Former Executive Director of Canopy
Menlo Park, CA
Catherine Martineau is the former executive director of Canopy, a Palo Alto based nonprofit organization whose mission is to grow urban tree canopy in Midpeninsula communities of the San Francisco Bay Area and bring the benefits of trees to those who need them the most. During her 18 years at Canopy Catherine has grown the organization into a multi-branched urban forestry organization that has not only planted thousands of trees, but also offered numerous meaningful volunteer opportunities, education programs for youth and adults, and a robust advocacy program that has influenced city and county governments to preserve, protect and expand their urban forests.
As a Board Member for California ReLeaf, which supports urban forestry efforts across the state, she urged investment in underrepresented communities and those with less tree canopy cover. She served on the board of the Peninsula Conservation Center between 2012 and 2019.
A native of France, Catherine started her career in Paris with the BNP Group and moved to the United States in 1986, joining BNP Venture Capital. In 1991, she co-founded Martineau & Associates, a management consulting practice specializing in new initiatives. Catherine holds a postgraduate degree (ABD) in economic theory, a master’s degree in mathematical economics, and a bachelor’s degree in international economics from the University of Paris.
Catherine and her husband Pierre live in Menlo Park; they have three grown children. She enjoys cooking French and various other world’s cuisines, and crafts such as knitting and pysanky (Ukrainian egg decoration.)
Canopy Blog: ”A Champion for Urban Forests”
Palo Alto Online: “Canopy Executive Director Catherine Martineau to retire after 18 years”