When Cathy Engelbert found out she was pregnant, she resigned from a decades-long climb to becoming a partner at Deloitte. In her mind, being a good mom and a good exec couldn’t coexist. But one male colleague saw her potential — and told her so. That changed everything. Cathy stayed, asked for the flexibility she needed, and learned to advocate for herself. She went on to become Deloitte’s first female CEO. Now? She’s leading one of the fastest-growing sports leagues as WNBA Commissioner.

In this episode of 9 to 5ish, Cathy also shares: 

How sports turned her from a shy kid to a bold leader

Why the environments of Deloitte and the WNBA actually aren’t that different

Her first 9-1-1 call as league commissioner – and the one trait that helped her get through it

Why implementing Deloitte’s paid family leave policy was the “most courageous thing” she’s ever done

One way she thinks the WNBA can be a model for the men’s leagues 

Follow Cathy on IG: @wnbacommish

Follow Carly and Danielle on IG: @carlyanddanielle

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