Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations, Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health
By Maggie Hatfield
Catherine McAlister, director of public relations for Highmark West Virginia and executive director of Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health, always saw herself wearing business suits and heels and working in a high-rise office building. To make this vision a reality, she began her first professional job at Blue Cross Blue Shield West Virginia as an administrative assistant and medical claims coder. From there, her nearly 44-year-long career path began to take shape.
“Fate got me here,” McAlister says. “Then, hard work, determination and loyalty guided my course from there.”
From her start in the medical review department and her role as an administrative assistant to the vice president of sales and, ultimately, her promotion to external service representative, McAlister’s career path has equipped her with the expertise and experience needed for success. She was eventually promoted to sales manager, but in the mid-1990s, she was asked to take the role of account executive for the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA).
Once the PEIA contract ended in 2000, McAlister served as a project manager and then took on the role of manager of corporate communication/public relations and community affairs in 2009. In 2021, Highmark West Virginia launched its own foundation called the Highmark West Virginia Charitable Fund for Health, a fund of the Highmark Foundation.
“I was asked to serve as the executive director of the charitable fund, and since then, we have granted out over $6 million to improve the lives and well-being of West Virginians,” she says. “In this role, I am privileged to travel the state, visit grantees, speak at conferences and present to our board of directors.”
McAlister says she has had the pleasure of working alongside several mentors throughout her career, many of whom are trailblazing women.
“This instilled strength and confidence in my being,” she says. “One strong, female leader from my professional past gave me the nickname of Slick. It was the affirmation I needed. If she thought I was slick, that was a huge compliment.”
McAlister credits her aunt, Janice, for having the biggest impact on her professional career.
“She was a secretary for Governor Arch Moore, and as a kid, my father would take us to visit her at the governor’s office. I was so impressed and completely in awe seeing women in business suits, dresses and heels,” she says. “When I started at Blue Cross Blue Shield, I recall my Aunt Janice telling me how proud she and my dad were, what a great opportunity I had and to stick to it.”
McAlister says the support of her husband, Phil, is a driving force that has made her successful.
“Phil has always been my biggest champion,” she says. “He deserves a trophy for driving me places, escorting me to events and helping me in any way possible. He is my north star.”
Her work ethic also contributes to her success. McAlister is not afraid of hard work and approaches every day with the same energy.
“Goals keep me going,” she says. “As I achieve one goal, I set another one. Never lose sight of your goals!”
McAlister feels fortunate in life but recognizes many people are not as fortunate. Unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, she quickly connected with the Susan G. Komen West Virginia affiliate to get involved. She began by folding Race for the Cure T-shirts and later became president of the board in 2012.
Following Susan G. Komen’s departure from West Virginia, McAlister joined the West Virginia Breast Health Initiative, a grassroots organization founded in 2017 to continue breast cancer awareness efforts. Beyond advocacy work, McAlister is passionate about the Secret Santa Foundation.
McAlister lives and works in West Virginia and feels very fortunate to do so.
“I love the beauty of West Virginia,” she says. “My favorite time of year is spring. Seeing the hills come alive is seeing God’s work at hand.”
