Catherine McKee van Kampen, Esq. '84: Award-winning marketing and advertising professional

Catherine McKee van Kampen, Esq. ’84 was a leader throughout her years at Stuart and became an award-winning marketing and advertising professional as the vice president of a global advertising agency. While continuing this work and raising her children, Catherine completed her law degree and then left her media career to focus on her legal interests. She has practiced at a prestigious international securities firm as a team leader, litigating complex fraud cases. Catherine credits Stuart for putting her on the trajectory that largely determined her adult life and equipped her with the intellectual and leadership tools to help navigate the world and workplace. Catherine is also passionate about her volunteer work, which includes service on nonprofit boards and working with organizations helping to alleviate the human suffering of ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and Syria.

In 2018, she was honored as the Medalist in the Ambassador Category at the New Jersey Governor’s Jefferson Awards for Outstanding Public Service, in recognition of her extensive international humanitarian and pro bono work on behalf of refugees from the Middle East.  The Jefferson Awards, issued by the Jefferson Awards Foundation in Washington, D.C. and started by Former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, are among the highest civilian awards for volunteerism issued by the United States Senate.

Catherine points to three transformational aspects of a Stuart education: the development of the whole girl leads to a better world; the safe space Stuart provides for intellectual and spiritual development; and community service, resulting in the betterment of society.