Katharine B. Cushing

Founder & President, Newport Global Summit, Inc.

Katharine "Kitty" B. Cushing is the Founder and President of Newport Global Summit, Inc., a Rhode Island non-profit 501(c)(3) (status pending) that attracts seasoned entrepreneurs, notable investors, family business enterprise principals, academics, economists, and influencers from around the world to share knowledge and explore possibilities for global prosperity through education.

Before forming Newport Global Summit as a non-profit, Kitty was the Founder and Managing Principal of 7 Sisters, LLC, a consulting and events business focused on helping US companies broaden global business relationships. She has led numerous investment forums, briefings, and international leadership retreats. 7 Sisters was the founding organization of the Newport Global Summit, held annually in Newport, Rhode Island, since 2009.

Kitty believes in the power of global partnership and collaboration, and that the foundation for business begins with forming personal relationships.

The 7 Sisters brand became a symbol of global partnership and cooperation. The name 7 Sisters was inspired by her step-grandfather, Benjamin Brewster Jennings, Chairman of Socony, who was one of the legendary Seven Sisters of the oil industry and one of the four Standard Oil Company partners to form one of the early exploration companies that formed the predecessor company at the roots of ARAMCO.

Inspired by many leaders in business, Kitty had the privilege to know and work alongside throughout her long-standing career in the investment business, such as her grandfather and great mentor, Forrester (Tim) Clark, former CEO of HC Wainwright & Co., with whom she worked early in her career.

Before founding 7 Sisters, Kitty served as Senior Vice President at Neuberger Berman in Wealth Management (2004-2009). She was a founding partner of Wainwright Investment Counsel and Managing Director of H.C. Wainwright & Co. in Boston, Massachusetts. Early in her career, she lived in Sydney, Australia, and worked in the Promotions Department at TCN Channel 9.

Kitty has served on numerous boards. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Providence Facilities Management (an affiliate of the Providence Performing Arts Center) (2002-present). Formerly, she served on the AMIDEAST Board of Directors, The Advisory Council for EFE (Education for Employment), the Board of Directors for the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom, the Advisory Board of the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy, the International Advisory Board of the Anthony Quinn Foundation, and the ABANA (Arab Bankers of North America) Board of Directors (2007-2014).