Catherine L. Hawkes

Catherine L. Hawkes, HUP’74, NU’76, GNU’80

A proud graduate of the first Health Care of Women and the Childbearing Family program, Cathy is pleased to return to Penn Nursing as a member of the Center for Global Women’s Health Advisory Board.

Cathy’s most recent work experience was in executive education at The Aresty Institute for Executive Education from 2007-2021 where she directed a global portfolio of companies in Europe, Asia and the Americas in the areas of leadership development, innovation, marketing and financial acumen working in close collaboration with Wharton faculty. In addition, she was responsible for the Wharton Nursing Leadership program, and several other programs charged with the preparation of nurse leaders.

Other career highlights include: a long 18-year association with Cigna Corporation. Cathy was responsible for the design and implementation of an integrated portfolio of employee benefits including health, disability, EAP, wellness and work/life programs for all domestic CIGNA employees. She created Cigna’s award winning Working Well program earning the C. Everett Koop National Health Award in 2000 showcasing the nation’s largest corporate-sponsored lactation program serving over 4,000 mothers. In addition, she led the creation of four nurse-run employee health centers staffed by advanced practice nurses in collaboration with Penn Medicine.

Prior to joining Cigna Cathy established one of the first early maternal infant discharge programs for John Hancock Health Plans of Pennsylvania working closely with Philadelphia hospitals and caregivers to safely manage a shorter length of hospital stay with nurse supervised home visits in 1985-88 when there home care was not widely endorsed or support by local physicians. The Continuing Care program expanded to include patients with HIV, cancer, post-surgery, and other more complex diagnoses.

Previous clinical experience as a Nurse Specialist, Nurse Researcher and Educator.

Cathy has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporate Alliance (CAEPV) to End Partner Violence and later as its Board President. CAEPV since 1995 has brought together dozens of companies to focus on domestic violence and its significant impact on the workplace. For Friends Select School. a Quaker school in downtown Philadelphia , Cathy served for 9 years on the Board of Trustees and Clerked the Marketing/Enrollment and Development Committees.

Education

MS Health Care of Women 1980 University of Pennsylvania

Sigma Theta Tau Honors Society

BSN Nursing 1976 University of Pennsylvania

RN Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania 1974

Thomas B McCabe Academic Achievement Scholarship Award