Kathleen McChesney, Ph.D., is the founder and CEO of Kinsale Consulting and was a founding member of Leadership Roundtable’s Board of Directors. Kathleen is a trusted expert who has extensive experience advising bishops and other Catholic leaders on child protection. She works directly with dioceses and organizations to audit and review policies and practices to make improvements to strengthen protection of children and vulnerable adults.
McChesney has a distinguished career in service. Prior to working for the Church, she served in many leadership positions in the FBI, heading its field offices in Chicago and Portland, Ore., and the FBI’s International Training Academy, before being appointed as an Executive Assistant Director — the Bureau’s third-highest position. She has also held unique leadership positions at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and The Walt Disney Company.
In 2002, in the wake of the Boston Globe’s “Spotlight” revelations of abuse in the Church, she was selected by the USCCB to establish and lead a national office for child protection. McChesney developed and oversaw a national compliance mechanism to ensure that all Catholic dioceses complied with civil laws and internal policies relative to the prevention, reporting, and response to the sexual abuse of minors. She coordinated a major research study into the nature and scope of the problem of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, and has published and lectured frequently on the issue of sexual abuse of minors in youth-serving organizations.
McChesney is the co-author/co-editor of two books: “Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church: A Decade of Crisis;” and “Pick Up Your Own Brass: Leadership the FBI Way.” She received her Ph.D. in Public Administration from Golden Gate University, and holds honorary doctorates from the University of Notre Dame, Catholic University, and Ana Maria College. She is the recipient of several prestigious awards including the President’s Award for Distinguished Public Service, and the Lifetime Achievement Award of the National Center for Women in Policing and the Notre Dame Laetare Medal.
In this episode, McChesney discusses co-responsible leadership in decision-making — especially with regard to women, protecting children and vulnerable adults — and maintaining hope in the midst of challenging times.
You can learn more about her work at Kinsale Consulting at www.KinsaleMgmt.com.
The Catholic Leaders Podcast is a space where we host conversations with inspirational leaders to talk about their leadership and how faith informs it. The Catholic Leaders Podcast is hosted by Kim Smolik and Kerry Robinson, CEO and President of Catholic Charities USA.
