Kara Mc Donald
About Kara Mc Donald
Kara Mc Donald is the Director of M&A at project44 in Chicago, IL, where she leads due diligence and post-merger integrations on the Corporate Development team.
Director, M&A at project44
Kara Mc Donald currently holds the position of Director, M&A at project44, located in Chicago, IL. In her role, she leads due diligence and post-merger integrations on the Corporate Development team. She reports directly to the Chief Development Officer. Her responsibilities include identifying and reporting critical success factors and key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor acquisition success, as well as developing integration strategies and action plans with global department leads.
Career Background
Kara Mc Donald has an extensive career background that spans multiple roles and companies. Prior to her current role, she served as Manager, Strategic Initiatives and Program Manager at project44. She initially joined project44 as an Operations Consultant. Before her tenure at project44, she worked at Deloitte as a Business Analyst. Her earlier professional experience includes internships at SFX Preferred Resorts and UBS Wealth Management.
Educational Background
Kara Mc Donald studied at St. Theodore Guerin High School, where she achieved the International Baccalaureate. She then attended Indiana University Bloomington and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Management. She also studied International Business at CIEE Global Institutes, earning another Bachelor’s Degree. Her educational foundation has provided her with strong analytical and management skills essential for her roles in corporate development and mergers and acquisitions.
Professional Responsibilities at project44
In her current role at project44, Kara Mc Donald is responsible for setting team strategy and building execution playbooks that span from sourcing through integration. She manages a team of associates who focus on program management, including executive reporting and risk mitigation. Additionally, she represents the corporate development function to investors, showcasing significant and immediate growth in the first two full quarters post-acquisition.
Past Professional Roles
Kara Mc Donald's past roles include Manager, Strategic Initiatives and Program Manager at project44 from 2019 to 2021, and an Operations Consultant for four months in 2019. Her prior experience also includes a two-year tenure as a Business Analyst at Deloitte. She also gained practical industry experience through internships at SFX Preferred Resorts in San Francisco, California, and at UBS Wealth Management in Indianapolis, Indiana Area.