Denise Cavanaugh '64: growing organizations

by Amy Durkee

As co-founder of the management consulting firm Cavanaugh, Hagen, and Pierson, Denise Cavanaugh '64 keeps organizations healthy. Since high school, she says, "I've always been interested in helping organizations mature, grow, and change."

She notes that her life has followed two themes: involvement in organizations and a commitment to social justice. Cavanaugh grew up on the south side of Chicago in the 50's and came of age at Saint Mary's in the 60s. College president Sister Madeleva's leadership and myriad opportunities for service at Saint Mary's and beyond solidified Cavanaugh's life course.

When federal funding was cut at the Leadership Institute for Community Development where she worked in 1973, Cavanaugh found herself looking for a job. Although she possessed the skills, she found herself stuck. One day, she read an article describing a new national employment service matching potential employers with women in middle management. When she went in to sign up, however, "the woman I spoke to told me the program was not up and running yet and I probably wouldn't be a good fit anyway." As they talked, however, "we discovered that we had complimentary skills and similar views about the challenges that the emerging women's movement was stirring up for both employers and women in the work force."

By 1974, the two women had started their own consulting business. Thirty years later, that
business has grown to become Cavanaugh, Pierson, and Hagen. They provide counsel about
strategy and leadership organization to organization leaders. Pursuing Cavanaugh for a CWIL board position was a no-brainer for Saint Mary's. In addition to her professional qualifications, she has been a voice for inclusiveness at Saint Mary's for over 30 years. Since graduation, she has been earmarking her contributions for programs of a multicultural nature. As the years passed and her income rose, so did her level of giving. Still, she insisted that her contributions be used to further inclusiveness at her alma mater. "When I heard about the Lilly matching grant, I was delighted!" she says, and she's been equally happy to be included as a CWIL board member.

Cavanaugh says inclusiveness is crucial to organizations. "There's a real friction when people
feel un-included, ignored, or disrespected that creates a barrier to healthy functioning as a group. Whether it's a parish, a school, or a professional society, it's important to respect people for who they are and what they bring to the table."

Amy Durkee is a freelance writer in New York state.