Catherine Liao is the Associate Vice President for Government Relations for Duke Health. She is responsible for leading the implementation of a comprehensive and diversified federal government relations program, working to strengthen Duke Health’s identity and reputation on biomedical research, education, training and service.

Prior to joining Duke, she worked on Capitol Hill for six years managing health, education, labor and housing appropriations issues for a senior member of Congress. She also worked at the North Carolina Institute of Medicine reviewing federal health reform legislation and making recommendations for implementation at the state level. She also completed an administrative fellowship and served in the office of the chief of staff at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Liao was selected to participate in Leadership North Carolina Class XXVI, which aims to inform, develop and engage committed leaders across the Tar Heel State. She is also one of 18 fellows in the Class of 2019 of the Carol Emmott Fellowship, a national program that develops and empowers female leaders to leave a mark on health care.

Liao holds a bachelor of arts in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master of science in public health from the Gillings School of Global Public Health.