About Cultivating Growth

Hi, I’m Kathleen Redmon (she/they) and I founded Cultivating Growth, LLC to support non-profits and those working for social impact.

I’ve spent the majority of my more than 12 year career working with and managing non-profits because I felt driven to help our communities and I believe in the strength and outcomes that come from collective movements. In that time I came to see how the systems that are used within non-profit and other change organizations and individuals often function to prevent significant progress in dismantling oppression and instead maintain power for those who’ve always had privilege and opportunity.

As a leader, I learned to listen and use my expertise in systems thinking, policy, social and economic development, and community building to build bridges and routes for leadership to get out of our own way and bring more people to the table. By working collaboratively and taking into account the voices at every level of the organization to reshape the systems we live and work within, I believe we can realize the world we know is possible. Ultimately, that is what I’d bring to the table: building efficient, inclusive, and sustainable pathways to desired and just outcomes. 

As a White queer person working in movements built by the labor, energy, and insights of people who hold less social privilege and power than I have been afforded, I understand that my relationship with those who are most impacted by systems of oppression must be right. Meaning, I take measures to recognize power dynamics and mitigate impact in order to reach compassionate curiosity, equity, and trust-building, all while centering you, your team and your authentic voice. This is precisely why I called my practice Cultivating Growth.

What I’ve learned from a leader in this work, adrienne maree brown, is that we must all take time to learn from nature and the wisdom of generations of Indigenous, Black and brown people, and be willing to enter spaces with humility. Protecting and appreciating the natural environment is a central part of Indigenous cultures and movements and it’s important that I, coming from a place of privileges, incorporate and support that reverence for nature and Indigenous wisdom. On a personal level, as a gardener and as a person healing from trauma, nature is an essential part of my life and personal journey. Cultivating Growth therefore represents my values, my approach, and my mission.

Check out my personal LinkedIn for more information about my experience. You can also follow Cultivating Growth on LinkedIn!

Gratitude

Acknowledging and expressing gratitude to those who have helped me along my journey to starting this business is really important to me. I achieve nothing alone – none of us do – and I’m grateful to everyone who has shared even a small part of themselves, their communities, and their wisdom with me over the years.

I want to give a special shout-out to my spouse, Dany, and my mom, Ellen – you two have carried much and held me up too many times to count. I always hope to make you proud and support you how I can and how you need.

I also want to thank my friend, Johanna Ancheta, who has not only designed Cultivating Growth’s logo and helped build this website but has also helped me conceptualize this business and how to make sure it, and I, really live our values.