Kathleen Speakman has invested her career in not-for-profit and philanthropic organizations across Canada. After a decade as a senior manager with arts organizations and granting agencies in Vancouver, Victoria, Ottawa and Toronto, she started up and led two different charitable foundations that built financial and organizational sustainability in not-for-profits. Currently, she is Acting Executive Director of the BC Centre for Non-Profit Management and Sustainability and is also assisting a number of not-for-profit organizations, industry associations and government agencies to develop financially and organizationally sustainable futures. She attended the Women’s Campaign School in 2004.
1. What was your experience like at the Women’s Campaign School?
The atmosphere was very friendly, collegial and welcoming. It was clear the organizers and past participants valued every woman’s presence there no matter what our ambitions might be.
The first evening and following 3 days contained a well-varied and fast-paced series of learning experiences. In particular, I really appreciated the great leadership role models in the experienced senior politicians who spoke with such frankness, the revealing one-on-one conversations with desk buddies on issues laid out by instructors, and the really dynamic exchanges and team work with our cohort of four or five.
There were many moments of fun and hilarity – Penny Priddy was worth the price of admission.
2. How did what you learned at the Women’s Campaign School help you?
I saw that leadership for women has similar challenges across fields; and that political leadership skills building is something we women must invest in on behalf of our careers and those of all our colleagues.
3. Why would you recommend that others attend or support the Women’s Campaign School?
You will get one of the best leadership development experiences available because the focus is so specifically and openly on winning. This is not the only lens through which to look at developing leadership, but it is one that women are generally discouraged from using.
The Women’s Campaign School helps you approach the idea of winning in a methodical, realistic way and shows you how the particular strengths of women can contribute to winning in our current social and political environment. They also don’t pull any punches about what is not working in your (our!) favour. You come out of it having identified a few more muscles you can use to push through that glass ceiling.