Michele Sullivan

Michele Sullivan

Michele L. Sullivan, the HarperCollins Leadership published author of her debut book, Looking Up set to come out in early 2020, has a unique and interesting perspective on life and business. An author, motivational and inspirational public speaker, and strategic business advisor, Sullivan has changed the course of millions of lives.

Michele is unforgettable- from a young person born with a very rare type of dwarfism, who, in spite of being looked down upon by others, learned to look up: to lead with an elevated view of others, a philosophy that landed her at the helm of one of the world’s most prominent philanthropy organizations. With inspiring style, she offers an unique perspective and inspiration for individuals and leaders that attests to the fundamental role one’s perspective plays in their life.

During her 30 year career, she held various globally influential leadership positions at Caterpillar Inc., an American fortune 100 company. Retiring as Caterpillar’s director of corporate social innovation and president of the Caterpillar Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm, at the end of 2018, Michele set out to share her stories and experiences with the world.

Along with the launch of her first book, Michele’s experience include giving a TED talk at TEDWomen 2016, becoming the first Caterpillar employee to do so. In her talk, she speaks candidly about the challenges she has overcome in life, highlighting the importance of acceptance and helping others succeed in the face of their unique challenges. She 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 was recognized as a AACSB 2018 Influential Leader (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). Michele is a member of the ONE board of directors and past chair of the Greater Peoria Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Advisory Board.