Marta Maria Miranda -Straub

Marta Miranda-Straub, MSW, Ph.d is an organizational development consultant, leadership coach, author, and keynote speaker with over 45 years of experience spanning clinical practice, academia, executive leadership, entrepreneurship and government services administration. She is the Founder and President of Catapult Now, LLC, an organizational development, leadership and training firm that supports both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Providing, inclusive and comprehensive strategic planning, board and staff professional development, executive coaching, and training in courageous conversations, managing organizational change, and authentic and transformational leadership. Marta, works with a select number of clients at a time, in order to provide hands-on, integration and support, ensuring that strategies are fully implemented, recalibrated and sustained for long-term impact. Her approach emphasizes authentic leadership, cultures of wellness, equitable practices, and a deep commitment to serving marginalized communities. Throughout her career, Marta has held senior leadership roles across diverse sectors. She served as Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, overseeing social services across 120 counties with a $1 billion budget and 4,500 staff, where she established a division of prevention, and prioritized pay equity and staff voice. She was also CEO of the Center for Women and Families, leading domestic violence and sexual assault services across Kentucky and Indiana, successfully implementing, capital campaigns and high impact collaborations.In academia, she spent 22 years as a professor of Social Work, and Chair of Women and Gender Studies at Eastern Kentucky University. Her career includes maintaining a 34 year clinical social work practice, specializing in mental health, trauma and addiction recovery. Her career began with the University of Miami Cuban-Haitian Refugee Program and Jackson Memorial Hospital trauma unit for Vietnam's war veterans. In addition to her professional work, Marta is a bilingual poet and author, her publications include, her memoir, Cradled by Skeletons: A Life in Poems and Essays, Lullaby for Maddie, a children’s story, and a book of poems, Mermaid Musings: Diving in the Margins. Her latest children’s book Spirits in his Hair will be released during Hispanic Heritage month. She is a sought after national speaker at galas and conferences. Marta, is also a lifelong learner and creative enthusiast—an avid foodie who enjoys cooking, flying kites, time on the ocean, and an amateur quilter who expresses creativity through textile design. Marta continues to inspire leaders, teams and organizations to embrace courageous conversations, build healthy and inclusive work environments , and create and implement strategic initiatives that create lasting, equitable impact.

• AA, BA, MSW, Phd

• National Best Practice Award, Women Leading Kentucky, Leadership Excellence Award, Woman of Distinction, Daughter of Greatness, Social Work Star among many others

• Center for Women and Families (former CEO)
• Health & Families Service Cabinet ( former DCBS Commissioner) National Association of Social Work,
• Girl Boss

• The Source, LGBTQ+ Center,
• La Casita