About

I help organizations embrace adaptation and adapt to new challenges by focusing on three major components:

• Advocacy: getting people to the table

• Policy: empowering them to participate in the conversation
• Being a change agent: inspiring those at the table to listen and implement new strategies.

I’m committed to sharing my knowledge with others and helping nurture them on their own leadership paths, all while shepherding organizations to reach their fullest potential: capable of confidently managing transitions, growth and expansion; and encouraging innovation through change.

ABOUT CATHY HOLT
      Throughout my career, I have been known as a change agent.  Instead of being afraid of “new and different,” I embrace the opportunities provided by growth and development and enjoy brainstorming and creating positive futures.  Working in the political arena for almost 30 years, I am skilled at being flexible and evaluating data and input to quickly identify potential opportunities for advancement, thus creating innovative strategies for success. These skills of complex problem solving have aided me in my work with organizations and governments undergoing formative changes. I am passionate about empowering women and have skilled grassroots women around the world to advocate for themselves and obtain space at the decision-making table to weighing in on policy discussions and decisions.
My career path has not been linear. I quickly learned to capitalize on opportunities for advancement that were presented to me. When needed, I advanced my knowledge base through education and career training.  In every endeavor, I have achieved leadership due largely to my ability to motivate people, introduce new ideas and work diligently on implementing change.  People I work with know me for my motto, “We must continue to evolve or become extinct”.

Some of my accomplishments

As a consultant with the NGOs Huairou Commission and GROOTS International, I created and implemented an assessment process including international consultations and retreats to design a strategic plan, operating framework and action agenda to increase participation of grassroots women in governance of these two organizations. I have assisted in monitoring the implementation of action steps of the plan.

• Working with UN Habitat and the Huairou Commission, I organized and facilitated a two-day expert group meeting of 42 international experts on women’s issues and urbanization to identify gender policy recommendations for the New Urban Agenda.
• As facilitator and trainer of Habitat III Global Grassroots Women Leadership Pilot at I created and implemented an orientation for an 18-month pilot program to train new grassroots leaders to affect urban transformations from the bottom-up by engaging local community groups in their efforts in translating the information and objectives from the UN Habitat New Urban Agenda.
• As co-coordinator of a Women’s Assembly in conjunction with the UN Habitat III Conference, I assisted in planning and implementation of day-long conference on advocacy for gender equality and women’s empowerment regarding sustainable urban planning and design for a group of about 1500 women leaders.
• Working with the Huairou Commission and United Methodist Women, I organized and facilitate an event on women and sustainable urbanization at the UN Commission of the Status of Women (CSW60). Panelist included high level representatives from UN Habitat, UN Women and UN “Fit for Purpose”, as well as grassroots women who discussed successful programs promoting gender equality and gender sensitive policy recommendations for urbanization in the New Urban Agenda.
• I was hired by Maldives government to create and implement a national voter education program for the first democratic presidential election under new constitution. I also educated and prepared a government team to expand program for future parliamentary and municipal elections.

I have a M.A. in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University and a B.S. from Stanford University.