Catherine Hazelton

Catherine Hazelton founded Hazelton Strategies in 2016 and serves as Principal Consultant. She supports foundations and nonprofits with program development, strategic planning, launching new initiatives, facilitation, and interim management services. Catherine works on a wide range of policy issues, with extensive experience advancing democracy reforms and advising philanthropic award programs. In 2022, she was honored to receive California Common Cause’s “Democracy Hero” award.

From 2009-2016, Catherine was a Senior Program Officer at the James Irvine Foundation, where she helped design and lead several key initiatives, including the Future of California Elections, the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards, and an effort to deepen public engagement in redistricting processes. Before joining Irvine, Catherine was Associate Director of the nonprofit Fight Crime: Invest in Kids and spent five years leading legislative and district strategies for two California legislators. Catherine has worked on numerous political campaigns, including Hillary Clinton’s presidential bids. She earned a master’s degree in public policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor’s degree in history at Scripps College. She also attended Pasadena City College where she engaged hundreds of students in grassroots advocacy. 

Catherine was appointed by Assembly Speaker John Pérez to serve on the California Physician Assistant Board and by Secretary of State Alex Padilla to serve on the California Voter’s Choice Act Task Force. She has served on several nonprofit boards including the California National Organization for Women, the anti-poverty organization Help A Mother Out, and the Parent Teacher Association at her children’s public school. Her research related to redistricting reform and women in California politics has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Policy Matters, and other publications. Catherine is also a non-professional dancer, training in ballet, jazz, contemporary, and with San Francisco drag choreographers.