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Sophie McCarthy had some big shoes to fill. Her mother Wendy has been at the forefront of feminist activism for decades, and Sophie picked up the mantle and is making her own huge impact on gender equality.
As CEO of McCarthy Mentoring, Sophie partners with leading companies to design programs that drive change, engage people and develop leaders.
With her upbringing, it’s no surprise that Sophie participates in her own advocacy work, As Chair of Sydney Community Foundation, she helps support the most vulnerable women in Sydney, giving a voice to women who don’t get heard. Sophie’s passionate about doing work that actually makes a difference, and breaking down barriers that prevent equality.
I hope you enjoy the episode!
In this episode we discuss:
- Sophie’s upbringing, her progressive parents, supportive father and mother who always worked.
- The pushback her mother got for continuing to work once she’d had children.
- Her impact at McCarthy Mentoring, running mentoring and leadership programs.
- Getting the executive team involved in driving any real, lasting change.
- The barriers to gender equality, and the action that comes from WGEA reporting.
- The importance of male allies – women can drive change alone.
- Community action and solving problems through group wisdom.
- The programs Sydney Community Fund runs to support disadvantaged women.
- Leadership is about listening, lifting others up, and empowering people to find the answers.
- The best way to overcome imposter feelings is to take action.
- Super inequality and the impact on older women.
- The growth professions of care and health.
About Sophie McArthy
Sophie McCarthy is the owner and Chief Executive of McCarthy Mentoring, a Sydney based consulting group that works globally with organisations to inspire and develop their emerging and current leaders.
It offers a suite of mentoring, coaching and leadership programs for senior executives and high potential employees. Partnering with leading companies across the corporate, government and not for profit sectors, it designs programs that drive change, engage people and develop leaders. Success is measured in terms of retention, engagement and promotion.
Sophie is an accredited coach and mentor and has a strong commitment to diversity and the community. She has established partnerships with schools and community groups assisting them in a pro bono capacity to establish mentoring programs for students, graduates, refugees and newly arrived Australians.
Sophie is the Chair of the Sydney Community Foundation, has a Bachelor of Arts from ANU, Master of Public Health, University of Sydney, and is a Fellow in the Vincent Fairfax Ethics in Leadership Program. She is an accredited Organisational Coach with the Institute of Executive Coaching & Leadership (IECL), and holds certification in the Hogan 360 & Leadership Forecast Assessment Tool.
In her role as Chair of the Sydney Community Foundation she aims to grow the funding to support the most vulnerable people in Sydney and inspire others to build a fair, compassionate and vibrant city where everyone can thrive.
Sophie is married with three adult children and outside of work she enjoys escaping into nature, entertaining her big extended family and friends, playing golf, running, reading and travelling.