Catherine represents over 66,000 people as an at-large member on the Eau Claire City Council. Notably, she is the first Latina/o elected in her community.
Through the Volume One magazine, Catherine was voted as one of the “favorite local elected officials” for 2013, 2014, and 2015, and in 2014, voted as the #1 “best community advocate.”
Catherine serves on the board of directors for Visit Eau Claire, and on the City of Eau Claire appointments committee, economic policy advisory committee, and the affirmative action committee.
Catherine was a recipient of the 2013 University of Wisconsin-System Outstanding Women of Color in Education award.
Catherine went on to earn a Master of Advocacy and Leadership from the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
In addition to her elected position, she works as an educator for the University of Wisconsin-Extension in Trempealeau County, where she partners with organizations to build family resilience through complex social issues, such as incarceration, treatment and diversion court participants, immigration, and leadership development. Building community resilience is a praxis of her life experiences, scholarship, and research combined.
Catherine’s scholarly work and civic contributions have been published in the Leader-Telegram, Feminist Teacher, Volume One, The Shriver Report, and MSNBC.