URC is delighted to welcome global health leader Catherine (Cathy) Thompson as Senior Vice President of our Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean (AFR/LAC) Regional Programs. Earl Gast, URC’s President, welcomes Cathy: “I am delighted to welcome Cathy to URC. Her impressive experience with USAID and USAID implementing partners will make us better at enacting our mission – improving the health outcomes of people worldwide.”Cathy brings a wealth of experience that will enhance URC’s programs in those regions. With 30 years of public health experience, more than half of which was spent overseas, Cathy has served in leadership roles with many of our esteemed partners.Cathy joins URC from Abt Associates, where she ended her decade-long tenure – beginning as an HIV and Infectious Disease Lead – managing their $400 million+ portfolio as Regional Vice President of East, Central and Southern Africa. Cathy has also worked for FHI360, John Snow, Inc., and USAID, spending more than half her time overseas including in Malawi, Nepal, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.Cathy couples a strong technical acumen in infectious disease, family planning, maternal and child health with proven programmatic, business development, and leadership skills. She is known for using her talent in communication and coordination with diverse networks to strengthen global health initiatives.Prior to working at Abt Associates, Catherine spent over 20 years living in Swaziland, Namibia, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Nepal implementing public health programs. She has implemented programs from the district to national and regional levels working for various NGOs as well as for USAID.Catherine received her bachelor’s degree in Nursing from New York University and her master’s degree in Public Health, focusing on International Population and Family Health from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.