The 2023 Women Leaders in Consulting: Carly Mitchell

Carly Mitchell, a Partner in Guidehouse's Financial Services practice, brings over 18 years of experience providing strategy, compliance, organizational transformation, governance, and project management advisory support for commercial organizations and federal agencies.

Recently, Carly led the design and implementation of a compliance and reporting organization overseeing over $550 billion in federal grant and financial assistance programs operated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury serving over 40,000 recipients.

Previously, Carly also supported the stand-up, maturation and on-going program management of the Small Business Lending Fund (SBLF), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Financial Research, and new offices within Treasury's Fiscal Services and Internal Revenue Service. Carly is a leader of Guidehouse's support for green banks and services aligned to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

A passionate community volunteer and advocate, Carly served as the 2019-2020 President of the Junior League of Washington (JLW), a 2,300 volunteer-based organization serving over 30 DC-area nonprofits. She is a 2019 graduate of Leadership Greater Washington's Signature Program, the 2021 recipient of the March of Dimes' Heroines of Washington award in Professional Services, and the 2022 recipient of the JLW's lifetime volunteerism award."

What do you consider your greatest personal or professional achievement?

Being a mother, hands down. I am also really proud of the work I helped lead at the start of COVID through the Junior League. Leading a nonprofit through its COVID response in a way which cared for our community partners and 2,300 members stretched new leadership muscles, and showed me the importance of leading with empathy – while still being decisive, confident, and thinking outside of the box.

What's the best advice—consulting or otherwise—you've ever received?

A mentor and friend of mine taught me about "putting aces on bases," which is essentially finding peoples' strengths, and putting them in roles where those strengths shine. This is how I approach team leadership at work and in my volunteer roles.

What advice would you give to a female consultant just beginning her career?

To seek mentors and champions who bring you to the table and lift you up, versus task you down. Then, as you get new opportunities, seek out others who also deserve a champion and be that person for them.

What does this recognition mean to you?

This recognition celebrates two things that are extremely important to me – 1) women's leadership; and 2) being a champion for helping others and our communities (which is really what ESG is, at its core). I've made it my career mission to date to use my leadership talents and consulting skills for societal impact, while helping create new opportunities for other women and inspiring them to use their own talents for impact.

Having the opportunity to take our ability to design these programs to maximize the use of funds, minimize fraud and follow regulations – - all while maximizing the impact funding can have in our communities gives me immense pride. I am fortunate and grateful to be on this journey."