Catherine Hernandez

Catherine Hernandez is senior vice president and chief communications officer for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals.

As chief communications officer, Hernandez serves as a key advisor to the chair and CEO, the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals Boards of Directors, and executive leadership on enterprise communications strategy and programs. She collaborates closely with functional and operational leaders across Health Plan and Hospitals and Permanente Medical Groups to maximize and coordinate communications and brand strategies and programs enterprisewide.

Her areas of responsibility include internal and external communications, corporate brand and reputation, media relations, issues management, executive communications, and digital and social media. She reports to Kaiser Permanente’s executive vice president and chief administrative officer and is a member of the National Executive Team.

Hernandez has held multiple communications leadership roles throughout her 17-year tenure at Kaiser Permanente. Most recently, she served as vice president, National Communications. In this role, she led the communications strategy for medical excellence, mental health and wellness, community health, and Kaiser Permanente’s overall strategic plan. She also provided communications leadership for the acquisition and integration of the organization’s Washington region, and the organization’s affiliation with Maui Health System.

Before joining Kaiser Permanente, Hernandez served in marketing and communications roles at Macy’s, Internet Pictures Corporation (iPIX), and Vanstar. She also served for 4 years on the executive board of NO MORE, a global initiative dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault. She is a member of the Communications 50 and the Public Relations Society of America.

Hernandez holds a bachelor’s degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.