Catherine DeVrye
Catherine is Canadian by birth but Australian by choice!
Abandoned as a baby in Canada, Catherine DeVrye was adopted by loving parents. When she was 21, they died of cancer, within a year of each other. An only child, Catherine packed her bags for a 3-month working holiday in Australia, arriving jobless and near penniless.
This led to a life-long journey to find her place in the world, as she waited tables, taught school, worked on a mine site and later discovered her biological father who was 8 times Canadian champion rodeo cowboy.
The 1999 & 2010 Australian Keynote Speaker of the Year is a best selling author of 8 non-fiction books. Her memoir, Who Says I Can’t? was released by Random House and Bryce Courtenay says on the cover: ‘story of hope and perseverance-when’s the movie?’
Her previous book, ‘Hope Happens!…Words of Encouragement for Tough Times’, reminds us that we can’t always control change-but we can always control our attitude toward it. Of her other best seller ‘Hot Lemon and Honey…Reflections For Success in Times of Change’, Sir Edmund Hillary commented: “Information in the book can lead you on the road to success’
Other titles, translated into over a dozen languages, include: ‘Paperclips Don’t Grow on Trees-Add Value not cost’. ’Good Service is Good Business’, The Customer Service Zoo, Japan-An A-Z Guide & Sports Marketing & Promotion.
Past winner of the (Telstra sponsored) Australian Executive Woman of the Year Award, Catherine held numerous roles as an executive with IBM in sales, marketing, communications and human resources.
She has a Master of Science degree and attended short courses at Harvard and the Mt Eliza Business School where she is a frequent lecturer; but believes the most important education is common sense!
A former board member of the NSW Police Service, Catherine was CEO of Young Achievement Australia and also worked for Ministers of Consumer Affairs, Education and Sport where she was involved in the establishment of the award winning Life. Be In It fitness campaign.
Now, one of the most sought after speakers in Australia today, who’s presented on 5 continents, she’s still a keen sportswoman herself,-and has cycled over the Andes, climbed 20,000 feet to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro, trekked to Everest Base Camp & Timbuktu.
Yet, her most memorable moment was when, as a proud Aussie, she was humbled and honoured to carry the Olympic Torch on the day of the opening ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Olympics….on behalf of her adopted country
Further information on: www.greatmotivation.com.