Cathleen C. Gates

Cathleen C. Gates serves as CEO of the American College of Cardiology. During her nearly 30-year tenure at the ACC, Gates has served in a variety of roles, including interim CEO, chief operating officer, chief financial officer and chief people officer. As CEO, Gates works closely with ACC's leaders and more than 500 staff to deliver on the College's strategic goals and meet the needs of the College's more than 54,000 members worldwide.

Among her biggest accomplishments, Gates spearheaded ACC's move from its Heart House headquarters in Bethesda, MD, to Washington, DC; served as executive sponsor for the College's first diversity and inclusion program; was instrumental in ACC being named a Modern Healthcare Top 100 Best Places to Work; and has played a critical leadership role in the College's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to joining ACC, Gates supervised financial and Securities and Exchange Commission reporting for three publicly held real estate investment trusts. She also served as a certified public accountant at Ernst and Young, where her client focus was health care and real estate. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Society for Human Resource Management, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants.