Austin Women of Distinction Spotlight - Catherine Morse

Catherine Morse

Catherine “Cat” Morse was born in New Orleans but moved with her family to Chicago and later settled in Houston.  A tomboy who excelled at sports, she entered LSU and graduated from the University of Houston Law School where she met her husband, Kevin.  She began her practice in labor and employment law at Vinson & Elkins, moving to Austin to accept a position with Fulbright and Jaworski and later transitioning to corporate counsel positions with Applied Materials and Freescale.  She has served as both Corporate Counsel and Director of Public Affairs at Samsung since 2009.

Kat’s deep religious faith and social activism have been tempered by   personal tragedy—her younger son, Robbie, sustained a debilitating brain injury when he was four months old. Vowing to handle this misfortune with grace and dignity, Kat dedicated her time to public service. She recently organized an event with her sister, Mary, for Catholic Charities and is active on the boards of United Way, the Chamber of Commerce and Just Faith Ministries which examines the Biblical roots of social justice.  The Morses fly cross-country to cheer for their son Mitch, a star football player in his sophomore year at the University of Missouri, and enjoy running and the outdoors.  Kat is especially grateful for the many women friends with whom she enjoys her book clubs, vacations and other activities.