Startup Champions Network (SCN) is proud to welcome Catherine Read as the newest member of our Board of Directors. A national movement builder and coalition strategist, Catherine brings deep experience in public policy, civic engagement, and grassroots organizing, skills she now channels toward advancing entrepreneurship as a civic priority across the United States.

Through her work with Right to Start, Catherine has become a leading voice in the growing effort to ensure entrepreneurs are represented in policy conversations and that communities understand the role entrepreneurship plays in building strong local economies.

“I hadn’t understood the full power of entrepreneurship previously,” Catherine said. “But once I saw the connection—how entrepreneurship can lower poverty, reduce inequality, and transform communities—it felt like a light bulb moment.”

Her journey into ecosystem building reflects the same curiosity and commitment to impact that defines the work of SCN members nationwide.

From Global Movements to Entrepreneurial Ecosystems

Before entering the world of entrepreneurship policy, Catherine spent more than a decade building national and international advocacy campaigns focused on human rights.

During her 15 years in Washington, D.C., she helped lead efforts addressing issues ranging from the rights of torture survivors to the protection of civilians in conflict zones. Her work brought together international partners, policymakers, and grassroots advocates to drive policy change on some of the world’s most complex humanitarian challenges.

Those experiences shaped her core belief in the power of coalition building.

“I’ve always focused on how to bring people together around a common goal,” she explained. “Whether it’s through public education, storytelling, or policy advocacy, real change happens when organizations and communities work together.”

That philosophy now guides her work in entrepreneurship. After relocating to North Carolina’s Research Triangle (our Spring 2022 Summit location), Catherine began connecting with local ecosystem builders and discovered the emerging national movement to support entrepreneurs. Through those conversations, she found her way to Right to Start, an organization dedicated to making entrepreneurship a civic priority.

Building a National Movement for Entrepreneurs

At Right to Start, Catherine leads the design and implementation of the organization’s national field infrastructure, building and scaling coalitions that elevate entrepreneurship in policy conversations at the local, state, and national levels. Today, this work includes coordinating state coalitions that bring together ecosystem builders, founders, innovators, and community leaders to advocate for entrepreneurial growth.

“We now have coalitions in multiple states where people are coming together to focus on policy change, public education, and storytelling around entrepreneurship,” Catherine said. “It’s about helping communities recognize that entrepreneurs are the real job creators.”

For ecosystem builders on the ground, she believes the most powerful starting point is simple: conversation. Whether it’s with neighbors, local business owners, or policymakers, telling the stories of entrepreneurs and the impact they have on communities can spark the awareness needed to drive meaningful change.

“You don’t need to be a policy expert,” she explained. “Just telling the story of why entrepreneurship matters in your community can open the door to real conversations with policymakers.”

Finding Her Community at SCN

Catherine’s introduction to Startup Champions Network came through the SCN Summit in Fort Worth. Like many first-time attendees, she immediately felt she had found her people.

“I was around these people and thought, yes, this is my community,” she said. “SCN members are doers. They want to learn, collaborate, and figure out how to move the work forward.”

She quickly became involved with our policy conversations, participating in the DC Policy Summit and joining the Policy Committee. Serving on the board felt like a natural next step.

As a Board Member, Catherine’s work will focus on supporting the Policy Committee alongside other leaders, while also helping expand SCN’s reach and strengthen its membership network.

“It can feel lonely when you’re doing this work and don’t realize there are others across the country doing the same thing,” Catherine said. “SCN provides that community of people learning from each other and moving the field forward together.”

A National Moment for Entrepreneurship

Catherine is also helping lead a national campaign through Right to Start called America the Entrepreneurial, which seeks to elevate entrepreneurship as a unifying civic priority. The campaign is already gaining momentum, with cities and states beginning to adopt policies that support founders and startup growth.

“We’re seeing leaders step forward because entrepreneurship is one of the few issues that bring people together across political divides,” Catherine said. “It’s something communities can rally around.”

The goal is not only policy change but also broader public awareness—helping people understand that entrepreneurs, not large corporations, are responsible for most new job creation. For Catherine, this work represents an opportunity to grow a national movement that includes ecosystem builders, policymakers, and founders alike.

Looking Ahead

As she joins the SCN Board, Catherine is eager to help expand the network, strengthen policy engagement, and deepen collaboration across ecosystems. Her experience building movements, forging coalitions, and translating complex issues into actionable campaigns brings a powerful perspective to the organization.

And perhaps most importantly, she shares the core belief that unites the SCN community: that entrepreneurship can transform communities.

“We still have so many people out there who don’t know this ecosystem exists,” she said. “There are more people we can bring into this work, and that’s incredibly exciting.”