Olya Catto

Olya Catto serves as Chief Operating Officer responsible for the oversight of the Institute's managerial, operational, and program support functions. She leads strategic projects and initiatives and ensures NDI's internal effectiveness through planning, performance metrics, and communications.

Ms. Catto is a proven leader and international development executive with over 20 years of experience leading impactful programs, building client relationships, and bringing diverse teams together to achieve results. Prior to her current role, she served as Vice President of Project Operations and Volunteer Programs for ACDI/VOCA, a global leader in economic growth, where she led the development of effective business solutions, harmonized programmatic innovations, and contributed to corporate strategic planning. Previously, she managed over 20 complex development projects in 15 countries for Chemonics International, Tetra Tech ARD, and DAI Global, including eight years overseas in Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. In 2007, she developed a highly effective communications strategy for USAID/Macedonia.

Ms. Catto is the recipient of several industry awards, including the 2019 Humentum Operational Excellence Award as well as USAID and U.S. Department of State Meritorious Honor Awards. She holds a BA from the Moscow Linguistics University and completed the Leadership and Management Certificate Program at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. She speaks English, Russian, and Spanish.