Catherine Stiefel

Advisory Committee Chair
Why do you volunteer with Coastkeeper? There are few things more important to sustaining our quality of life than having sufficient, clean water.
What do you wish everyone knew about Coastkeeper? A San Diego without the work of Coastkeeper would be unrecognizable when compared to the aquatic playground we have the privilege of living with today.
I want to see a world where: humans safeguard the environment and strive to live in harmony the natural world

Catherine is a CPA-retired with over 20 years of business experience, primarily in accounting and finance. Cathy joined Deloitte & Touche accounting firm in 1992 where she audited a broad range of clients in the real estate, alternate energy and other industries. In 2001, Cathy joined Science Applications International Corporation as Director of Corporate Accounting for acquisitions, divestitures and investments and became a vice president while serving in this role for five years. After leaving SAIC in 2006, she served as the assistant controller at Petco before retiring in 2007 to pursue other business, community and personal interests.

Cathy served from 2006 to 2009 on the board of directors of Stiefel Laboratories, Inc., a global pharmaceutical company and leader in dermatology research. The Stiefel company was sold to Glaxo Smith-Kline in 2009. She served on the board of directors of Freedom Meditech, Inc., a start-up company focused on developing a medical device for early diagnosis of diabetes, from 2008 to 2014. Cathy has also served on the Audit Committee for the County of San Diego since 2010. Cathy graduated summa cum laude from San Diego State University in 1992 with a B.S. in business administration, emphasis in accounting. With their charitable fund, Cathy and her husband Keith support local, U.S. and global non-profit organizations focused on environmental sustainability, social justice and education.