Katie Cotton, the former chief communications officer of Apple, has died at the age of 57. She managed the media’s access to Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, and played a key role in the successful launch of many of Apple’s products, including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Known for her secrecy, Cotton rarely spoke to reporters but was highly respected by Jobs, who trusted and listened to her. She joined Apple in 1996 and, with Jobs’ guidance, revamped the company’s public relations strategy. Cotton continued to work at Apple until her retirement in 2014 under Jobs’ successor, Tim Cook. After leaving Apple, she was involved in corporate consulting and mentoring youth. Cotton is survived by her mother, children, friend, siblings, and ex-husband.
