings.
• Collaborated with legal, accounting and other professional teams to review and maintain compliance with regulations.
• Led recruitment and development of strategic alliances to maximize utilization of existing talent and capabilities.
• Devised and presented business plans and forecasts to board of directors.

Deloitte provides technical advisory and implementation support across governance, health, infrastructure, and energy sectors in 70+ countries.

Delivered technical assistance and crisis-responsive innovation strategies in fragile contexts. Partnered with national stakeholders to align data-driven project designs with donor impact frameworks.

• Led global high-value technical proposal development and MEL integration for Deloitte's international programs.
• Responded to crises with speed and precision, while supporting local leadership in crafting data-backed, KPI-driven strategies.
• Delivered support to country missions responding to conflict or political transition; launched resilience planning in Ukraine.
• Built metrics dashboards that informed donor policy shifts and improved transparency in program outcomes.
• Secured $100M+ in new business; led design of MEL tools improving technical scores by 45%.
• Piloted SOPs, decision dashboards, and pursuit guides; enhanced visibility and decision-making.
• Mentored regional teams; enabled 60% of proposals to be led locally, advancing ownership and efficiency.
• Created proposal knowledge guides that increased internal participation by 35% and improved narrative quality.
• Led capture efforts for USAID proposals, implementing systematic tracking and risk assessment processes.
• Strengthened relationships with global donors and partners, resulting in a 30% increase in repeat collaborations.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Created an agile working environment, enabling rapid response to changing business needs without sacrificing quality or performance standards.
• Developed strong relationships with key industry partners, fostering collaboration and mutual growth opportunities.
• Directed design and execution of business transformation initiatives to drive performance, profit optimization and growth opportunities.
• Navigated complex regulatory environments to ensure compliance with local laws, standards, and regulations relevant to the business domain.
• Championed continuous improvement initiatives to drive operational excellence within the organization.
• Established data-driven decision-making processes and implemented best practices in analytics to optimize performance across the organization.
• Enhanced internal communication channels, resulting in improved information flow and decision-making processes.
• Achieved departmental goals by developing and implementing strategic plans and initiatives.
• Implemented cost-saving measures through effective resource allocation and budget management.
• Leveraged professional networks and industry knowledge to strengthen client relationships.

Pathfinder is a global nonprofit focused on reproductive health, health systems, and gender equity in 30+ countries.

• Integrated entrepreneurial approaches into program design and business development, expanding partnerships in LMICs.
• Designed cross-functional teams to manage strategic growth and foster inclusive leadership pipelines.
• Established and led Pathfinder’s first global business development division.
• Directed proposals, partnerships, and strategic co-creation efforts with a focus on equity, performance metrics, and inclusive team growth across LMICs.
• Integrated sustainability planning tools into business development lifecycle; improved donor handoff across 20+ countries.
• Facilitated regional innovation workshops that generated community-led health interventions adopted by national ministries.
• Designed 5-year strategy yielding $450M+ in new awards; achieved 85% renewal rate.
• Delivered 45+ training programs; advanced technical proposal leadership by 60%.
• Built global network of 100+ partners; strengthened cross-sector positioning.
• Introduced dashboards, compliance systems, and knowledge tools to drive efficiency.
• Developed and implemented comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluation, and Collaborative Learning (MECL) frameworks.
• Increased stakeholder satisfaction and diversified funding through strategic partnership cultivation.
• Developed high-performing teams by providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth.
• Cultivated a positive work environment that fostered employee engagement, increased retention rates, and boosted overall team morale.
• Improved project efficiency with strategic planning, resource allocation, and time management practices.
• Implemented innovative solutions to solve complex problems, resulting in increased productivity and streamlined operations.
• Boosted client satisfaction rates through exceptional relationship management and prompt resolution of issues.
• Leveraged data analytics insights for informed decision-making in critical areas such as sales forecasting, budgeting, or personnel management.
• Spearheaded successful product launches that resulted in increased brand visibility and customer acquisition.
• Strengthened internal controls by reviewing existing policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Increased company revenue by streamlining processes and implementing cost-saving measures.
• Drove significant market share growth with launch of innovative product lines.
• Navigated company through periods of significant change, maintaining focus on long-term strategic goals.

Facing History is an educational nonprofit promoting civic engagement and equity through global teacher training and curriculum.

Promoted equity-focused learning and global advocacy across diverse cultural settings. Designed expansion strategy grounded in social innovation principles and local capacity building.

• Led the organization’s global operations expansion and strategic infrastructure development.
• Fostered cross-cultural inclusion in field offices, built donor-aligned risk frameworks, and shaped equity-centered discourse through education and policy platforms.
• Hosted global learning exchanges to co-design educational strategies rooted in local culture and lived experience.
• Partnered with diaspora networks and youth-led organizations to expand civic education across new LMIC geographies.
• Launched global operations unit; expanded educator network by 70% through strategic growth.
• Secured first U.S. government grant; increased total funding by 52%.
• Implemented project systems and learning pathways; enhanced engagement and performance.
• Represented organization at global conferences and elevated equity-focused thought leadership.
• Spearheaded expansion into 10 countries and developed onboarding, HR, and training systems.
• Improved onboarding success rates and retention through coaching and leadership development programs.
• Developed high-performing teams by providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth.
• Cultivated a positive work environment that fostered employee engagement, increased retention rates, and boosted overall team morale.
• Established a culture of continuous improvement by fostering open communication channels and empowering employees to voice their ideas.
• Boosted client satisfaction rates through exceptional relationship management and prompt resolution of issues.
• Strengthened internal controls by reviewing existing policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Increased company revenue by streamlining processes and implementing cost-saving measures.
• Revolutionized customer service protocols, significantly improving customer satisfaction ratings.
• Leveraged professional networks and industry knowledge to strengthen client relationships.