Catherine Carr Clinch

Catherine Clinch is a seasoned executive and thought leader with over 30 years of experience in business operations, program management, and strategic development across the consulting, engineering, and disaster management fields. As President of Tidal Basin’s Federal Services Division, Catherine leads strategic growth and operational efforts crucial to supporting disaster response, recovery, and programs within civilian and DoD/military federal government sectors. Her leadership drives innovative solutions in emergency logistics, temporary housing, disaster response, debris management, and complex large-scale federal program oversight.  

Her impressive career achievements show Catherine’s expertise in scaling operations. Before joining Tidal Basin, she served as Vice President and Federal Sector Manager at Atkins Realis, a global consulting firm specializing in engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services across numerous industries. During her tenure at this firm, she quadrupled the growth of federal business, led critical initiatives like a Puerto Rico Task Force, managed FEMA’s largest feeding and housing missions, and played a key leadership role in the COVID-19 Task Force, fostering cross-business partnerships during a defining global challenge.  

She also successfully secured $950 million in recompetes, expanded the Caribe Division into a sustainable $20 million business, and, through effective capture strategies, increased the overall proposal win rate to 50%. Catherine’s proven ability to lead dynamic teams and deliver exceptional results makes her invaluable in tackling the most complex challenges facing disaster management and federal service industries today.  

Prior to Atkins Realis, Catherine served in various leadership roles at URS (now AECOM), including Vice President, National Practice Leader for Homeland Security Services and Preparedness, Division Manager, Program Manager, and more. She led a series of major, complex, and multidisciplinary projects centered on operational planning, response, and recovery, and oversaw a $150M revenue portfolio encompassing hundreds of programs and projects. Catherine was instrumental in driving strategy and operational delivery across public and private sector clients, frequently engaging at the highest executive leadership levels, including Agency Secretaries, White House officials, Governors, and CEOs. Her leadership was pivotal during some of the nation’s most catastrophic events, including post-9/11 recovery, the Anthrax crisis, the Hurricane Sandy response, and the Southern Border Initiative. 

Her professional highlights also include contributions to board and industry leadership. She has served as a founding member of the Border Patrol Foundation’s Board of Directors and the Washington Homeland Security Roundtable while maintaining active memberships in Women in Homeland Security, ASFPM, AAAE, and IAEM.  

Catherine’s academic foundation is equally impressive. She holds a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from Kent State University and completed coursework for an M.S. in Environmental Management at Cleveland State. She also enhanced her leadership acumen with an Executive Leadership Seminar at Oxford’s Saïd Business School. 

Catherine Clinch is a dynamic leader whose strategic vision, operational expertise, and exceptional relationship-building skills have helped her deliver results across high-stakes environments. With unparalleled expertise and an unwavering dedication to service, she plays a pivotal role in advancing the field of disaster management, enhancing federal program efficiency, and fostering community recovery.