• Home
  • |
  • Blog
  • |
  • Cathy O’Dowd, climbed Mount Everest on the both sides /Ep2834
Cathy

South African climber Cathy ODowd is an internationally renowned motivational speaker and mountaineer. She was the first woman in the world to climb Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, from both its north and south sides. Her first ascent of Everest happened in the midst of the chaotic events that form of the basis of the ‘true story’ behind the Hollywood movie Everest.

Cathy, who grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, has climbed ever since leaving school. She was completing her Masters degree in Journalism, while working as university lecturer, when she saw a newspaper advert for a place on the 1st South African Everest Expedition. Six months later she was the first South African to summit Everest. Three years later she became the first woman in the world to climb the mountain from both sides. Finally she made one last expedition to Everest to try a new route on the Kangshung face. She has written a book about her Everest experiences, Just For The Love Of It.

The years she spent in the Himalaya were for her a degree ‘in living’. The insights she discovered about herself, and about individuals and teams under intense stress in the face of overwhelming challenge, are ones she has been sharing with her corporate audiences ever since. Her stories touch on themes of importance to anyone trying to run successful projects and get the best out of people.

Cathy’s most challenging Himalayan epic was as part of team forging a new route on an 8000 metre peak. Although Cathy herself did not reach the summit, two of her teammates did, doing the first ascent of Nanga Parbat via the Mazeno ridge, and winning the prestigious Piolet d’Or for their achievement. She has turned this experience into a fascinating interactive case-study of successful project execution of truly innovative goals.

Cathy has been a professional speaker for over 20 years and has presented her message to companies in 44 countries on six continents. She is a Fellow of the Professional Speaking Association of UK/Ireland, who have given her their highest award, the Professional Speaking Award of Excellence. In spring of 2020 she will be doing a public lecture tour across the UK, sharing her life story of adventure.

Her expedition projects for 2020 include an exploratory sea kayak expedition along the coast of Greenland in August. And currently in planning is a sailing trip to attempt unclimbed mountains on the Antarctic Peninsular.

Cathy is actively involved with charities focused on female empowerment, notably the Rwenzori Women for Health project in Uganda, and the Astraia Female Leadership Foundation in Germany.

She lives in Andorra, in the Pyrenees mountains, from where she pursues her speaking career, and explores the mountains of Europe. In her free time she does technical rock-climbing and ski- mountaineering.

Her day-to-day adventures as a speaker and mountaineer can be followed on Instagram @CathyODowd.

 
WEB LINKS:
 

Related Posts

1937:Patty Dominguez, Business Growth Strategy | Digital Marketing | Funnel Marketing | Speaker / Mentor

1937:Patty Dominguez, Business Growth Strategy | Digital Marketing | Funnel Marketing | Speaker / Mentor

Cam Kashani: From Pain to Power: A #12minconvo on Embracing Your Authentic Self and Finding Your Strength /Ep 3248

Cam Kashani: From Pain to Power: A #12minconvo on Embracing Your Authentic Self and Finding Your Strength /Ep 3248

Julian Hayes II: From Writing to Podcasting: A Creator’s Journey of Transformation /Ep 3466

Julian Hayes II: From Writing to Podcasting: A Creator’s Journey of Transformation /Ep 3466

Greg Twemlow, accomplished CEO with a passion for technology & people

Greg Twemlow, accomplished CEO with a passion for technology & people

886:Marina Pearson says I play many roles in my life; mother, friend, best-selling author, coach, mentor, and international speaker

886:Marina Pearson says I play many roles in my life; mother, friend, best-selling author, coach, mentor, and international speaker

782:Chara Watson is a Storyteller, adjunct faculty member at Oklahoma Christian University, and a stay-at-home-mom to four beautiful children

782:Chara Watson is a Storyteller, adjunct faculty member at Oklahoma Christian University, and a stay-at-home-mom to four beautiful children

1740:Rich Boberg writes and podcasts on HR topics for the Hard Hat HR blog and podcast

1740:Rich Boberg writes and podcasts on HR topics for the Hard Hat HR blog and podcast

1564:Phillip Broussard discovered his passion early in life, when his father brought home a guitar

1564:Phillip Broussard discovered his passion early in life, when his father brought home a guitar

1955:Kadeem Pardue is the owner of Soul Theory LLC

1955:Kadeem Pardue is the owner of Soul Theory LLC

219: Twelve Minute Convos w/ Carter Thomas

219: Twelve Minute Convos w/ Carter Thomas

199: Twelve Minute Convos w/ Frank Salas

199: Twelve Minute Convos w/ Frank Salas

Pauline Joseph left Microsoft to pursue building her Digital Marketing business full time /Ep2276

Pauline Joseph left Microsoft to pursue building her Digital Marketing business full time /Ep2276

Engel Jones

I am a podcaster who has now had over 2900 recorded podcast conversations, plus 349 live interviews in 12 weeks, while driving through the 48 states of the US plus the eastern and western side of Canada.

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}
>