Catherine Collinson
Catherine Collinson

CEO and President

Catherine Collinson is CEO and president of nonprofit Transamerica Institute and Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. Catherine is a retirement and market trends expert and champion for Americans who are at risk of not achieving a financially secure retirement. She oversees all research and outreach initiatives, including the Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey.

With more than two decades of experience, Catherine is a nationally recognized voice on retirement trends. Catherine is regularly cited by top media outlets on aging and retirement-related topics, speaks at industry conferences, and authors articles in leading industry journals. She has testified before Congress on matters related to employer-sponsored retirement plans among small business, which have featured the need to raise awareness of the Saver’s Credit among those who would benefit most from the important tax credit. She co-hosts ClearPath: Your Roadmap to Health and WealthSM podcast on WYPR, Baltimore’s NPR news station.

In 2018, Catherine was recognized an Influencer in Aging by PBS Next Avenue for her work in continuing to push beyond traditional boundaries and change our society's understanding of what it means to grow older. In 2016, she was honored with a Hero Award from the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) for her tireless efforts in helping improve retirement security among women. In 2015, Catherine joined the Advisory Board of the Milken Institute’s Center for the Future of Aging.

Catherine is employed by Transamerica Corporation. Since joining the organization in 1995, she has held a number of positions and has identified and implemented short- and long-term strategic initiatives, including the founding of the nonprofit Transamerica Institute and its Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. Prior to her employment at Transamerica, Catherine spent nearly a decade at The Walt Disney Company, serving in information services and business planning posts.

Catherine earned her bachelor’s degree in British and American literature at Scripps College, Claremont, California, and her master’s of business administration at the University of California, Irvine.


Articles Written by Collinson

Best Practices for Engaging a Multigenerational Workforce
Harvard Business Review | October 2023

The Saver’s Credit: A Tax Credit to Promote Retirement Security
Bloomberg Tax Insights & Commentary | May 2022

10 Ideas to Improve the Retirement Outlook for Women
International Foundation's Benefits Magazine | September 2021

Amid the Pandemic: Seven Win-Win Solutions to Support Employee Health and Financial Well-Being
Benefits Quarterly | January 2021

COVID-19 and the Future of Aging: What Older Workers Need
Next Avenue | January 2021

Retiree Reflections: Seven Ways Employers Can Do More to Help Workers Prepare for Retirement
Benefits Quarterly | July 2019

Becoming Aging-Friendly
Life Health Advisor | November 2018

Disrupt the Current Retirement System or Be Disrupted
The Hill | June 2018

Don't Let Debt Sabotage Your Retirement
Next Avenue | April 2018

Living to 100? Implications for Work, Employers and Retirement
Workforce Magazine | March 2018

Retirement Security in the Emerging Era of Longevity

Life Health Advisor | March 2018 

Let's Unlock the Economic Potential of Older Workers
Milken Institute | February 2018

6 Ways the Self-Employed Can Prepare for Retirement
TheSelfEmployed.com | October 2017

Are Your Older Employees Thinking Differently About Retirement?
HR Daily Advisor | October 2017

The Saver’s Credit: A Case Study About a Little-Known Tax Credit That Pays to Save for Retirement
The Aspen Institute | February 2017

Storm Clouds Are Gathering for a Blowout That Will Affect Millions of Americans
Business Insider | August 2016

The Imperative and Implications of Social Security Reform
OECD Observer: Roundtable on Pensions | May 2016

Inclusive Aging and the Need to Rethink Retirement
AARP The Journal | May 2016

Work, Retirement and Financial Security in the 21st Century
Next Avenue | May 2016

Improving Retirement Readiness
AARP The Journal - Print Edition | January 2016
 

Speaking Engagements

Setting the Stage: 25 Years Improving Women's Retirement Security
WISER's 2021 Annual Symposium | October 2021

5 Winning Ways Employers Can Improve Benefits
WISER's 2020 Annual Symposium on Financial Solutions for Women | October 2020

Caregiving Is Costly
MIT Age Lab Caregiving Symposium | November 2019

Retirement into the U.S.A
40th Annual Brazilian Pension Congress | October 2019 

Population Ageing & the Future of Work OECD Forum | May 2019

The Challenges Physical Workers Face in Preparing for Retirement

OECD Forum | May 2019

How to Live to an Active 100
Milken Institute Asia Summit 2018 | September 2018

Reskilling: How Difficult Is It?
OECD Forum 2018 | May 2018

Annual Global Future of Retirement Conference 
4th Pensions & Investments | May 2017

Fixing the Saver's Credit and Other Ways to Help At-Risk Workers
EBRI Public Policy Forum | May 2017

Reexamining Retirement Tax Incentives
Aspen Institute's Financial Security Program | February 2017

Disrupt Ageing 
OECD Forum 2016 | May 2016