Catherine has been teaching hula, ‘ori, chanting, drumming, Tahitian banjo and ‘ukulele for over 25 years. Her mission is to preserve and increase the knowledge of Tahitian and Hawaiian cultures through performance arts.
She became a Kumu Hula after completing the ‘Ailolo and ‘Ūniki ceremonies under Lehua Kawaikapuokalani Hewett in May 2012. These ceremonies were the culmination of three years of study under Kawaikapu through a scholarship granted by the California Administration for Native Americans.
A graduate of Stanford University, Catherine worked in publishing and advertising for 20 years including running her own advertising agency, Blankenship-Tavares, Inc. in San Jose, California; and her own marketing consultancy, Blankenship Marketing-Creative Services in Danville, California.