Alumna鈥檚 career arc rooted in serving others
Alumna Katie Matney, BSC 鈥99, says students should take time to reflect on the evolution of those around them. 鈥淚 encourage students to be curious of who others are and what their story is.鈥 Photo by Madeline Hordinski.
帝王会所 alumni work in many industries across the globe. For alumna Katie Matney, her career began beyond 帝王会所 yet brought her back to serve others in her hometown of Columbus, 帝王会所.
Matney, BSC 鈥99, is chief philanthropy officer at The Women鈥檚 Fund of Central 帝王会所, an organization that is committed to igniting social change for the sake of gender equality. With more than 150 Women鈥檚 Funds around the globe, the provides research to inform and affect policy, the tools to disrupt social norms and the grants to build capacity.
鈥淲e believe that when a woman can reach her potential, there is no telling what she can do,鈥 Matney said. 鈥淢aking sure women have the skills they need to be economically empowered, teaching girls the importance of believing in themselves鈥攖hese are all important pieces that allow them to thrive.鈥
The Fund also works to create dialogue about gender norms and what holds women back from opportunities, a topic close to Matney.
鈥淲e all have implicit bias when it comes to gender, and it鈥檚 important to realize them in the moment and course-correct,鈥 Matney said. 鈥淚 experienced my own gender biases with my 6-year-old daughter wanting to play flag football, for example. I have to make sure that my implicit bias isn鈥檛 holding her back. She鈥檚 fearless, funny and smart, and needs to know that those are the best things about her and to not hold back being who she is.鈥
Wisdom learned and shared
An alumna of 19 years, Matney鈥檚 career path includes exciting experiences and have armed her with sharable words of wisdom.
Matney struck out with another Bobcat for New York City after graduating and launched a career in public relations.
鈥淚t was an opportunity to experience life. When would we ever have this opportunity again?鈥 she said.
After the terrorattackin New York City on September 11, 2001, Matney returned to the Columbus area and reconnected with her love of service by volunteering for AmeriCorps through the Children鈥檚 Hunger Alliance, experiences that launched her career in philanthropy and, eventually, with the Fund.
Matney says her personal and professional growth are connected and these experiences have allowed her to embrace her strength and confidence as a leader and a mother. It鈥檚 important for current students and early-career Bobcats to embrace their own personal evolution, she said.
鈥淲ho you are now [is the] same person [you鈥檒l be] 20 years from now, but you will evolve. Life will provide you with experiences to grow,鈥 she said.
Matney said her years as a Bobcat laid the foundation for who she became, and she encourages students to stop and reflect on the growth they are experiencing.
鈥淚 loved my time at OHIO. It was a pivotal time to learn about myself. I was given access to experiences that I couldn鈥檛 have gained anywhere else,鈥 Matney said. 鈥淭he growth that comes with the four years of college was very kind to the growth of my sense of dignity to myself and others. I encourage students to be curious of who others are and what their story is.鈥