Dr. Catherine "Cate" Johnson brings 30 years of development experience in more than 40 countries in areas of democracy and governance, maternal-child health, gender and development, conflict resolution, food security, civ-mil partnerships, and child welfare.  

A people-centered senior manager, Cate earned her PhD in international nutrition and food security at Tufts University, and completed a professional credential in Religion and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University.  

Prior to her new assignment as Country Representative in USAID/Albania, Dr. Johnson served as USAID's Senior Development Advisor to the US European Command (based in Stuttgart, Germany), helping to launch USAID-EUCOM civ-mil partnerships throughout the region.  As Director of the Office of Democracy and Governance in USAID/Pakistan (2010-12), she managed a $200 million portfolio including government-to-government activities; in USAID/Romania (2004-2007), she directed the Office of Social Transitions during Romania's ascension to the EU, leading one of USAID’s most successful public-private partnerships in child welfare. As Chief of the Democracy and Governance Office in USAID/Georgia during the Rose Revolution (2000-2004), she specialized in elections and civil society development during a crucial time in Georgia’s emerging democracy.  

In USAID/W (2007-2010), she helped launch the Development Leadership Initiative which brought several new Foreign Service Officers on board. Before her appointment to the Foreign Service, Cate oversaw USAID’s Women’s Legal Rights Initiative, where she crafted the first USG anti-trafficking strategy (implemented in Ukraine) and authored several peer-review articles addressing gender-based violence. She has held academic appointments at Cornell University, Tulane University, and George Washington University, and is conversant in Spanish, German, and Romanian.  

Cate has achieved a Bronze Level in the equestrian sport of dressage, earned her green belt in Tae Kwon Do, is a certified Hatha Yoga instructor, completed her Open Water Scuba Certification, and has successfully competed in triathlons. She is married with two children and a beautiful granddaughter.