Cathy Peterman
Cathy Peterman is a highly respected HR executive, organizational strategist, and change leader, currently serving as Chief People Officer for Tech, Product & Design at Wayfair, where she supports the CTO and a global workforce of over 15,000 employees. In this role, Cathy leads the full talent lifecycle, overseeing both the technical organization (5,000+ employees) and the company’s global People Centers of Excellence, including Talent Development, Talent Management, and Employee Relations.
Cathy is the architect behind Wayfair’s People Strategy that supports its ambitious three-year Tech Transformation roadmap. Her leadership has driven enterprise-wide GenAI change management, simplified and scaled talent development systems, and strengthened organizational capability at every level.
Prior to joining Wayfair, Cathy held senior HR leadership roles at Amazon, where she partnered with three CEOs (Devices, Prime Video & Studios, and Advertising) to lead talent strategy across more than 40,000 employees worldwide. There, she made a lasting impact by:
- Redefining global performance, talent, and succession processes
- Designing and implementing new leadership competency models
- Leading end-to-end DEI strategy across the talent lifecycle
- Structuring large-scale organizational design transformations
Her work spans a wide range of employee populations, including engineering, product, design, sales, category management, and frontline associates—making her uniquely equipped to lead in complex, fast-paced, and innovative environments.
Cathy’s areas of expertise include:
- Organizational Design & Development
- Talent Management & Succession Planning
- Learning & Leadership Development
- Change Management & Culture Transformation
- DEI Integration Across the Talent Lifecycle
- Executive Coaching & Capability Building
With a deep commitment to building inclusive, scalable, and future-ready organizations, Cathy partners closely with executive teams to align people strategy with business outcomes—ensuring agility, engagement, and growth across all levels of the organization.
Cathy Peterman is a compelling speaker for HR leaders looking to navigate transformation, drive innovation in talent development, and embed employee experience into the heart of enterprise strategy.