Carol Carlan joins IHMC

Carol Carlan has joined the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition as director of philanthropy.

Carlan, who most recently had been president of Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation, brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and a deep connection to the community to the new role.

“IHMC is a jewel of Pensacola. The team there has built an international reputation for excellence in the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics,” Carlan said. “The healthspan, resilience, and performance research is on the same trajectory. The chance to be a part of IHMC, and to tell its story, was a thrilling opportunity. I can’t wait to get started.”

As director of philanthropy, she will share IHMC’s story and help to grow national and communitywide support for its work.

“Carol’s passion for improving the community is rivaled only by her commitment to the value of research and education as a tool to build not only an individual’s potential, but also a community’s future prospects,” said IHMC CEO and Founder Ken Ford. “We are fortunate to add an advocate of her skill and expertise on our team.”

“As IHMC has grown, so too have the opportunities for the community to support our work grown,” Ford said. “Carol was IHMC’s inaugural board chair. She has been with us from our beginnings and is uniquely qualified to share the story of how the footprint of our work has evolved over time.”

Carol is a longtime community leader and successful business executive. Her banking career spanned more than 35 years as the first female president of a large regional bank, and for the past 10 years as the President of the Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation. She led one of the largest capital campaigns in the region which resulted in a new children’s hospital and expansion of children’s services in the Destin market. Under her leadership the foundation generated more than $62 million dollars of philanthropic dollars during her tenure.

As President of Carlan Consulting, a leadership development company, she is a founding member of the John Maxwell Team, a global training organization for leaders with more than 50,000 members worldwide.