Cathy Muha, Branch Director and Dedicated Public Servant, Retires
, by Annette Galassi and Kalina Duncan
Cathy Muha, R.N., M.S.N. retires from her position as Branch Director for the Planning and Operations Branch in the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Center for Global Health. In this role her work focused on international scientific partnerships, cancer control and planning, and program evaluation. We thank Cathy for 37 years of dedicated public service to the NCI.
If you’ve interacted with the Center for Global Health, or other parts of NCI over the past three decades, chances are, you’ve had the privilege of working with Cathy Muha. For the last 10 years, Cathy has led programs and people at the NCI Center for Global Health, helping to make CGH the wonderful place it is today. On March 29, she is concluding her illustrious career as a federal employee, capping off 37 years at the NCI.
First and perhaps foremost, Cathy is an oncology nurse. With a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Towson State University and a Master of Science degree in advanced nursing science from University of Maryland, Cathy’s profound dedication to those affected by cancer and her commitment to public service has underscored her career. From patient care, to program development, to mentorship, Cathy is the leader who advocates for and creates a path for growth, the colleague who picks up the slack and never forgets the minor details, the exemplary public servant, and the public health and clinical practitioner who understands that health is both intensely personal and systematically influenced. She makes you feel seen, heard, and amplifies your voice. We are all better for having worked alongside Cathy.
Prior to joining CGH, Cathy worked in NCI’s Office of Communication and Education where she oversaw national and international cancer education, cancer information, and cancer control initiatives. Her work included an award-winning nationwide Spanish language cancer information center. Her work and expertise contributed to areas like tailored messaging, information seeking and decision-making behaviors, and access to cancer information and interventions for underserved populations. Before NCI, Cathy was an oncology nurse at Johns Hopkins, treating and caring for patients with cancer.
Cathy is also a mother of four adult children, all raised during her time at NCI. She is deeply committed to her children, her extended family, and her friends. She sets an example of how to be an exemplary parent, a loving partner, a devoted daughter and sister, and a loyal friend while balancing the demands of a career. Cathy’s call to nursing and to public service come from a family rooted in both; this strong commitment to global public service continues with her children.
On a personal note, we will miss Cathy at NCI very much. Her boundless energy, enthusiasm, optimism, and can-do attitude is infectious. She has helped many of us learn to successfully navigate working for the federal government. Some of gaps she leaves we can fill, but others are simply irreplaceable. We are buoyed by the legacy she is leaving and will attempt to bring her person-focused energy, care, stewardship, dedication, and humor to the workplace in her absence.
Thank you, Cathy, for almost 4 decades of service at NCI and improving the lives of people affected by cancer everywhere.