For over 20 years, Sudipto Sircar has combined technology and purpose to help nonprofits deliver greater impact. A former technologist turned CIO, he’s led modernization, AI adoption, and global IT initiatives that empower teams and accelerate results.

Now at ChildFund International, he continues to balance strategy and action, staying close to new technologies while leading with humility and creativity.

Speaking with Sudipto, he emphasizes on continuous learning to reduce “skill debt,” the importance of democratizing technology through product teams, and the need for CIOs to stay both visionary and hands-on.

Walk us through your career path. How did you decide to pursue a career in technology, and how did you get to where you are now?

From an early age, I was driven by curiosity about how things work.

Growing up in India, I often found myself taking apart household gadgets, radios, televisions, and even toys, just to understand their inner workings.

Although it got me into trouble often when appliances stopped working, that curiosity never left me.

When the time came, I decided to pursue a degree in physics and mathematics, drawn to understand the mechanics of the world further.

Around the time I graduated in 1996, computers were beginning to gain traction, and there was a buzz about how they would revolutionize everything.

Yet in India, access to computers was limited back then. It didn’t faze me, though; I was determined to stay ahead of this new wave of technology.

I was able to pursue my goal and got a government-funded scholarship to complete a master’s in computer applications.

That transition into the world of technology just continued as a natural extension of my lifelong passion for discovery and innovation. I spent my time working on various tech projects, assembling computers, setting up network labs, and even working with pirated versions of software just to broaden my technical understanding.

When I finished my master’s, I had three job offers and one of them was from a US-based nonprofit, Catholic Relief Services (CRS). The driver for selecting CRS was to connect with the US because they were the pioneer in leading innovation.

That’s when I began what became a 21-year journey with CRS.

My first official role was as an MIS officer responsible for analyzing project data. I ended up automating that process within two years, which essentially made my role redundant but also caught leadership’s attention.

That was my transition from doing technology to managing it.

Even though I made that move into leadership, I still have that passion for hands-on tech. I still dive into technical issues, be it optimizing SQL queries at work or managing my home cybersecurity network.

One specific experience that stands out was setting up a satellite internet dish in Bamyan, Afghanistan, during the Afghan war around 2007-08. CRS was about to open an office, and I was sent from India to oversee the installation. However, the experts coming in from Sweden backed out due to safety concerns, so I stayed back and managed to install the dish with the help of local IT staff, coordinating installation instructions with experts using text-based Microsoft Messenger.

“Those challenging experiences that force me to dig into the inter-workings of technology have shaped me into a leader who appreciates and understands the work my team does.”

Can you tell us about some of the initiatives and major career accomplishments that you are proud of?

One of the initiatives I’m most proud of during my time at ChildFund has been the creation of self-managed product teams that bridge the gap between business and IT.

The ability for teams to own their roadmaps, budgets, and delivery cycles has made technology more democratic across the organization.

It has allowed departments to pursue digital ambitions without being bottlenecked by a centralized IT team.

Without the constant monitoring and restraint, teams have accelerated implementation and technology use within the organization. We’ve also seen that the shared ownership allows IT to remain a sustainable business function because departments have a greater understanding of how they want to grow and evolve alongside the technology.

Another major achievement was establishing a Digital Technology Council within ChildFund as a cross-departmental body that reviews and prioritizes tech investments during budget cycles.

By working alongside our Chief Organizational Effective Officer we found that by having these representatives from different departments, say finance or HR, they could more effectively communicate their wants and needs and pose how they believe it benefits the organization.

Instead of IT unilaterally deciding where to invest, the council gives the business a rounded voice.

I also led the creation of a Global Capability Center in India, leveraging local talent to scale our IT operations affordably and sustainably.

Early on, I shifted our support model at ChildFund to a “follow the sun” approach, building a global IT support system that eliminated long response delays due to time zones.

Because of the international scope of our organization, there was a disconnect between the headquartered IT team and response availability. Shifting to a global, dispersed IT team allowed us to take advantage of local talent and effectively decrease response time from the 24-hour window some employees experienced.

Cybersecurity and forming a cross-functional Cyber Incident Response Team to handle technical, legal, financial, and communications challenges during breaches, and securing cyber insurance to protect the organization have been focuses as well.

Lastly, I launched an ICT4D (Information and Communication Technology for Development) initiative to support our field offices. It provides governance frameworks and self-service tools for local tech investments, especially as offices begin to manage their own digital fundraising infrastructure.

Looking ahead, what disruptive technology or trend do you see impacting the industry and society?

I firmly believe that AI is already transforming the way we work, and I actively encourage its adoption across our organization.

We’ve set up an AI working group to explore how nonprofits globally are using AI, and we meet monthly to bring those insights back to our teams.

Microsoft has helped us safely experiment with tools like Copilot, now rolled out across Teams Premium and over the web browser, saving hours through auto-generated notes and action items. I also use tools like Notebook LM and Microsoft’s notebook to dive into documentation firsthand.

I’ve always believed in practical, sustainable innovation.

Rather than building complex AI workflows from scratch, we’re using Microsoft’s Copilot Studio to create drag-and-drop AI agents is a more practical and sustained approach for us.

“I’m careful to remind teams we’re not a tech company, so our investments need to be thoughtful and scalable.”

In the future, AI agents will increase efficiency and make everyone on the team a supervisor of four or five agents, where they will be reviewing AI work quality.

Our first agent launched this September to help employees navigate global and local HR policies and reduce confusion while being fully maintainable in-house.

I see these agents as the next evolution of automation, only smarter and more user-driven.

Externally, we’re experimenting with AI using ‘on-demand engagement’ with our constituents.

In essence, it’s piloting an AI-powered, cross-platform donor engagement tool that meets supporters on the social platforms they already use, like WhatsApp or Instagram, without requiring them to download another app.

The idea is to provide meaningful updates about the communities they support, driving donations when interest is highest.

It’s a delicate balance between innovation and impact, but I’m excited to see where it leads.

What do you think about the current state of IT talent that’s available? And what strategies are you using to find and develop that talent?

When I first joined, one of the key points I emphasized to leadership was that technical debt and skill debt go hand in hand.

If someone is hired with Windows 10 expertise but never upgrades to Windows 11, they quickly become obsolete.

To address this, I advocated for a framework where every employee not only sets personal work goals but also annual learning goals.

Now, every staff member has an individual development plan that outlines what they will learn to stay relevant in their role.

It wasn’t easy to get buy-in at first.

Management worried about “lost time” if staff took hours away from daily tasks to learn. But I pushed for dedicating at least 40 hours each quarter for skill development, because the cost of not learning is far higher when you eventually have to replace talent.

“Technical debt and skill debt go hand in hand.”

We’ve also built a culture of recognition through spot bonuses and small rewards for certifications through platforms like Udemy or Inspired Learning, to encourage continuous growth.

Over time, the staff have really embraced this approach, and HR has been a strong partner in making it part of our culture.

We also leverage nonprofit-focused programs like Humentum, which provide affordable training opportunities with universities such as eCornell.

For me, it’s about being structured and deliberate, tracking what skills each person supports, what’s coming down the pipeline, and ensuring cross-training and backups.

The goal is never to punish or push people out, but to make sure our team remains relevant and resilient as technology continues to advance.

What advice would you give someone aspiring to be a CIO, based on your experiences and your background?

Reflecting on my journey, I like to keep my advice simple: focus on people, process, and technology.

“People won’t remember the results you deliver as much as how you made them feel.”

On the process side, I’ve always found it valuable to truly understand the business in addition to the technical systems.

If a fundraising team wants a new marketing platform, I don’t stop at evaluating the tool itself; I dig into what they’re trying to achieve, what their KPIs are, and whether they want to expand reach or drive on-the-spot engagement.

That curiosity to see things through the business lens helps you connect technology to impact.

On the people side, the best advice I ever received from an HR leader was that people won’t remember the results you deliver as much as how you made them feel.

As a CIO, being humble and connecting with people is essential, and that perspective helped me adapt when I moved into a more laid-back culture compared to my previous fast-paced environment.

Finally, on technology, I believe there’s nothing wrong with being hands-on. It helps you stay grounded and connected with your teams, helping you understand their challenges.

So, for anyone aspiring to be a CIO, my advice is to balance all three: people, process, and technology, and always think about the impact you’re creating.

Who would you say has been the biggest influence on your career path, either in school or in a previous role? And why?

I’ve been fortunate to have supervisors who also served as mentors throughout my career, but if I had to name the biggest influence, it would be my former CIO, Carol Bowell, from my time at Catholic Relief Services.

She was strict but deeply committed, and working under her for seven to eight years shaped me profoundly.

Carol taught me about leadership, organizational change management, large-scale process implementation, and the importance of data. Her example of drive and dedication, even well into her seventies, continues to inspire me today, and I credit those years under her mentorship as foundational to who I am as a leader.

How do you decompress from the challenges of being a CIO? What do you like to do for fun?

Over the past five years, I’ve picked up gardening, which has become my way of decompressing.

After work, I go out in the garden. I love getting my hands dirty and feeling like a kid again.

Unlike IT projects, gardening gives me more immediate results. Whether it’s watching tiny green tomatoes ripen into red ones or seeing pumpkins, chilies, and eggplants take shape, the process is grounding and rewarding.

It helps me completely forget daily challenges, recharge, and return with more energy. It’s become my reset button.

Are there any books that you recommend, that you give to others, or that have shaped you as a leader?

I draw inspiration from a mix of sources that keep me learning and thinking differently.

I really enjoy the Lex Fridman Podcast, which brings in guests from across disciplines and offers diverse perspectives, even if the episodes are long.

One book I often return to is Creative Confidence by Tom and David Kelley, the founders of IDEO and pioneers of design thinking. It challenges the idea that creativity is limited to artists or musicians, and instead shows that everyone can be creative problem solvers.

Whenever I question whether I’m approaching something the right way or doing enough, I lean on that book to reframe my thinking.

It’s been an important reminder for me that leadership and technology both require curiosity, creativity, and the confidence to think differently.