Catherine Cairns is a Director at the de Beaumont Foundation, where she manages the public health leadership program. She is committed to strengthening public health systems and communities. 

Prior to joining the de Beaumont Foundation, she was a Public Health Advisor at CDC for a COVID-19 health equity initiative. She worked in other technical assistance roles with national organizations including the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials and CDC Foundation. She has served in infectious disease programs and as Chief of Staff for the Boston Public Health Commission, the city’s health department. 

She earned her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology & Biostatistics from Tufts University School of Medicine and Bachelor of Science in Health Policy & Management from Providence College. She volunteers as a board member for Foundation Todos Juntos, an organization that supports community-driven health, education, social work, and environmental projects in Guatemala.