Suzanne Carmody '25

Senior Vice president, strategic sourcing
Citizens

Award Profile

Courageous Thinking and Action
Suzanne M. Carmody’s journey is a rich tapestry woven with threads of hard work, strategic thinking, and a deep commitment to community. Born to a Canadian immigrant father and a mother from a local family in Providence, Suzanne learned the value of money management from an early age. Her family’s background in accounting inspired her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in accounting from Bryant University.

Suzanne’s career began in internal audit, where she honed her skills in understanding business operations, balance sheets, and profit and loss statements. A pivotal moment came in 1999 when she was assigned to a project at CVS to consolidate the company’s procurement organization. This experience ignited her passion for strategic sourcing, leading her to become the first manager of strategic sourcing at CVS.

Vision and Innovation
Throughout her career, Suzanne has demonstrated a unique ability to balance the needs of her organization with those of its partners, always striving for mutually beneficial outcomes. Her dedication to strategic sourcing and procurement is driven by her love for competition, strategy, and the thrill of getting the best deal for her organization, while ensuring a win-win situation for all parties involved.

In 2016, Suzanne joined the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Rhode Island. She immediately stepped into the role of Development Committee Chair, then became Chairwoman of the Board from 2018-2020 and Immediate Past Chair the next two years. Her leadership led Junior Achievement of Rhode Island through one of the most challenging times in its history, the COVID-19 pandemic. Suzanne had to make some difficult budget decisions in order for the organization to stay relevant and meet the changing needs of the education community. The success of the organization today and the growth they have seen are due in large part to Suzanne and her leadership.

Inspiring Leadership
Suzanne’s leadership style is characterized by her authenticity and her ability to motivate and challenge her team. She believes in the importance of bringing one’s personal self to work and being a role model for others.

In 2018, Suzanne was selected as a member of Leadership Rhode Island (LRI)’s Xi II Class. This opportunity allowed her to hone her leadership skills and learn more about herself as well as the Rhode Island community. By coming together with her peers, Suzanne also learned some best practices in leadership and expanded her network. Her LRI cohort included fellow Junior Achievement of Rhode Island Board Members - current Chairman of the Board, Casey Riley; Education Committee Chair, Carolyn Crawford; and Executive Committee member, Lori Corsi - all of whom she introduced to the organization. One of Suzanne’s greatest accomplishments is watching others grow and succeed. She takes pride in the achievements of her team, her children, and her husband, who has dedicated his life to the fire department. Suzanne’s goal is to help her team members develop to the point where they no longer need her guidance, a testament to her belief in empowering others.

Community Mindedness
Her commitment to servant leadership is evident in her numerous volunteer activities, including her involvement with Junior Achievement (JA), coaching her daughters’ sports teams, and serving on the board of her church. Suzanne has spent many hours proudly wearing her Citizens volunteer shirt, teaching to students in Junior Achievement classrooms.

As Suzanne looks to the future, she remains committed to supporting and mentoring others, ensuring that they have the tools and confidence to succeed. Her journey is a shining example of how dedication, strategic thinking, and a passion for helping others can lead to a fulfilling and impactful career.

JA Mission Moment
“My JA Mission Moment occurred in 2015 when I was part of a group of Citizens Colleagues that were participating in JA Leaders Day at George J. West Elementary School in Providence. This started out as being very near and dear to my heart because I grew up in the Manton Avenue/Mount Pleasant Area. That day I was assigned to teach two sessions with Bob D’Amico, the sitting Board Chair for JA of RI. I had no idea what to expect when I walked in that morning, but within 4 hours — I was hooked. I was very lucky to have parents that were tremendous with managing money and instilled in me the need to ‘Live for today but save for tomorrow.’ They also taught me that it is my responsibility to learn how to manage my money and to ensure that I am able to support myself, and that comes through hard work and understanding finance and money management.

In March, I was sitting in the classroom watching the 4th grade students soak up information about the differences between cash, checks, debit cards, credit cards, etc., it made me open my eyes to the fact that not everyone understands this like I do. Not every child was provided the knowledge and guidance that I was lucky enough to get from my parents. Junior Achievement provides that knowledge and curriculum to help many be successful in life with managing their finances. One of the largest stressors in life is money and managing finances in order to put food on the table, have a roof over your head, and clothes on your back. These are the most elemental of necessities and one must understand how to pay for them by earning and managing money, then they will not be hungry and homeless.

Junior Achievement and its mission hit home for me and I wanted to be a part of helping to make a difference for students — learning now how to prepare for tomorrow.”