Cathleen Houff Jordan and Her Private Family Story

A seat at a daughter’s volleyball match offers a more concrete glimpse of Cathleen Houff Jordan than the political headlines attached to her former husband. In 2009, she was described traveling east when possible to watch Maureen Bannon play for Army. I find that small family detail especially useful because it places Cathleen in a documented role of her own, rather than treating her as an extension of Steve Bannon’s later public life.

Cathleen was Bannon’s first wife and is Maureen’s mother. Her name also appears as Cathleen Suzanne Houff, Cathleen Houff, and Cathleen Jordan. Beyond those family connections, much of her biography remains private or unconfirmed.

A Name With Several Public Forms

The form Cathleen Houff Jordan brings together names that appear at different points in the public family account. Cathleen Jordan was used in a contemporary 2009 description of Maureen’s parents, well before Bannon’s White House prominence.

I would not infer a complete remarriage history from the surname Jordan. A surname can supply a clue, but it does not establish a spouse’s identity, a wedding date, or the circumstances in which a name changed.

Her exact birth date and birthplace are not reliably established. A 1955 birth year circulates, but it is not sufficiently supported to calculate her age as fact. The same restraint applies to her parents and siblings, whose identities are not confirmed here.

The First Marriage to Steve Bannon

Cathleen and Steve Bannon married before his years at Harvard Business School. August 4, 1979, is a frequently given wedding date, but the precise date is less firmly established than the fact of the marriage itself.

I would describe 1979 as the reported wedding year and keep the exact day qualified. Their marriage later ended, although a definite divorce date is not established in the available account. It had ended before Bannon’s subsequent marriage in 1995.

Bannon later became a media executive and political strategist associated with Donald Trump’s first presidential campaign and administration. That public role explains much of the later curiosity about his earlier family life.

It does not establish Cathleen’s politics. I would not assume that a former spouse shared his positions, worked in his businesses, or participated in his political projects. A past marriage is a family relationship, not a declaration of present beliefs.

Maureen Bannon and West Point

Maureen is the strongest individual connection in Cathleen’s public family story. She arrived at West Point in 2006 and played volleyball for Army. By 2009, she was a senior athlete with an independently documented record of achievement.

In November 2009, she received her third Patriot League Setter of the Year award. She was also a four-time All-League selection. Those numbers show sustained athletic success rather than a single memorable performance.

Cathleen was described as attending matches when she could, traveling east to support her daughter. The account also identified Steve Bannon as Maureen’s father and described parental support around her academy experience.

Attendance at matches in 2009 does not establish Cathleen’s present residence, routine, or relationship with every later phase of Maureen’s life.

The awards belong to Maureen. Cathleen’s documented place in that account is as a parent supporting the athlete, not as the recipient of the athletic honors.

Later Marriages and Half Sisters

Steve Bannon later married Mary Louise Piccard. That marriage is commonly dated from 1995 to 1997, and their twin daughters are Emily and Grace. They are Maureen’s paternal half-sisters.

I would not list the twins as Cathleen’s daughters. Their shared father links them to Maureen, but their mother is Mary Louise Piccard.

Bannon’s later marriage to Diane Clohesy also ended in divorce, commonly dated to 2009. Mary Louise and Diane are his later former wives, not Cathleen’s sisters or children.

No additional children of Cathleen are established in the available biography. That is a limit on what can be stated, rather than proof that her entire family history is public.

Education Work and Financial Questions

A limited account associates Cathleen with Richmond and Virginia Tech, but it does not establish a completed degree.

No verified employer, professional license, business ownership, award, or occupational history is established for her. A digital marketing description attached to a similar online name does not provide a reliable identity match.

There is likewise no defensible salary, net worth, divorce settlement, or maintenance figure. Bannon’s reported earnings cannot be assigned to her, and the absence of a public occupation does not mean she never worked.

A Quiet Public Footprint

Later articles have retold the marriage history without establishing a new event in Cathleen’s own life. A 2026 publication date can describe an old relationship; it is not evidence of a new marriage, appointment, or public appearance.

No authenticated public social account is established for her here. I find that consistent with a biography built from a few family references rather than a continuing public persona, while avoiding assumptions about why she has remained private.

FAQ

Who is Cathleen Houff Jordan?

She is Steve Bannon’s former first wife and the mother of Maureen Bannon. She is also publicly identified under variants including Cathleen Houff and Cathleen Jordan.

When did she marry Steve Bannon?

The wedding is commonly placed in 1979, with August 4 frequently given as the precise date. That exact day remains less firmly verified.

Who is her daughter?

Her daughter is Maureen Bannon, who played volleyball at West Point and earned three Patriot League Setter of the Year awards.

Are Emily and Grace her children?

No. They are Bannon’s daughters with Mary Louise Piccard and Maureen’s paternal half-sisters.

Is Cathleen’s career known?

No verified occupational history is established here. Her work and finances remain unspecified.