ATLANTA (February 24, 2017) – The global poverty-fighting organization CARE today announced it had filled two key roles, naming Heather A. Higginbottom its new chief operating officer and Macon Phillips its new chief digital officer.
Both individuals come to CARE from the highest levels of U.S. government. Higginbottom was most recently with the U.S. Department of State, as Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, while Phillips was former President Obama’s lead digital strategist in the State Department, the White House and during his 2008 presidential campaign.
“We are thrilled to welcome both Heather and Macon to the CARE family,” said Michelle Nunn, CARE’s president and CEO. “Each brings a depth of experience, impeccable credentials, proven leadership and a passion for global social justice issues — all vital qualities that will inspire the entire CARE team as we move our work and mission forward in 94 countries around the world.”
As COO, Higginbottom will drive CARE’s newly launched strategic plan, CARE 2020, which aims to impact 200 million lives by 2020. She will oversee CARE’s operations around the world, working hand in hand with Nunn and others to set and execute organizational priorities.
Higginbottom boasts over 15 years of experience as a senior public official both in the White House (as Deputy Director and Counselor to the Director, Office of Management and Budget) and as the second-most senior level employee in the State Department.
In the latter role, she managed a $50 billion budget for operations and foreign assistance programming for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID.) And she executed operational management responsibilities with 70,000 employees and more than 200 posts worldwide.
“CARE’s poverty-fighting work – particularly on behalf of women and girls — is empowering, urgent and inspiring, and I am honored to join an organization with such a rich history — and an even more promising future,” she said. “I’m eager to get to work, investing in CARE’s lifesaving, life-changing mission all the best skills, experience and insight I was fortunate enough to develop throughout my career in public service.”
As CDO, Phillips will align CARE’s traditional and digital businesses, shaping and promoting the brand, and broadening its appeal to acquire new donors and maintain existing ones.
Phillips brings over a decade of experience implementing public engagement programs. Most recently in the State Department, as Coordinator of the Bureau of International Information Programs, he led the charge on digital, communications and technology strategy to achieve U.S. foreign policy.
He founded the Office of Digital Strategy in the Obama White House, developing high-profile campaigns to connect millions of Americans with their government, including events such as Facebook, Twitter and Google town halls.
“Our world is full of promising innovations that bring solutions to the world’s greatest challenges, and CARE is at the forefront of doing that in the international development space,” he said. “I’m excited to harness the power of technology to deepen CARE’s impact around the world by connecting millions of people to the work that brings CARE’s mission to life.”
Both Higginbottom and Phillips will be based in CARE’s Washington D.C. offices. Higginbottom will begin her new role on March 27 and Phillips on April 1.
Media Contact
Nicole Harris, nharris@care.org, 404-735-0871
About CARE
Founded in 1945 with the creation of the CARE Package®, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside women and girls because, equipped with the proper resources, they have the power to lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty. That’s why women and girls are at the heart of CARE’s community-based efforts to improve education and health, create economic opportunity, respond to emergencies and confront hunger. Last year CARE worked in 94 countries and reached more than 80 million people around the world. To learn more, visit www.care.org.