Kathleen Doyle Lacey '72

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1972

Current job title and employer and briefly describe what it is you do: I work as a Senior Managing Director at Teneo CEO Advisory Firm.

Tell us about yourself: I live and work in New York City, however, as a consultant to Fortune 400 CEO’s I have the privilege of traveling the world. My clients afford me the opportunity to travel to cities across the U.S. as well as internationally such as London, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, Berlin and Davos, Switzerland. My work is referred to in the industry as CEO positioning, which means I work directly with CEO’s developing their thought leadership platforms and securing speaking engagements at top-tier CEO conferences and tier-one media opportunities in both broadcast and print outlets. The work is exciting and because of the various industries I work across, I am constantly learning. As Dr. Henry Fairbanks taught me, “you must always stay alive from the neck up.”

Reading is my most favored hobby, especially historical biographies. Because of the wonderful education I received at St. Mike’s, I pursued my interest in not only reading but getting to know historians such as Jon Meacham, Walter Isaacson, Fareed Zakaria, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Kati Marton.

Describe your Saint Michael’s College experience: As one of the pioneers, we were only 17 girls – a number of whom were international students, when I arrived on campus in the fall of 1970. Our dorm was on the north campus and not totally fitted for the first females. The bathrooms still had urinals but we adjusted. We actuality put plants in the urinals and went about our business.

The professors were amazing and from the beginning treated the young woman as equal partners. The education, with an emphasis on a core curriculum, humanities and science prepared me and my fellow male and female students for the challenges ahead.

What advice would you give to current female students: First, I would say enjoy your time at St. Mike’s. The best part of the college experience is learning to learn but also challenge yourself. Second, I would suggest you take that course that is of no interest to you or you think you will not do well in and so you avoid. Third, be open to all your fellow students, and learn from their experiences and finally get to know your professors and take advantage of all they have to offer.

What are some strategies that can help women achieve a more prominent role in their organizations: Step up and speak up. Always complete your assignments and/or do your job but go beyond. Too often women do not speak up in meetings or do not present an idea for fear they will be looked down on or seen as difficult. You may be both looked down on and seen as difficult but more often than not, you will be seen as smart, with new ideas and high energy all good attributes for any assignment.

What keeps you motivated and driven every day: My family, my wonderful family. My Husband, my daughter, my son, my son-in-law and 2 grandsons. Also our many friends.