Dorothy Lockard Carlin

Building Organizations and Developing Leaders

Dorothy Lockard Carlin is an executive leader with three decades of experience helping organizations grow, leaders navigate complexity, and teams achieve meaningful results. Throughout her career, she has earned a reputation for listening deeply, asking thoughtful questions, and helping organizations move from uncertainty to clarity through insight, collaboration, and practical execution.

Dorothy began her career in 1996 while attending Drake University, launching what became a decade-long career in advertising agencies before founding Simply Strategy in 2008. Those formative years shaped her approach to leadership—one grounded in curiosity, understanding people and organizations, and translating insight into action.

Over nearly two decades leading Simply Strategy, Dorothy built and guided the firm’s growth, operations, client relationships, team development, and strategic engagements. She partnered with organizations ranging from philanthropic foundations and nonprofit organizations to health systems and Fortune 500 companies. Whether facilitating executive discussions, conducting research, guiding strategy, or advising leaders facing difficult choices, Dorothy became known for building trust, uncovering meaningful insights, and helping organizations make thoughtful decisions rooted in both data and human understanding.

A lifelong learner, Dorothy earned her MBA from Washington University’s Olin Business School and continues her professional development through active engagement with organizations including HIMSS, HLTH, the Insights Association, and WBENC. Her work has focused particularly on healthcare and health-related organizations, where she has helped leaders align stakeholders, strengthen organizations, and translate complex challenges into practical action.

Recognized as a “Top Entrepreneur” by St. Louis Small Business Monthly, named among its “Best Consulting Firms,” and recognized as one of the St. Louis Business Journal’s “Most Influential Business Women,” Dorothy values these honors while measuring her greatest professional accomplishments through the impact she has had on people and organizations.

Dorothy believes organizations grow when people do. Throughout her career, she has intentionally developed emerging professionals, creating opportunities for others to lead, build confidence, and recognize strengths they had not yet recognized in themselves. Watching former team members grow into successful consultants, executives, and leaders remains one of her proudest professional accomplishments.

Dorothy has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to community leadership. She served six years on the YWCA St. Louis Board of Directors, including two years as Governance Chair, and previously served on the boards of the St. Louis Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and Nonprofit Marketers Network–STL. She remains engaged with Focus St. Louis and supports the mission of the St. Louis Diaper Bank.

Outside of work, Dorothy can often be found cheering from the sidelines—or behind the wheel—as her two children pursue their own interests and ambitions.