Born and raised in the foothills of the Coast Range in Western Oregon, from an early age Catherine developed a love of nature, natural science illustration, and eco stewardship. After studying fine art at the University of Oregon and Portland State University, she worked in the New York art world for a decade before relocating to Sarasota, Florida, where she directed an art gallery, developed art and ecology programs for youth, and studied and illustrated subtropical orchids at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. During this time Catherine also served as an advisor to several nonprofits, penned art criticism for the New York Times syndicate, and taught professional development courses at the Ringling School of Art & Design.

After returning to Oregon, Catherine co-founded Red Alder Group, a collaborative dedicated to supporting nonprofits through restructuring, rebranding, and fund development. In her current role as Executive Director of Straub Outdoors, an Oregon-based nonprofit outdoor education service provider, Catherine oversees all aspects of the organization's administration and programs, including staff recruiting and training, outreach, fundraising, public relations, and program development and management.