Leadership and Team Development Consultant Cathy (Hill) Morrison
Hometown: Lee’s Summit, MO
Graduation year: 1984
Major: English with an emphasis in economics and business administration
What other degrees have you earned and from which educational institutions?
I hold a variety of certifications (MBTI, True Colors, Ntrinsx, DDI, and DiSC) and National D License for Coaching Soccer.
Awards include:
- Inspired Coaching Award
- Reflections of Character Award for Sportsmanship, City of Lee’s Summit
- Farmers Insurance Award for Excellence, two-time recipient in consultant role
What is your current career position?
Leadership and Team Development Consultant for Common Purpose Consulting and Lynch Bryan Consulting, Keynote Speaker, Coach, and Author
Please describe your current work.
I work with individuals and organizations to help them break through barriers to high performance and achieve exceptional results. I also write. My first YA novel, Say Something, was published this year.
What are your future goals?
To continue to empower success in corporations and not-for-profits, to be a best-selling author and deliver keynote speeches that make a difference in communities and organizations, to foster 100+ rescue dogs (not all at the same time!) and inspire young people.
In terms of your professional life, what would you say is your overarching purpose today?
To empower positive change through facilitation, coaching, problem solving, training and writing. I especially enjoy supporting individuals and teams in resolving difficult issues.
How did your time at Westminster help you find that purpose? Did your liberal arts education allow you to uncover particular passions that you’ve carried into your career?
My education complemented my innate desire to solve problems by strengthening my skills in analysis and communication. It encouraged me to look at problems and the world from multiple viewpoints to determine a best path forward. Westminster also provided me with many opportunities for leadership and new experiences, allowing me to enter the workforce with a broad range of knowledge and skills.
Were any relationships you formed at Westminster particularly influential in helping you find clarity of purpose?
I have many valued friendships from my time at Westminster. When I wrote my first novel, the first two people I reached out to were my advisor, Dr. Collins, and my suitemate, Beth Humerickhouse. I developed a love of international travel when I joined another suitemate, Dr. Mari Hirata Diggs, and her family on a trip to Japan. My Westminster friends have been people I can count on throughout my life.
What does being a leader mean to you? What did you learn about leadership while at Westminster, and how has that translated into your life since graduation?
Leaders provide a clear vision of success and build trust and commitment that inspires others to make a leap into the future, even if the path there is still under construction. A leader encourages others to contribute their best efforts, leveraging their strengths and making weaknesses irrelevant through a strategic combination of development and resources. I’ve led diverse teams while a manager at Hallmark and supported teams across many industries as a consultant.
What does success mean to you?
Leaving a positive impact on the world in all of your endeavors. Feeling content in what you have contributed. Loving your family and friends.
What is it about Westminster that makes it the kind of community that empowers students to discover their purpose and find success?
Westminster offers a powerful combination of knowledge, analytical and communication skill development and opportunities for involvement. Students are encouraged to explore the world and their own potential.
Do you recommend Westminster to prospective college students?
Yes. Westminster encouraged a lifelong love of learning in me. It prepared me to compete successfully in my corporate career with MBAs from top schools around the country and to empower change with clients at all levels and in many industries.
Favorite Westminster faculty member?
Dr. David Collins
Favorite spot on campus?
The Hill and the library
Last book you read?
The Other Wes Moore
Favorite TV show?
Schitt’s Creek
Favorite app?
Favorite way to spend a Sunday?
Walk around the lake and read a book
