Catherine Pino

Catherine M. Pino is Co-Founder of D&P Creative Strategies, LLC, a certified minority LGBTQ and Women’s Business Enterprise. Catherine and her wife Ingrid created D&P in 2004 to advance corporate, philanthropic and legislative efforts that mirror their deep commitment to social justice and civil rights issues. D&P specializes in public affairs and government relations and represents Fortune 200 corporations as well as non-profits and trade associations.

Catherine, a native New Mexican, began her career in Washington, DC working for Senator Jeff Bingaman, D-NM and the National Council of La Raza. Following graduate school at New York University, Catherine worked at Independent Sector where she advocated for public policies on issues that impact the nonprofit sector and private foundations. She then worked for two national private foundations in New York managing portfolios focused on youth development, civil rights and school reform.

In 2008, Catherine and her partner created Poder PAC, the first-ever national political action committee dedicated to helping Latina candidates across the country with resources to launch winning campaigns. In 2009, they created Freemind Beauty Productions and produced six films on identity. The Latino List I & II (HBO) The Out List (HBO), The Boomer List (PBS), The Women’s List (PBS) and The Trans List (HBO).

They are associate producers of The Harvest/La Cosecha, a documentary about the children who feed America, migrant farmworkers.

Catherine is a board member of the Arcus Foundation and has served as a board member on the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, UnidosUS (formerly known as National Council of La Raza), GLAAD, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, Victory Campaign Board – LGBTQ Victory Fund. She was the first Latina to co-chair the Hetrick-Martin Institute in New York City, an organization near and dear to her heart.

Catherine has served on the Nielsen Company’s Hispanic/Latino Advisory Council and as a Senior Advisor to the CIA under John O Brennan on his Diversity in Leadership Initiative.

Catherine received a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico and earned a master’s degree from New York University. Additionally, she is a graduate of Harvard’s Business School’s Corporate Governance Program and The John F. Kennedy School of Government; the Center for Creative Leadership; and the International Leadership Executive Program. She was a 2006 National Hispana Leadership Institute Fellow.