Cathy is Co-Founder and Managing & General Partner of Sandpiper Ventures. Among the first all-woman GP venture fund firms in Canada, Sandpiper invests in women entrepreneurs who bring diverse perspectives and unique insights leading to more creative solutions to complex global and industry challenges and potential for superior financial returns.
With over 35 years of business leadership, her own company Bennett Group of Companies grew from a small group of service businesses to operations in commercial and industrial construction, industrial manufacturing, human resource support, service, retail, industrial supply, and real estate investments and operations.
She has served on more than two dozen private and public corporate boards with interests in real estate, natural resources, manufacturing, industrial construction, technology, and business services and banking. She is currently an Independent Board Director for Equinor Canada.
As a Member of the Newfoundland & Labrador House of Assembly, Cathy served in Cabinet as Minister of Finance, President of Treasury Board, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, and the Office of the Chief Information Officer.
Focused on supporting start-ups Cathy is an associate fellow with the Creative Destruction Lab in Atlantic and Vancouver supporting the Mining and Oceans stream, a board member with Propel ICT, Atlantic Canada’s Virtual Accelerator. She also serves as a director with Public Policy Forum.