2004 Alumni Hall of Fame Honoree

Vice President for Global Public Affairs, DuPont

Kathleen H. Forte is vice president for global public affairs for DuPont. Forte leads DuPont corporate communications globally, with emphasis on positioning DuPont in a way that adds business value and enhances the company’s image among key stakeholders.

 

Her direct responsibilities include employee communications, public relations, on-line corporate content and branding, issues and crisis management, media relations, corporate publications, community relations, and philanthropy.

 

Forte joined DuPont as a staff writer in 1978. During her DuPont career, she has held professional and managerial positions for a number of DuPont businesses and functions and at the corporate level. She was named vice president in 1998.

 

Prior to joining DuPont, Forte was assistant editor of a regional weekly newspaper and served as community relations director for the Mental Health Association of Delaware.

 

She has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Delaware and a master’s in journalism from Temple University. Forte serves on several non-profit organization boards in Delaware, including Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Nature Conservancy and Easter Seals. She also has served on the board of trustees of Ursuline Academy and the cabinet of United Way of Delaware.

 

Forte is former chair of the communications committee of the American Chemistry Council and is past chair of the conference Board’s Council of Corporate Communications Executives. She is also a member of the PR Seminar and was named a “Public Relations All Star” in 2000 by Reputation Management Magazine.

 

Forte and her husband, Jim, live in Wilmington, Delaware.