About

Catherine is a mother to three children, and like her mother before her, believing in Santa Claus and spending time with the family was the most important part of the holiday season. Catherine learned from her mother that when there is just one child in the house that believes in Santa Claus, there is Christmas joy for everyone. For her family, Santa Claus represented happiness, the spirit of good cheer, generosity, hope, and innocence. She has always believed in fostering youth awareness, responsibility, and self-expression.

Since 1990, Catherine has been involved with Toastmasters International, District ONE, and loves contributing to its youth leadership program. She believes the benefits of learning public speaking skills builds self-confidence, improves clarity of thought, develops critiquing skills to name a few, and feels grateful to pass on those benefits to youth and adults. Catherine currently holds the Distinguished Toastmaster designation and, in 2008, earned the Roy D. Graham Lifetime Achievement Award.

In 2001, Catherine began volunteering for the Tree Musketeers organization, which promotes youth environmental activism. She believes in the youth-run organization and mission to develop youths as environmental leaders and to help them accomplish their visions and goals. Her involvement includes public speaking instructor and coach, the Adult Partner Team, Advisory Director and past Board Member.  On June 18, 2013, she was presented with the Tree Musketeer of the Year Award.

Now that she is retired from the finance world, Catherine looks forward to sharing the gift of engaging, empowering literature and educational workshops with children all over the world.