Keynote Speaker & Humanitarian; Former President & CEO of Catholic Relief Services
Carolyn Woo Biography
In 1972, Carolyn Woo came from Hong Kong to Purdue University as a foreign student with only one year of funding. With scholarships and fellowships, she was able to complete her Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.D. in Strategy by 1979. After two years in industry, she was recruited back to the Purdue faculty. Soon after promotion to full professor, she was drafted into administration, first as director of the Master’s programs in Business, and then as Associate Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. Under her leadership, the Master’s program achieved a top twenty ranking in BusinessWeek, and she was cited as one of the TOP FORTY LEADERS UNDER FORTY by Change Magazine.
From 1997 to 2011, Woo served as dean of the Mendoza College at the University of Notre Dame, focusing on the quality of teaching, curricula innovations, placement of students, and embedding ethics in all business disciplines. These efforts resulted in #1 rankings for the undergraduate program from Bloomberg/BusinessWeek. She was elected as the first female chair of AACSB International and led the launch of the Principles for Responsible Management program with the United Nations.
Woo then joined Catholic Relief Services as CEO from 2012 to 2016. CRS undertakes humanitarian relief and sustainable development in over one hundred countries, serving over a hundred million people each year. CRS designs and implements over a thousand programs annually to reduce poverty, diminish risk, and foster prosperity. The areas include emergency relief, micro-finance, health systems, childhood development, education, agricultural productivity, empowerment of women, refugees' resettlement, peace-building, capacity building of partners and beneficiaries, and impact assessment. In 2013, she was recognized as one of the 500 Most Powerful People on the Planet by Foreign Policy Magazine and one of thirty in the category of A Force for Good.
Woo is a member of the boards of AON (UK) and Arabesque (Germany) and on the International Advisory Group of Equinor (Norway). These enterprises cover global risk management, regulated utilities, AI-driven socially responsible investing, as well as fossil-based and clean energy. Her former corporate board service includes five public companies in community banking, utilities, pharmaceutical distribution, electronic retail, and automotive manufacturing. Nonprofit boards, past and present, have included universities, K12 education, large health systems, faith-based media, and leadership development institutes. Most recently, she coordinated the Vatican Dialogues on Energy Transition, which convened CEOs of energy and the world’s largest investment companies in conversation with each other and the Holy Father.
Woo is recognized for her teaching, research, service, and leadership through various awards and honorary doctorates. She also received the top honor for her column on spirituality by the Catholic Press Association. Woo is the author of two books, "Working for a Better World" and "Rising: Learning from Women's Leadership in Catholic Ministries." She is married to Dr. David Bartkus and they have two sons, Ryan and Justin Bartkus.
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How do I book Carolyn Woo to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Carolyn Woo for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Carolyn Woo, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Carolyn Woo or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Carolyn Woo
Speaking fees for Carolyn Woo, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Carolyn Woo are under $10,000 for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Carolyn Woo, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Carolyn Woo speak about?
Carolyn Woo is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Asian & Pacific Heritage, Author, Business, Catholic, Christian, Christian, College, DEI, Diversity & Inclusion, Economy, Education, Executive Leadership, Female Leadership, Leadership, Non-Profit, Women in Business, World Affairs -
Where does Carolyn Woo travel from?
Carolyn Woo generally travels from Baltimore, MD, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Carolyn Woo’s agent?
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Carolyn Woo is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Carolyn Woo for your event is available upon request. Carolyn Woo generally travels from Baltimore, MD, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Zack Kass, Eric Boles, Daymond John, Jelly Roll and Rocky Bleier. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Carolyn Woo for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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