Cathy O'Dowd

Cathy O'Dowd is a South African mountaineer, author, and motivational speaker recognized as the first woman to summit Mount Everest from both its north and south sides. O'Dowd began her journey to Everest while completing a master's degree in journalism and working as a university lecturer, after responding to a newspaper advertisement for a place on the first South African Everest Expedition. Six months later, she became the first South African to summit Everest, and later became the first woman to climb the mountain from both sides. Her first ascent took place during the events that inspired the Hollywood movie "Everest."

O'Dowd's Everest expeditions involved significant challenges and ethical dilemmas. During her first ascent from the south, she and her team were caught in the storm described in Jon Krakauer's bestseller "Into Thin Air." After reaching the summit, the team faced tragedy when a member disappeared during the descent. On a subsequent attempt from the north side, O'Dowd stopped short of the summit to assist a dying American climber, ultimately making the difficult decision to leave in order to survive. She later discussed this decision publicly on BBC Radio 4's program "The Choice."

Beyond Everest, O'Dowd became the fourth woman to climb Lhotse, the world's fourth highest mountain. She also participated in an attempt to establish a new route on an 8,000-meter peak, contributing to the first ascent of Nanga Parbat via the Mazeno ridge, for which her teammates received the Piolet d'Or.

O'Dowd has authored the book "Just For The Love Of It," detailing her Everest experiences. Drawing on her extensive mountaineering background, she delivers presentations to corporate audiences, focusing on leadership, teamwork, and decision-making under pressure. O'Dowd is involved with organizations supporting female leadership, including the Wild Swans project of the Wilderness Foundation UK and the Astraia Female Leadership Foundation in Germany, where she serves as a founder and board member.

As a professional speaker, O'Dowd has presented to companies in 46 countries across six continents. She is a Fellow of the Professional Speaking Association of UK/Ireland and has received the Professional Speaking Award of Excellence. O'Dowd continues to climb mountains across Africa, South America, the Alps, and the Himalaya, and remains active as a mountaineer, rock climber, and skier, sharing insights on resilience, risk management, and high-performance teamwork.