Catina O'Leary

Over the past decade as President and CEO, Catina has led HLM’s evolution from a small, home-grown nonprofit into a globally recognized force in health literacy—advancing clear, accurate health and science communication around the world. She believes HLM exists to challenge the false choice between “easy to understand” and “accurate,” demonstrating that health information can be both precise and accessible. Through a health-literacy lens, Catina works to ensure people have information they can truly use—delivered in ways that are equitable, meaningful, and actionable.

A licensed master social worker, Catina knows that actionable knowledge is central to changing health behaviors and improving quality of life. This belief, shaped by more than a decade of community-based research and practice prior to HLM, continues to fuel her work today. Early in her career, she led research at Washington University School of Medicine focused on connecting people at risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections with medical and social resources to improve health outcomes and prevent illness.

Catina has led multi-site research trials in the U.S. and internationally and has been deeply engaged in every phase of the research process—from grant writing and IRB protocol development to staff training, data analysis, reporting, and dissemination. A strong advocate for transparency, equity, and participant protection, she also served on the Human Research Protection Office’s continuing review committee during her tenure at Washington University School of Medicine.

Today, Catina’s impact extends well beyond HLM. She serves on numerous boards and committees. She is a Founding Member and Treasurer of the United States Health Literacy Association, Secretariat of the International Health Literacy Association, and a Member of the Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital Board.