(US and Canada) Candid, a nonprofit social sector data provider, has appointed Catherine Williams as its first Chief Data Officer. Williams’ expertise will guide the organization’s efforts to enhance transparency, strengthen partnerships, and further establish its leadership in nonprofit data and analytics.

“The recent surge of investment in AI is fueling a rapid evolution in the ways data is collected, analyzed, and consumed,” says Ann Mei Chang, CEO of Candid. “The appointment of our first Chief Data Officer reflects our commitment to leveraging the latest tools and technology to deliver the best data and insights possible to the social sector. Catherine’s extensive expertise in data, AI, and analytics makes her the perfect fit to lead us through the next phase of Candid’s evolution in enhancing the impact of everyone working to do good.”

Reporting to Chang, Williams will oversee research, data, and data science, leading a team focused on building external partnerships and enhancing internal collaboration. She will align Candid’s data strategy with the evolving needs of the social sector, advancing the organization as a leading source of timely, comprehensive, and reliable data.

Most recently, Williams served as Vice President of Data & AI at Qualtrics, where she built the machine learning platform and launched the company’s data science function. She has also held senior leadership roles including Chief Data Scientist at Xandr (AT&T’s advertising arm) and Chief Data & Marketplace Officer at AppNexus. Earlier in her career, she conducted postdoctoral research at Columbia University and Stanford University.

“Candid is leading the charge across the social sector to encourage data-driven decision-making and advocate for transparency,” says Williams. “I’m thrilled to step up to the challenge of leading these talented teams to advance Candid’s data strategy and create a stronger sector for all.”

Williams holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Washington and a BA in Mathematics from Grinnell College. She currently resides in Seattle, WA.