Catherine Vass is the Director for Policy, Training and Compliance in the Office of Grants and Debarment at the Environmental Protection Agency. In this role she provides pre- and post-award guidance for the administration of EPA grants to state, local, tribal, educational and nonprofit partners throughout the nation. Catherine joined the EPA in 2009 from the National Endowment for the Arts where she coordinated the application, panel review and award processes for more than 2,250 applications for federal funding each year. In addition to her work in Washington, DC, Catherine works with adolescent students teaching them drawing and painting. She developed graphics for the "let's address homelessness" project in coordination with the Baltimore County Public Schools Homeless Education Program, Baltimore County Department of Social Services and the University of Maryland Arts Outreach Program. She organized the benefit art show "Private Odysseys/Public Happiness - A Project about Families" at Children's National Medical Center including artwork by young artists. Catherine spends her summers planning and coordinating art programs for Camp Attaway - a day camp to nurture the mind, body, and spirit of children who are missing out on fun, friendship, success, and achievement because of an inability to manage their emotions and behaviors. Catherine holds a BS in Graphic Design from the University of Maryland and an MA in Arts Management from American University.