About
Stefa Katamay
My working life included a stint at Canada’s largest credit union. There I coached leaders on how to make new accountability systems work for their teams. The relationships built there and my commitment to clear communication led to developing transparent and fair systems and resources for credit card users. The satisfaction of doing the right thing was not enough to refuse an opportunity to go sailing! After four years on a sailboat and despite the adventure, the sailing life was not fulfilling for me. This experience gave me a unique perspective on the opportunities and challenges that arise when leaving the paid workforce. On the boat I started writing about the places travelled within our emotional, intellectual and spiritual landscapes. Once back on land, I qualified as a retirement coach to support others transition to life after career.
The bulk of my career was spent in nutrition policy. Although involved in high profile portfolios like Canada’s Food Guide, work that connected me with people on the ground stands out from those years. Policy work helped me develop skills integral to my retirement coaching practice – listening, research and problem solving – positioning me to now support clients to explore and plan what they will do with their retirement. Maybe that client is you.
Education
- Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching, Royal Roads University
- Master of Health Science, University of Toronto
- Bachelor of Science, University of Toronto
Professional development
- Retirement Options Certified Coach
- Harvard mentor manager
- Communicating with compassion
- Group facilitation skills for public engagement
- Project management in the public sector
Roots
They say you can take the girl out of Sudbury, but you can’t take the rock dust out of a Sudbury girl’s hair! In this Ontario mining town, I learned what remains important to me – honest courageous communication, perseverance, and a love for being on or near water. Here I developed an ear for languages and learned to whip up useful things on a sewing machine.
At play
Being active both calms and energizes me. Cycling, hiking, and cross-country skiing clear my head and help me gain perspective, as does meditation. Bashing away at pickleball and downhill skiing are just plain fun. And travelling, whether with a pack on my back or on a sailboat, has led to immeasurable growth within. From time to time you can still find me behind a sewing machine.