Katherine A. Forrest, M.D., is one of the co-founders of the Commonweal Institute and currently serves as president of the Board of Directors. A public health physician by training, Dr. Forrest was a consultant to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and diagnostics industries for over 20 years, with a strong emphasis on marketing strategy, market research, and product safety, and to both nonprofit and governmental organizations regarding health issues. She co-founded Commonweal Institute in 2001, along with her late husband, Leonard M. Salle, in an effort to change America's political environment. At Commonweal, she has applied her academic and industry experience in the areas of progressive idea-marketing, strategy development, research, and training.

Dr. Forrest was conference director for the Commonweal Institute's 2006 Progressive Roundtable. She is also the designer and chief trainer of the Institute's popular series of workshops, "Talking Politics with People Unlike Ourselves," which are designed to help progressives be more effective and persuasive when talking with people who may not share their political views.

Dr. Forrest's professional experience also includes training, psychosocial research, and clinical medicine. Her previous positions include: Principal Research Scientist, American Institutes for Research, Palo Alto; Associate Medical Director, Syntex, Inc.; Medical Director of a Planned Parenthood affiliate based in San Jose, California; and Assistant Professor of Public Health and Medical Computer Science, Yale University. She founded and was the first Director of the Office for Women in Medicine at Yale University. She holds B.A., M.D., and M.P.H. degrees from Harvard University, and is Board certified in Preventive Medicine.

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