Michele L. Sullivan

Michele L. Sullivan held various globally influential leadership positions at Caterpillar during her 28-year career. She was previously Caterpillar’s Director of Corporate Social Innovation and President of the Caterpillar Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm.

During her time with the Foundation, Michele took it from transactional to a global and strategic Foundation. This strategy places the human need first, not as an afterthought of profit. Michele is well-known for her global expertise and sustainable and collaborative approach to philanthropic investing.

Michele strongly believes monumental and sustainable change in our largest global challenges can only happen through partnerships and collaboration between public, private and non-profit entities. This strategy resulted in the Caterpillar Foundation’s transformation into one of the most influential corporate foundations, and ultimately, the launch of the Foundation’s collaborative impact platform known as Together.Stronger.

Michele was named by Inside Philanthropy as one of the 50 most powerful women in philanthropy and also served as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. She currently chairs the Greater Peoria Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Advisory Board. Michele earned her MBA from Bradley University.