Catherine Shea, VP of Programs at ICNL, is a lawyer and public policy expert specializing in the development of an enabling legal environment for civil society and citizen participation worldwide. Her international experience providing assistance to the development laws governing foundations, associations, and other not-for-profit organizations spans 27 countries, and includes representing ICNL before high level officials of foreign governments, international institutions, and government and private organizations on significant policy issues relating to civil society development. She provides support to ICNL’s programs in her areas of expertise -- regulatory and accountability issues facing civil society, including tax, internal governance, accountability and transparency, and self-regulation. Ms. Shea leads ICNL’s analytic research efforts, and has in that capacity has conducted multiple assessments of the legal environments affecting civil society. Ms. Shea is also the primary author of several ICNL publications, including its CEE regional tax survey.

Ms. Shea is a former Assistant Chief Litigation Counsel for the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement, where she litigated cases involving complex issues of securities fraud. She began her legal career at the law firm of Howrey & Simon. She is a graduate of Cornell Law School (JD), Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government (MPA), and Boston College (BA).