Dr. Kathy Bloomgarden is CEO of Ruder Finn Inc., one of the world's largest independent public relations and creative agencies, founded by PR industry pioneer and legend David Finn, with offices throughout the United States, across the EU, and the Asia Pacific region. Ruder Finn has been awarded America’s Best PR Agency 2021 by Forbes, Bulldog Reporter’s Most Innovative Agency Award, and Large Agency of the Year by PR News. PR News named Kathy both 2021 CEO of the Year and a Top Women in PR Changemaker.

Kathy is known for helping CEOs garner recognition for authentic, visionary leadership, and for her work with companies from major multinationals to promising startups, to help them articulate and gain recognition for their brands. She is also known for early on having the foresight to build one of the most dynamic in-house tech labs, that engages with new and emerging technology tools for mapping, deep insight mining, and predictive analytics which are then piloted and integrated as core in all agency activities. Analytics is a driving force for agency crisis management, reputation building, storytelling, and audience targeting. Kathy was at the helm when Ruder Finn became one of the first Western PR agencies to expand its global footprint into China, helping its Asia operations prosper with her fluency in Chinese, Ruder Finn now has ten offices across the region. The agency continues to have a strong foothold in global programming, as well as local community execution.

Kathy is a Board member of the China Institute, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Partnership for New York City, and sits on the advisory board of Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. She is also a member of the World Economic Forum and PR Seminar. She is the author of Trust: The Secret Weapon of Effective Business Leaders. Kathy holds a B.A. from Brown University, an M.A. and Ph.D. from Columbia University in Political Science, as well as a certificate from the East Asian Institute.