On this weeks episode of Culturation™ we speak with the “Change Agent”, Kate Atwood. We discuss overcoming adversity, leadership with love and being the change.

Kate was 12 years old when her mother passed away after a long and courageous battle with breast cancer. Twelve years later she founded Kate’s Club, a nationally-acclaimed not-for-profit organization that provides support to children and teens facing life after the death of a parent or sibling.

Recognizing first-hand the importance of support after such a life changing event, Kate’s vision was to build a place for grieving children to have fun, develop friendships, and learn to cope with their loss. What started in the summer of 2003 at a bowling alley with just eight kids is today an organization that has served thousands of children and their families through year-round social and emotional support programs. Her first book, entitled “A Healing Place: Help Your Child Find Hope and Happiness after the Loss of a Loved One” was released by Penguin Books.

Following a successful founder transition in 2010, Kate went on to serve as the Executive Director of the Arby’s Foundation. While at the helm of the Arby’s Foundation, Kate refocused its efforts on a new strategic mission that more closely aligned with the Arby’s brand and helped the organization contribute more than $18 million to ending childhood hunger in the United States.

In September 2015, Kate joined the Metro Atlanta Chamber, as Vice President of Marketing, to lead the recently launched ChooseATL initiative. In this newly created role, Kate is responsible for focusing the region’s narrative to showcase all that metro Atlanta has to offer with the purpose to attract and retain top talent.

Kate has participated in her fair share of media along the way. She has been featured in People Magazine, Real Simple Magazine, Marie Claire Magazine, Huffington Post, and has had appearances on the Today Show, the Meredith Vieira Show, CNN, and ABC-TV’s The View. She was recognized in the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s feature “Up and Comers: Top 40 under 40”, and was honored by Georgia Trend Magazine as one of Georgia’s “40 under 40.” In 2013, she was named to GOOD Magazine’s global “GOOD 100” list for her commitment to helping others.

Kate has been featured in six books as a thought-leader on personal giving and social entrepreneurship.

#KateAtwood #Culturation #PoweredByPremier #Entrepreneur #NonProfit #Atlanta #WeAreATL #Innovation #JustinEpstein