Kimora A. McConnell, MSW, PMP, CSM

I attribute my success to learning to be still and listen, a practice deeply rooted in faith and strengthened by curiosity. By remaining open, asking questions, and seeking understanding, I have learned to follow guidance with clarity rather than force outcomes. Staying flexible with my plans has allowed opportunities to align in ways I could not have orchestrated on my own. I have come to understand that while goals matter, rigidity can limit growth, and true progress requires the courage to take chances, learn from failure, and trust the process. Most importantly, I have learned to draw on God’s strength so that I am not shaken by outside circumstances.

Mentorship and sponsorship were pivotal in shaping my career and pushing me. Carol Hussey helped me recognize the transferability of my social work background into consulting, opening doors I had not yet seen for myself, while Patty Babcock and Heather Woodard provided critical connections that expanded my path forward. Along the way, I embraced the importance of defining my non-negotiables, or anti-goals, a concept reinforced by The Five Types of Wealth, which grounded me in what truly matters as I continue to grow. Their guidance, combined with my own determination to keep learning, evolving, and rising after every challenge, has allowed me to move forward with purpose, pursue bigger opportunities, and build a career that is both ambitious and deeply aligned. I am especially grateful to David Clark, who taught me to root my purpose in God and to live with grit, always moving onward and upward with faith, resilience, and intention.

Be fiercely intentional about your priorities and boundaries, and just as clear about your anti-goals and non-negotiables, what you refuse to sacrifice whether that is your health, your peace, your family, or your integrity. Greatness is not built on perfection, it is built on the determination to fall, learn, and rise again with even more clarity and resolve. Set firm thresholds to protect your energy, delegate with trust, and take bold, calculated risks even when fear shows up. Do not wait for fear to disappear, decide to move forward in spite of it and let it sharpen your focus rather than limit your potential. Anchor everything you do in purpose, and remember that ambition without sustainability will cost you more than it gives. Protect your well-being and the people you love as you pursue your goals, because true success is not just what you achieve, but who you become and what you preserve along the way.

The biggest challenges include modernizing large, monolithic health and human service systems such as child welfare and medicaid while addressing the human impact of change on staff, stakeholders, and the communities served, as these efforts require not only technical transformation but also intentional change management that builds trust, supports people through uncertainty, and sustains service quality; at the same time, balancing multiple professional responsibilities without compromising quality or personal wellbeing remains critical. Opportunities lie in leveraging the intersection of IT, social work, and healthcare consulting to drive meaningful, people-centered change, using empathy, stakeholder engagement, and a deep understanding of community needs to improve outcomes, particularly in underserved and rural populations where access and equity gaps are most significant.

Practicing what I preach and following through with my commitments are central to my values. I strive to treat everyone with respect and lead through service, rolling up my sleeves to support both my team and the community. Servant leadership shapes my approach, with a focus on achieving results that elevate staff, support stakeholders, and benefit those we serve rather than personal recognition.