Cate Goethals

Cate Goethals is an executive coach and educator, passionate about elevating women into the influential leadership and board roles they deserve. With a career dedicated to helping women lead from a place of authenticity, Cate has inspired hundreds of senior leaders to step into greater power – not by conforming, but by deepening into who they truly are.

As the founder of the Better Boards Initiative and creator of the Women Board Director Development Program at the University of Washington Foster School of Business, Cate has helped hundreds of women – many from Healthcare and MedTech – secure and succeed in board roles. Her approach equips women not only to get board-ready but to serve and lead at the highest levels.

She brings deep expertise in preparing women for the unique dynamics of board service in rapidly evolving industries like MedTech, guiding leaders to articulate their value, navigate search strategies, and build critical influence skills.

Cate also teaches leadership and gender equity as a long-time UW business professor. Her MBA course, Women at the Top, was named one of Forbes’ most innovative in the U.S., and her “Half the Sky” programs connect women across the U.S. and South Asia to drive global leadership.

In her private coaching practice, Cate focuses on third-act transitions, helping accomplished women align their next chapter with purpose and lasting impact. She also serves as Chief Journey Advisor to the Athena Alliance, where she mentors senior women on the path to board and executive leadership.