Catherine Carr Clinch, CFM
President, MER3
Catherine “Cathy” Carr Clinch is President of the Mitigation, Environmental, Response, Recovery & Resiliency (MER3) business vertical, which brings together Tidal Basin Group, MLU Services and Michael Baker International’s Emergency Management and Response professionals into a single, united team focused on end-to-end contingency operations and resilience solutions.
With 30+ years as a seasoned executive and thought leader in business operations, program management and strategic development across the consulting, engineering and disaster management fields, Ms. Clinch drives MER3’s growth, operational, financial, legal/compliance and shared services teams to focus on effective client delivery and growth across federal, state and local government, commercial, education, healthcare and transportation markets, both domestically and internationally.
Prior to her appointment as President of MER3 at Michael Baker, Ms. Clinch served as the Division President of Federal Services and Contingency Operations for Tidal Basin Group and MLU Services. That role allowed her to fully understand the depth and breadth of Tidal Basin’s and MLU’s services, enabling an effective transition of bringing the three brands together under the MER3 business vertical.
Ms. Clinch’s impressive career achievements show her expertise in scaling operations. Before joining Tidal Basin, she served as Vice President and Federal Sector Manager at AtkinsRealis, a global consulting firm specializing in engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services across numerous industries. During her tenure at this firm, she quadrupled federal business growth, led critical initiatives such as a Puerto Rico Task Force, managed the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) largest feeding and housing missions and played a key leadership role in the COVID-19 Task Force, fostering cross-business partnerships during a defining global challenge.
She also successfully secured $950 million in recompetes, expanded the Caribe Division into a sustainable $20 million business, and, through effective capture strategies, increased the overall proposal win rate to 50%. Ms. Clinch’s proven ability to lead dynamic teams and deliver exceptional results makes her invaluable in tackling the most complex challenges facing disaster management and federal service industries today.
Prior to AtkinsRealis, she served in various leadership roles at URS (now AECOM), including Vice President, National Practice Leader for Homeland Security Services and Preparedness, Division Manager and Program Manager. She led a series of major, complex and multidisciplinary projects centered on operational planning, response and recovery, and oversaw a $150 million revenue portfolio encompassing hundreds of programs and projects. Ms. Clinch was instrumental in driving strategy and operational delivery across public- and private-sector clients, frequently engaging at the highest executive levels, including agency secretaries, White House officials, governors and executive business leaders. Her leadership was pivotal during some of the nation’s most catastrophic events, including post-9/11 recovery, the Anthrax crisis, the Hurricane Sandy response and the Southern Border Initiative.
Her professional highlights also include contributions to board and industry leadership. She has served as a founding member of the Border Patrol Foundation’s Board of Directors and the Washington Homeland Security Roundtable while maintaining active memberships in Women in Homeland Security, Association of State Floodplain Managers, American Association of Airport Executives and International Association of Emergency Managers.
Ms. Clinch holds a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from Kent State University, has an M.S. in Environmental Management coursework at Cleveland State, and an Executive Leadership Seminar at Oxford’s Saïd Business School.
Cathy Carr Clinch is a dynamic leader whose strategic vision, operational expertise and exceptional relationship-building skills have enabled her to deliver results in high-stakes environments. With unparalleled expertise and an unwavering dedication to service, she plays a pivotal role in advancing disaster management, enhancing federal program efficiency and fostering community recovery.
