Sheila Wacks Wellington (1932- ) was Catalyst’s second president from 1993 to 2003, following the retirement of founder Felice N. Schwartz (1925-1996). Wellington was raised in New York City and received her undergraduate education in political science at Wellesley College. She went on to receive master’s degrees in public health and urban studies from Yale University, both in 1968. Wellington ran two mental health facilities in Connecticut, and then became the first woman secretary at Yale, serving from 1987 to 1993.

During her tenure as president of Catalyst, Wellington oversaw many of Catalyst’s major research projects, including the census initiatives that tallied female board directors and corporate top earners at Fortune companies and Women of Color in Corporate Management, the first major research study in the country to focus specifically on women of color in the corporate world. Her books include Advancing Women in Business—The Catalyst Guide: Best Practices from the Corporate Leaders (1998), Creating Women’s Networks: A How-To Guide for Women and Companies (1998), and Be Your Own Mentor: Strategies from Top Women on the Secrets of Success (2001). Wellington also expanded Catalyst geographically, opening Catalyst Canada’s Toronto office in 2000 and the Western Region office in San Jose, California, in 2001. She is credited with bringing a global perspective to the organization’s work.

After retiring from Catalyst, Wellington went on to teach at New York University’s Stern School of Business. She married Harry H. Wellington (1926-2011), a professor and dean of Yale Law School and New York Law School. The couple had two children.