Trail blazing and insightful leader with a commitment to optimizing the small and medium businesses that are the backbone of our US economy. An implementer of change who has developed new businesses, driven acquisitions and divestitures, integrated companies, and led organizations. An experienced, well networked, and resourceful leader who, through investments by the Sofia Fund, is focused on exceptional, women-led growth businesses that have compelling and scalable business models, strong leadership, and address a significant market need. Visionary co-founder starting in 1998 of angel groups made up largely of women investors to invest in under-served women-led businesses. Cathy also is the founder of CorConnections, a consultancy that specializes in new business initiatives, equity infusions, ownership transitions, and the negotiation of alliances and partnerships. Cathy is passionate about helping entreprenurial, early start-up companies to develop compelling, scalable business models that will attract private investment backing. For the last 22 years, she has helped initiate multiple programs to support the entrepreneurial community, including the Minnesota Seed Capital Network, Women to Women (W2W) and the Sofia Angel Fund. She has served as a judge for the regional Ernst &Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards, MN Cup, Midwest CleanTech, and Tekne . Her board service includes a number of private company boards as well as non-profit boards. She chaired the Harvard Business School Alumni Association board which serves the 85,000-member international alumni community.Cathy’s formal education includes an engineering degree from Vanderbilt and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She has a diverse operational background in all functional areas, in union and non-union environments and in a wide range of B2B industries and marketplaces. Her experience includes roles at P&G, Boise Cascade and 3M as well as start-up and small private companies.