Catherine Shuman currently serves as the Interdisciplinary Lead at the Institute for Water Resources (IWR) Contracting Support Program. She provides leadership and technical direction for the multi-disciplinary program that provides contracting guidance for the IWR, HQ and USACE-wide contracting actions. She is also a subject matter expert for Water Resources and advises on complex issues, emerging trends, development of strategic vision and the accomplishment of both project and programmatic tasks.
Prior to her current assignment, Catherine served as the Deputy Chief at Headquarters USACE Civil Works Directorate, Washington, D.C., for the North Atlantic and Great Lakes and Ohio River Divisions Regional Integration Teams where she brought extensive managerial and leadership experience in the delivery of large complex water, climate, and infrastructure solutions, and provided resources to the planning and delivery of projects. Additional responsibilities while at Headquarters included oversight of the North Atlantic Division’s Hurricane Sandy long-term recovery program. Other duties required close and continual coordination with congressional interests on specific USACE projects and legislation, as well as resolving regional project specific issues.
Catherine began her career with USACE as a Plan Formulator at the USACE Los Angeles District, subsequently becoming Chief of the District’s Water Resources Planning Section, followed by selection as the North Atlantic Division Senior Water Resources Planner at USACE Headquarters. Catherine was also involved with the USACE Emergency Response Teams as a Subject Matter Expert for Housing and Critical Public Facilities, both in the Los Angeles District and at Headquarters. She provided support for several Federal declared emergencies in conjunction with FEMA including delivering the first USACE cold-weather hospital-clinic based in Alaska.
During her HQUSACE tenure she was detailed to the ASA(CW) to assist in developing the 2018 USACE annual budget, and Catherine also served as the Deputy Associate Director for Water and Natural Resources at the Executive Office of the White House, Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). While at CEQ, she provided USACE expertise and knowledge of policies to resolve issues concerning legislation, environmental and Administration priorities for national issues, and implemented several components of the President’s Climate Action Plan on behalf of the Administration.
She graduated from California State University, Northridge with a degree in Urban Studies and Planning and a minor in Geography. Following completion of her degree Catherine worked at the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Agency as a Transportation Planner. Catherine is the recipient of numerous awards including Department of the Army Commander’s Awards for Civilian Service for service and career contributions to date.
Prior to completing her degree and joining the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Catherine was a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department.