Kathleen O'Dell

Kathleen is a principal with Deloitte's Government & Public Services team and leads Deloitte’s International Development practice, which includes our work with the U.S. Agency for International Development, Millennium Challenge Corporation, U.S. Export-Import Bank, and United Nations, among others. Kathleen also supports the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Energy Resources in driving U.S. leadership on global energy issues. She currently sits on the Executive Advisory Board of the Professional Services Council’s Council of International Development Companies.

A certified Renewable Energy Professional and Carbon Reduction Manager, Kathleen has more than 20 years of experience in clean energy deployment, energy sector reform, climate change, and the gender-energy nexus. Kathleen is an author and presenter on topics including climate and decarbonization, women in international development, smart and inclusive cities, and the gender-energy nexus.

In 2021, Kathleen completed her 6-year tenure as Board Member and International Committee Chair of the Association of Energy Engineer’s Council on Women in Energy & Environmental Leadership, during which time she built momentum for the advancement of women in energy and environmental careers globally. She received the Emerging Game-Changer Award from TalentNomics for her work around women in energy and Deloitte’s Sampat Prakash Award in honor of her commitment to global inclusion.

Kathleen holds an M.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University and a B.A. in English/Spanish from the University of California at Berkeley. She and her husband Michael live in Clifton, VA, and have three children – all UVA ‘Hoos!