Her Story
About Carolann
Carolann Ratliff is a dedicated administrative professional with nearly four decades of experience at Moody's Investors Service, where she has built a reputation for reliability, organization, and unwavering support of executive and analyst teams. Since joining the company in 1985, she has played an integral role in supporting ratings operations, coordinating complex administrative processes, and helping teams across domestic and international markets operate efficiently. Her long-standing commitment and institutional knowledge have made her a trusted resource within the organization.
Throughout her career, Carolann has worked closely with analysts, managers, and associates across the United States, Europe, Singapore, China, Japan, and London, helping facilitate communication, prepare rating reports, review documentation, and coordinate day-to-day operational priorities. Known for her strong attention to detail and collaborative approach, she became instrumental in supporting the growth of regional teams and ensuring analysts had the resources and administrative structure needed to succeed. Her ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining professionalism and accuracy has been a defining strength throughout her tenure.
A graduate of Pace University-New York with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, Carolann has balanced a successful professional career with a deep commitment to family and community. She intentionally prioritized raising her children while continuing to excel professionally, a decision reflected in the accomplishments of her family members serving in law enforcement, healthcare, and government. In addition to her corporate contributions, she also dedicated time to supervising students from Cook Academy, helping young individuals with disabilities develop workplace skills and confidence. Her career reflects a legacy of service, mentorship, compassion, and dedication both inside and outside the workplace.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Carolann
01What do you attribute your success to?
You have to have integrity. You have to love your job. And you need to be a people person. You need to be able to talk to people, work around them, and get things done together, because no one can do their job without other people. I've always believed that if you put your mind to something, anything can be learned. The best advice I ever received was to know that you can do anything, that anything can be learned if you put your mind to it, and to not settle but keep going as high as you can go. My priority was always my family, so while I did my work well and they couldn't do a lot of things without me, I let job opportunities pass me by when they would have required travel because I needed to be home with my children. Being home and helping them with their homework every night paid off - now my children are grown and successful in their own careers.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I remember sitting in her office, and we were just having a discussion, and she said, 'Know that you can do anything. Anything can be learned if you put your mind to it. Don't settle. Keep going as high as you can go.' That was the best advice I ever received, and it's stuck with me throughout my entire career.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would give them the same advice I received. Set your mind on a goal, and don't stop until you reach that goal. And when you reach that particular goal, set up another one. Continue. Sky's the limit. You can do anything you set your mind to.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
There are opportunities to move up at Moody's. If you were a rating analyst, the climb was structured - you had to be there at least 3 years so they could make sure you knew what you needed to know for your job and to be successful in it, and then they would move you up to a different analytical position. For support staff like admins, it was a little different. They had no clear path as to how an admin should be promoted - should they become office managers, admin coordinators? They would look for admin positions that could help admins feel like part of the team, and if the admin could do that, you could move up. But I have to say, Moody's is a great company to work for. They have a great work-home balance. If you have a problem at home, they tell you to go take care of that, don't worry about it - they have someone to back you up. Whether it's an emergency or paternity leave, they now have great paternity leave where men get a month to 6 weeks to stay home with their wives and new babies, which is wonderful.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
You have to have integrity. You have to love your job. And you need to be a people person. You need to be able to talk to people, work around them, and get things done together, because no one can do their job without other people. At home, now that my husband and I are empty nesters, I look forward to the days when my children come over and bring the children. I can play with the grandchildren and show them how to cook, how to clean the meat, how to wash dishes, how to bake cookies, how to make Christmas cookies - oh my God, I can't wait for the holidays. That's what I value more than anything - family.
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