Catherine Hernandez-Blades

Catherine Hernandez-Blades is a seasoned board director and Operating Partner with deep expertise across financial services, aerospace and defense, technology, and government sectors. She currently serves on the boards of CoreCivic, Inc. (NYSE:CXW), where she is a member of the Nominating and Governance and Risk Committees, as well as the Executive Board of Delta Delta Delta Corporation. A recognized global thought leader, she is also a member of the Davos Speakers Bureau and serves on the advisory board of the World Communications Forum Davos.

Her prior C-suite experience includes roles as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at SAIC, Aflac, and Flex, where she built ESG organizations, led large-scale transformation, and oversaw high-impact marketing, communications, and change management initiatives.

An Emmy winner and inductee into the Women in Communications Hall of Fame, Ms. Hernandez-Blades has been named a Forbes Top 50 Most Influential Global CMO, one of the Top Latino Executives in Corporate America, and a Top Woman in PR. She has also been honored with two Cannes Lions and inducted into multiple industry halls of fame. Widely respected for her expertise in crisis management, ESG strategy, and international business expansion, she has led complex, high-stakes initiatives across 60 countries.

Her early leadership roles at Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and the State of Louisiana reflect a proven track record of impact in both corporate and public sectors. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, and is a Loyola University Environmental Communications Fellow.