Catherine Kannam

Catherine leads Chemonics’ business optimization, identifying opportunities to drive business performance and efficiency. Prior to this role, she served as the chief operating officer, managing global operations and driving business optimization. She has extensive experience in Asia and the Middle East, having served as senior vice president for Chemonics’ Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Afghanistan division where her portfolio included programs focused on stabilization, trade and economic development, governance, and private sector engagement. In this role, Catherine was instrumental at driving operational excellence and optimizing processes in challenging contexts. Prior to Chemonics, Catherine worked at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems where she focused on Afghanistan election programming.

Catherine holds a master’s degree in South Asian studies and international economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a bachelor’s degree from the College of Social Studies at Wesleyan University.