Catherine Schult
- BS, Bioengineering, Rice University
Catherine is supporting the development and operations of equity-focused action teams in state and county governments. She is working to build the capabilities of governments, develop the skills of the teams, and help them make measurable progress on their commitment to improve alternative mental health response programs.
During the COVID-19 crisis, Catherine helped a state department of health develop and deliver their vaccine strategy. Catherine analyzed data to develop recommendations for which populations to prioritize and how to vaccinate them equitably. She led the state's vaccine campaign for people experiencing homelessness, which resulted in over 40% of the state's estimated homeless population being fully vaccinated, a rate exceeding estimates of the national average vaccination rate for the population. Catherine also coordinated with local shelters, community partners, and public health experts to establish ways for the population to access the vaccine in settings where they felt comfortable and in the presence of people they knew.