Leadership

Cindy Kouhout arrived at St. Catherine’s with more than 30 years of experience working in the human services and healthcare fields. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology & Psychology, with a concentration in Direct Care from SUNY New Paltz and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Marist College. During her undergraduate studies, Cindy received a John F. Kennedy, Jr. Fellowship as well as a full scholarship from the Mid-Hudson Coalition to complete her degree due to her work in the field of direct care practice.

At Marist College, Cindy was a member of the institution’s very first graduating class of a new accelerated learning program while also continuing to work full-time. As challenging as this time was for her, Cindy was driven to finish by a desire to serve her community on a much broader scale.

From her early career as a direct care worker, case manager, and social worker, continuing to her various leadership roles, Cindy has always believed that her purpose is to serve. This was never more evident than in 2019 when Cindy and her husband sold their home and all their possessions to serve the community of Constanza, a mountainous region in the Dominican Republic only accessible by mule or horse. Cindy and her husband had been leading mission teams there for over 5 years when they finally made the plunge into full-time ministry.

When that season of ministry ended, Cindy and her husband relocated to North Carolina for a time but then felt the nudge to return home to New York. Leading the amazing team at St. Catherine’s is a dream job for Cindy and she holds tight to her foundational value of service to others.

Throughout her travels, Cindy has learned that you don’t have to be in a foreign country to serve. You can serve whoever is in front of you, wherever you are.