Team Biographies
Mary L. Pulido, PhD., Executive Director
Mary L. Pulido, PhD, joined World Childhood Foundation USA as the Executive Director in October of 2023. Prior to that time, she served as the Executive Director of The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the first child protection agency in the world. She has held senior management positions at the Child Protection Center of Montefiore Medical Center (a Child Advocacy Center), the Children’s Village, and at Covenant House/Under 21.
Dr. Pulido’s protocol for crisis debriefing following child fatality and critical incidents is utilized throughout the New York City Child Protective Services system. Dr. Pulido is a member of the Medical Reserve Corps of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. She served on the National Board of the Association of Professionals Solving the Abuse of Children and is a Board member of the NYS Chapter of the APSAC Board and is Co-Chair of their Public Policy Committee.
In 2006, Mayor Michael Bloomberg appointed Dr. Pulido to the New York City Child Fatality Review Team (CFRT) where she served until 2015. She recently served as a principal investigator on a project to design a child sexual abuse prevention curriculum for elite, Olympic gymnasts, coaches and parents following the child sexual abuse scandal involving Larry Nassar. She was also the Principal Investigator on an NIH grant to test a child sexual abuse prevention curriculum in the NYC public school system.
Dr. Pulido holds a Ph.D. in Social Welfare from the City University of New York, and master’s degrees in social work from Hunter College School of Social Work and in Teaching from Sacred Heart University. She holds the rank of adjunct Assistant Professor at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. In 2019, she received the Trailblazer Award from the Silberman School of Social Work at CUNY for her contributions to the greater good of the people in NYC. In 2022, she was named one of the “Responsible 100” citizens by City and State New York, for her contributions for improving the lives of children in NYC. In May 2023, she was the Commencement Speaker for the School of Social Work at Sacred Heart University. She has published in the areas of detection and prevention of child abuse and neglect, providing supervised visitation services, crisis debriefing, child sexual abuse prevention and preventing secondary traumatic stress. She has been featured on WNBC, The New York Daily News, NY1, WPIX-TV, ABC News, cbsnews.com, Inside Edition and is a dedicated blogger on issues of child protection for Medium.
Janet P. O’Connell, Director of Programs
Janet P. O’Connell joined World Childhood Foundation USA in May of 2021 as the Director of Programs. Janet started her career in the corporate sector as a marketing and sales executive with a large Fortune 50 Company. Realizing she aspired to engage with work that would make a difference in people’s lives, she left the corporate world and earned a MSW from Columbia University School of Social Work.
Janet’s professional Social Work career includes advocating within the court system for children removed from their home due to abuse and/or neglect and counseling and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence. Janet is thrilled to be with World Childhood Foundation USA as we work to impact change at both the macro and micro levels for children who are experiencing child sexual abuse and exploitation. As the Director of Programs, she is inspired to see first-hand the incredible dedication and compassion so many individuals have in working to make the world a place where every child can grow up in a safe and loving environment.
Sarah Helmich, Accounting Manager
Sarah Helmich joined World Childhood Foundation USA in October 2024 as the Accounting Manager. Her responsibilities include managing the organization’s financial transactions, processing payroll and benefits, and preparing the year-end audit. She also develops budgets and critical reports for the leadership team and the Board of Directors. Sarah started her career in large corporate banking before realizing she was happiest working with small businesses and nonprofits. Over the years, she has volunteered with many children-focused organizations. She loves being part of a team that is working to ensure every child is safe from sexual abuse and exploitation. Sarah holds a B.A. in French and Economics from the University of Michigan and has an MBA from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.
Cathy Jolly, Development Associate
Cathy Jolly joined the World Childhood Foundation in March of 2026 as Development Associate. She is an attorney with a long career directing strategic fundraising for nonprofits, capital and political campaigns, and ballot initiatives, as well as building effective development operations and managing complex projects. Her nonprofit work spans the fields of healthcare, the performing arts, cultural institutions, and child advocacy. She has extensive experience in cultivating relationships and in developing and expanding pipelines of new donors. Before her nonprofit career, Cathy was deeply engaged in public service. As an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, she formed a partnership with the Division of Family Services to protect and access services for abused children found in drug houses. She was later elected Missouri State Representative, where she served as Ranking Member of the Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee sponsoring legislation that addressed child sexual abuse and was appointed by the former Speaker as Vice Chair on the Special Committee on Child Abductions and AMBER Alert. She subsequently was elected to the City Council serving as Chair of the Public Safety Committee where she focused on strengthening protections for victims of domestic violence and marginalized communities. Cathy earned her Juris Doctorate with distinction from UMKC School of Law and has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Sociology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She sits on the Advisory Board for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.