Hi, I’m
Catherine Johnson
Arlington,VA
Summary
Acting VP of Growth + Transformation for the Southeast with 15+ years of experience. Accomplished Management Consultant and C-Suite Advisor focused on large-scale Transformations, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) with $5B+ clients. Exceptional skills in creating value-based relationships, implementing sustainable Governance models (ESG), and structuring and closing complex deals. Industry expertise in Real Estate, Government, Healthcare, Technology, and Infrastructure.
Overview
16
years of professional experience
1
License
2
Certifications
3
Degrees
Work History
Grant Thornton
Growth + Transformation Advisory Lead | Southeast
05.2018 - Current
Job overview
- Creates partnerships with Diamond Portfolio clients (greater than $5B in annual revenue) focused on large-scale Mergers, Acquisitions, and Dispositions
- Leads a high-performing team of 36 people across 7 projects to optimize client service delivery
- Writes and presents business cases, feasibility analyses, and forecasts to Governance Boards for investments ranging between $2-25M
- Directs technological improvements across a $50M portfolio, reducing business bottlenecks and waste by $12-15M over 2 years
- Grew $20M business in Organizational + Operational Transformation to $60M in under 3 years
- Prepared for strategic disposition of Grant Thornton Public Sector to Guidehouse for $200M+ (sold in 2022)
Freddie Mac
Senior Advisor | Real Estate Technology
06.2017 - 03.2018
Job overview
- Served on Freddie Mac’s Loan Product Advisor (LPA) Technology team for Single-Family assets
- Co-led Technology Governance board maintaining controls and compliance for products delivering faster processes, reduced documentation, and a better borrower experience
- Executed recurring Data Analysis to improve the LPA suite of services
- Evaluated reports related to overall underwriting risk, credit requirement evaluations, purchase eligibility criteria, and loan origination process
- Cultivated stronger relationships with stakeholders by communicating regular updates to core technology systems and services
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
Senior Associate | Transformation + Operations
06.2014 - 06.2017
Job overview
- Retained $130M+ IDIQ international contract through performance management and relationship building
- Grew PwC Public Sector’s value from $250M+ to $490M+ in 3 years, dispositioned to Veritas Capital for $500M+ (sold in 2018)
- Briefed Generals and Federal executives on strategies and proposed implementation plans to deliver services to 9 million Veterans and 18 million civilians annually
- Led teams of 4-6 direct reports executing large-scale initiatives for the Federal Government (CDC, DOD, DOJ, VA, and National Parks Service)
Class Leasing
Management Consultant | Multifamily
12.2012 - 05.2014
Job overview
- Consistently increased lease volume by 300% over 2-4 month period of performance per property
- Advised Class A multifamily property and portfolio owners seeking to increase revenue and/or preparing for disposition
- Leveraged Data Analysis to evaluate communities and determine root causes of decreases related to leasing and customer retention
- Delivered data-driven Findings and Recommendations Report within 5-7 days
Worthing Companies
Assistant Property Manager
04.2010 - 08.2012
Job overview
- Coached staff members on best practices to retain tenants and maintain occupancy above 90%
- Managed leasing contracts, vendor negotiations, and property-level financial reporting
- Addressed tenant requirements including maintenance requests and special needs accommodations
Education
Georgia State UniversityAtlanta, GA
Master of Science from Commercial Real Estate
Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, GA
MBA from Entrepreneurship
Georgia State UniversityAtlanta, GA
Bachelor of Arts from Spanish + International Business
Skills
- Business Strategy Growth
- Executive Presentations
- Client Relationship Development
- Data Analysis Informatics
- Due Diligence
- Financial Modeling
- Feasibility Studies
- Risk Impact Assessments
- Comparative Analysis
- Market Research Analysis
- Investment Recommendations
- Leadership Team Building
Certification
Argus Enterprise
Project Management Professional (PMP)
Interests
Food + Family
Advocacy + Human Rights
Outdoor Adventures + Dogs
Languages
English
Full Professional
Spanish
Full Professional
Affiliations
- CREW (Commercial Real Estate Woman)
- GSU Alumni Ambassadors
- Project Management Institute
Timeline
Growth + Transformation Advisory Lead | Southeast
Grant Thornton
05.2018 - Current
Senior Advisor | Real Estate Technology
Freddie Mac
06.2017 - 03.2018
Senior Associate | Transformation + Operations
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
06.2014 - 06.2017
Management Consultant | Multifamily
Class Leasing
12.2012 - 05.2014
Assistant Property Manager
Worthing Companies
04.2010 - 08.2012
Georgia State University
Master of Science from Commercial Real Estate
Georgia Southern University
MBA from Entrepreneurship
Georgia State University
Bachelor of Arts from Spanish + International Business
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