Brigham Young University’s Romney Institute of Public Management named Carolyn Grow Dailey, president and CEO of ASCEND Alliance, as the 2008 Administrator of the Year.
The award is given annually to an outstanding man or woman who has achieved distinction after many years of management in the public or nonprofit sector. In her 17 years as an international humanitarian executive, Dailey has led expeditions to a dozen impoverished countries — organizing community development programs and leading internships that influence thousands of people worldwide.
“Carolyn Dailey is an outstanding example for our students of what a local person can do in the field of international development,” says Gloria Wheeler, assistant director of the Romney Institute. “She’s a great model for our students of someone who’s talented, educated and committed, and who finds a way to fulfill her roles as a wife and mother and then also have a large impact on the humanitarian world.”
As president and CEO of ASCEND, Dailey combats poverty in developing countries by implementing programs in education, enterprise, health and technology. She previously served as CEO of CHOICE Humanitarian, another group committed to sustainable development in impoverished countries.
“Carolyn Dailey is a wonderful selection for this award,” says Mark Macdonald, a first-year Master of Public Administration student from Provo, Utah. “While working with her, I was impressed with her overall efficiency, leadership and concern for staffers.”
At the March 20 banquet in her honor, Dailey emphasized the importance of lifting others, doing things right and taking on challenges. To illustrate, she shared how she successfully climbed a 21,000-foot mountain in Ecuador after two failed attempts.
“We will likely fall short many times and experience rejection and frustration in our life’s pursuits,” she said. “But if we are persistent and remain committed to a mission, regardless of the weather, the summits will come. We will experience the joy that comes from learning and serving well.”
Before working for nonprofits, Dailey had a successful career in the private sector, managing political campaigns, leading publishing corporations and consulting. She was also a partner in a telecommunications consulting firm that was recognized as Franchisee of the Year by the International Franchise Association.
The Romney Institute of Public Management was named in 1998 for three-term Michigan Governor George W. Romney. Part of Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management, the Romney Institute offers a master’s degree in public administration through both pre-service and executive programs. The Romney Institute has a long tradition of preparing young people for careers in public service and is dedicated to educating men and women of faith, character and professional ability who will become outstanding managers and leaders in public and nonprofit institutions worldwide.
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Writer: Katie Forrest
