#236: Lessons in Leadership with Cathy Burke

Cathy is a passionate advocate for women's empowerment and leadership. For 20 years, Cathy was the CEO for The Hunger Project Australia, and then Global Vice President. She helped develop leadership at scale in villages all over the world. Through her work, millions of the world’s poorest people stepped into their leadership and were able to feed themselves and their families. Empowering women was at the heart of this success.

Cathy's impactful contributions have been duly recognised, winning a lot of awards including the Australian Financial Review Women of Influence Award. She's the author of 3 books: Unlikely Leaders, Lessons in Leadership From The Village Classroom & Lead In Mindsets To Lead, Live and Work Differently. Cathy now works with women who find questions of soul and meaning are becoming more important. She helps women overcome limiting mindsets and crafts, lives and businesses where soul and impact are aligned and flow. 

Cathy shares her journey of personal awakening, tracing back to her pivotal moment in Ethiopia, where she witnessed the devastating effects of world hunger. Struck by the plight of women with little visibility, Cathy felt a deep need to make a difference. She discusses at length about the feeling of hopelessness. The inequality she witnessed firsthand in Ethiopia stirred a whirlpool of emotions. Yet, she chose not to surrender to despair, but to combat it through action. Cathy's approach to overwhelming global issues emphasises the importance of not losing hope and maintaining a commitment to making a difference. She scholars to keep the appointment with life, to stand up and be counted.

Through her encounters and experiences, she unraveled the thread of expanding possibilities, overcoming her self-imposed limitations, and challenging the cultural patriarchy that often diminishes women's voices. Cathy's narrative delves into the transformational power of active hope, guiding readers through her own moments of despair and realisation. Her compelling story weaves together personal growth, leadership evolution, and the unwavering commitment to create a positive impact, leaving a profound and inspiring imprint on the audience.

In this coversation, we talk about how Cathy became CEO of The Hunger Project Australia and stayed in that position for 20 years then progressed to Global Vice President. We discuss topics of making a global impact, overcoming limiting mindsets, finding purpose and consulting, the second phase of life and embracing wise woman years.

Cathy shares her journey of personal growth, how she evolved to becoming CEO of The Hunger Project Australia, leadership evolution and her business mentoring, speaking and running programs helping people all over the world.

Listen to the full episode of Her Empire Builder Show - Lessons in Leadership here. Available to listen wherever you get your podcasts.

You can find out more about Cathy and her work here.