Hacia Atherton

Hacia Atherton's Biography

Leader, entrepreneur, Founder & Director of Empowered Women In Trades

CEO & Founding Director of Empowered Women in Trades, Hacia Atherton CPA is revolutionizing how trade-based industries in Australia attract, support and retain females within careers in skilled trades.

Hacia is an entrepreneurial trail-blazer in courageous leadership, dedicated to transforming corporate management to embody the Positive Psychology principles of vulnerability, compassion and empathy as part of the new architype for dynamic industry leaders.

Her work has led to her being recognises as one of The NYC Journal Top 30 Women Disruptors To Look Out For In 2021, Insight Success Top 10 Influential Women Entrepreneurs to watch out for in 2022 and by the Disruptors Magazine Top 30 Inspiring Women To Look Out For In 2022.

Coming from a family of changemakers, the Atherton legacy in Australia dates back to before the federation, deeply rooted in the skilled trades. Hacia’s great-great-grandfather, Fred Atherton, was instrumental in establishing the Master Plumbers Association in 1891, laying the groundwork for what would become a longstanding family involvement in pivotal societal developments.

Additionally, her great-great-great-grandfather, Sir Henry Pakes, known as the ‘Father of Federation,’ was crucial in uniting the colonies to form the Australian Federal government.

Driven by Hacia’s desire to contribute to her family's legacy and foster greater gender diversity within skilled trades, she focused her efforts on industries like construction and manufacturing. In 2020, Hacia founded the Not-for-Profit organisation Empowered Women In Trades (EWIT), dedicated to championing diversity and wellbeing within these sectors.

EWIT's mission is ambitious: to elevate the current 3% representation of women in skilled trades in Australia to 30% by 2030. Through advocacy and the cultivation of inclusive cultures that embrace diversity and prioritise psychological safety, EWIT aims to create environments where every individual can thrive.

Hacia’s journey has been marked by profound challenges and remarkable victories. Before a near-fatal equestrian accident in 2017 threatened her mobility and tested her spirit, she was an elite dressage rider, rigorously training with the goal of competing in the World Equestrian Games. This accident during a training session not only put a halt to Hacia’s athletic career, it also cast serious doubts about her ability to walk again.

Despite facing significant challenges, her journey taught her invaluable lessons in resilience and determination. Drawing upon the same inner strength that propelled Hacia in sports, she emerged from this experience walking and discovered a renewed sense of purpose. This life-changing event ignited her passion for empowering individuals and organisations to attain optimal levels of psychological wellbeing and cultivate inclusive cultures rooted in respect and equality.

To enquire about Hacia for your next event contact Helene Greenham directly: helene@platinumspeakers.com.au

Speaking Topics Include

Courageous leadership

Through her lived experience, Hacia developed innovative strategies to leverage her daily battle to become an entrepreneur that is disrupting the corporate world for the better.

Key learnings:

Pain (physical, emotional or mental) is a useful tool to strengthen your resilience muscle and how to integrate courage to overcome adversity and setbacks.

Have the courage to get comfortable with discomfort as this is where we can push our boundaries and achieve remarkable results.

Courageous leadership requires the ability to adapt and be flexible with goals and milestones with humbleness that can inspire others along the way.

Courage learned through hardship facilitates innovation as it requires one to think outside the box to access an alternative route and develop active empathy strategies.

Leading with vulnerability can enhance your professional career and develop stronger trust with your teams as they feel they can courageously express their ideas.

Walking the entrepreneur talk

Hacia Atherton is inspiring women to pick up the tools and thrive in skilled trade careers so they can achieve financial freedom. Through her organisation Empowered Women In Trades, she is revolutionising Australia’s manufacturing, construction and mining industries by increasing the female representation and shifting the culture to one that is psychologically safe for all.

Key learnings:

The power of a connection with your inner courage so that you can overcome any obstacle can achieve remarkable success.

How to live with adaptive and positive mindset; how to use it to motivate yourself through adversity and navigate pathways towards success.

How to find the courage to seek out and embrace opportunities in your darkest moments.

Overwhelm can be neutralised by implementing a ‘game plan’ of Positive Psychology Interventions.

Resilience is brilliance

Hacia Atherton defied doctors and taught herself to walk again by embracing Positive Psychology and redefining her own version of success. Her personal and professional resilience has led to Hacia being recognised as a game changer for Australia’s manufacturing, construction and mining industries as she focuses on using her Positive Psychology knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit to increase the female representation within skilled trades and shift the culture to one everyone can thrive in.

Key learnings:

Failure is not a fait accompli; it is the first step towards success.

Success is subjective; define what it means to you and be fearless in your pursuit of it.

Celebrate progress rather than striving for perfection; each milestone achieved deserves a reward no matter how small.

Refuse to accept external limitations and always question the status quo.

How the power of self belief can lead to influential change.