“Every challenge holds the seed of opportunity; our job as leaders is to cultivate it and watch it grow into something extraordinary.”
- Hacia Atherton, CPA, MAPP
Hacia Atherton is an entrepreneurial trailblazer and advocate for courageous leadership in the corporate world. With a bold vision for the future, Hacia is dedicated to transforming traditional leadership practices into a new paradigm defined by vulnerability, compassion, and empathy. Her mission is clear: to empower industry leaders to embrace their humanity while driving success in dynamic workplaces.
Hacia is a distinguished international speaker recognised for her pioneering efforts in reshaping organisational culture and championing workplace equity and psychological wellbeing. Hacia motivates audiences to embrace courageous leadership and cultivate psychologically safe workplaces, leveraging her wealth of knowledge, supported by her notable education and impactful positions, in every speaking opportunity.
Renowned for her dynamic presentations, Hacia has shared stages with eminent figures such as Jeremy Piven, Derek Fay, JT Foxx, Tommy Hilfiger, and Elizabeth Hurley, delivering messages that resonate and inspire change across global platforms.
Hacia is the CEO and founder of Empowered Women in Trades (EWIT), an organisation dedicated to elevating the presence and success of women in the trades industries through advocacy, training, and support networks. She is also an acclaimed speaker and a beacon of innovation and resilience. She holds a Master's in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Melbourne and is furthering her expertise as a psychology student. As an advisory board member for La Trobe University Business School and Chair of the CPA Australia Emerging Leaders Network, Hacia is at the forefront of leadership and educational development. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets, enhancing her visibility as a leading voice in industry transformation.
Expertise and Insight: With extensive experience in both academic and practical applications of positive psychology through her lived experience, Hacia offers deep insights into personal and organisational transformation.
Award-Winning Leadership: As a recognised leader in promoting gender diversity and inclusivity, Hacia's presentations are rich with evidence-based strategies and real-world success stories.
Media Presence: Regular features in media spotlight Hacia as a thought leader in workplace diversity and psychological wellbeing, enhancing the credibility and allure of her speaking engagements.
Global Influence: Having engaged international audiences and shared insights on prestigious platforms, Hacia brings a world-class presence to your event.
Booking Hacia means securing a speaker who shares transformative insights while captivating and motivating your audience to action. Whether you are aiming to inspire corporate leaders, motivate nonprofit teams, or engage industry professionals, Hacia tailors her approach to meet your event’s unique needs.
Dive deeper into what Hacia can offer by downloading her comprehensive speaking deck. It includes detailed session descriptions, audience takeaways, and more about her speaking style.
Invite Hacia Atherton to bring her wealth of knowledge and inspiring stories to your next event. Each session is designed to leave your audience empowered with practical tools and motivated to implement positive change.
“Hacia is one of those rare leaders capable of inspiring a movement. As a Professional Speaker, she takes audiences on an emotional rollercoaster of a journey, sharing her story along with the incredibly valuable strategic framework behind her recovery. As a Coach, she has an innate ability to create a psychologically safe environment to challenge thinking that leads to faster breakthroughs. 10 minutes with her unlocked new thinking for me that helped to refine my go-to-market processes. As business evolves to be more human-centric, I highly recommend booking her for your next corporate event or engaging her as a coach to improve team performance.”
AJ Kulatunga
Director BLKMGK ICT
“We had Hacia as a guest speaker for our 3rd annual Girls With Hammers conference and she was amazing. Her story of courage and resilience had everybody on the edge of their seats, as well as turning on the tears and laughter in our audience. Hacia was well presented, professional, and had a first-class slide deck to accompany her talk. Hacia was super easy to deal with and extremely reliable. Highly recommended!”
Kerryn Vaughan
Co-founder - Girls With Hammers
Manoj Dalmia, MD
Paediatric & Adult Anesthesiologist
Healthcare and Business Leader
Hacia shares her inspirational journey from a life-altering accident to a beacon of resilience, sharing how personal challenges can transform into professional strengths.
Key Learnings:
Personal Resilience: Learn strategies for building personal resilience, turning adversity into a catalyst for growth and success.
Team Dynamics: Discover how to cultivate a resilient team culture where challenges are seen as opportunities, enhancing problem-solving and adaptability.
Leadership in Adversity: Gain insights into leading with empathy and strength during times of change, and how to inspire your team through your own actions.
Dive into Hacia's innovative approach to fostering inclusivity and gender diversity, with actionable strategies drawn from her successful initiatives.
Key Learnings:
Understanding Barriers: Identify and understand the systemic barriers to gender diversity in the workplace and practical steps to overcome them.
Inclusive Leadership: Learn how to implement and advocate for inclusive leadership practices that promote gender diversity and equality.
Creating Sustainable Change: Equip yourself with the tools to initiate and maintain a culture of inclusivity, ensuring long-term benefits for the organisation.
Hacia reveals the critical strategies, mindset, and leadership qualities essential for the success of social impact enterprises.
Key Learnings:
Entrepreneurial Mindset: Understand the key aspects of the entrepreneurial mindset that drive success in social impact initiatives, including risk-taking and visionary thinking.
Building a Mission-Driven Team: Learn how to attract, motivate, and retain a team committed to the organisation's mission and values.
Scalability and Impact: Discover how to scale your start-up effectively while maintaining its social impact, including leveraging partnerships and funding strategies.
With deep roots in pioneering leadership, Hacia holds a Master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology from The University of Melbourne, specialising in Positive Organisational Scholarship and is a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA). Her career is marked by a transformative approach to executive coaching, where she expertly blends academic knowledge with practical applications to enhance leadership excellence.
Read more
