Meet the Interim CEO Guiding The Rose Through Change

Intro: [00:00:00] Transitions test a mission, but they also reveal its strength. As The Rose welcomes interim CEO Katherine Parsley, you’ll hear how a former prosecutor and judge fell in love with The Rose as both patient and advocate. Why her mother’s early detected breast cancer fuels her passion for routine mammograms and early detection and how she plans to study the ship during The Roses transition. If you enjoy this conversation, please share with the Breast Cancer advocate in your life and make a donation at therose.org.

Dorothy: Let’s Talk About Your Breast, a different kind of podcast presented to you by The Rose Breast Center of Excellence and a Texas treasure. You’re gonna hear frank discussions about tough topics, and you’re gonna learn why knowing about your breast could save your life.

Katherine, it is just wonderful to have you here and I am so delighted that we were able to [00:01:00] make this podcast work as our new interim CEO, you are taking on a pretty big job here at The Rose, so I wanna know something about you, but I also want you to tell us, how do you know you’re ready for this?

Katherine: Well, as such, I, I wanna begin by saying thank you.

Dorothy: Oh.

Katherine: Thank you. We did.

Dorothy: Of course.

Katherine: You know, thank you for making this work, uh, for me to be here today. It’s really an honor. And I’ll say I’m excited about coming to The Rose as the interim. Um, really excited about it. Not just because it’s a big job and such a great organization, but my goodness, what big shoes to fill?

Dorothy: Oh.

Katherine: Um, yours. So it’s, it’s, it’s, uh, an exciting time and I’m really happy to be here during this period of transition. I’ll say, to answer your question, uh, that what makes me ready for it, I think, is recognizing that in nonprofits, uh, during times of transition of leadership. It is nice to be able to [00:02:00] come in and just act as an interim and be here temporarily. I call myself the temp. Uh, be here temporarily just to work with the team and support the mission during this transition time. Uh, I’m really honored and grateful to the board, uh, for asking me to do it. Yes. And I’m looking forward to what the next six months will bring and all that we can do during the short time that I’m here.

Dorothy: So, Katherine, you’ve got a lot of nonprofit experience. Besides having your own law firm.

Katherine: That’s right.

Dorothy: So I wanna go down both of those paths. What moved you into being a lawyer. What, what motivated that?

Katherine: I’m a third or fourth generation lawyer actually.

Dorothy: Ah, okay.

Katherine: I followed in my father’s footsteps, but I became a lawyer and went to the DA’s office and I was a prosecutor for about 12 years down in Harris County working in the courtroom. Uh, seeing that justice was done every day, and that is what qualified me when the position became open at Crime [00:03:00] Stoppers, a nonprofit organization to become their executive director. So I really took a 180 degree turn. I went from a law practice in the courtroom into the nonprofit world and, and just really found my passion serving that mission. Since that time, I left Crime Stoppers, uh, to become a judge. Since that time, uh, though after, after leaving the bench in 2018, I have really worked in the nonprofit world, um, trying to serve in various different capacities. I sit on several different boards. I’m really happy to volunteer as a board member with several different nonprofit organizations here in Houston. And then I have served in an interim capacity as, uh, as the CEO for a couple of different organizations that were going through a transition in leadership, just like The Rose is. So I’ve done this a few times, um, and I find that, that each time the nonprofit becomes my passion anew every single time. Um, but I’m really happy to be at The Rose. [00:04:00]

Dorothy: Well.

Katherine: I have known of The Rose for so many years.

Dorothy: That’s one of my questions.

Katherine: Yes.

Dorothy: How did you know about The Rose?

Katherine: I have known of The Rose for so many years and all the good work that, uh, The Rose does here in our community. I have known of it as a patient. I got my own mammogram. Uh, I had my own mammogram done at The Rose several years ago, so I’ve, I’ve, uh, known of it for a long time. Really respect the work that is done by this team. Um, have been a patient. And now I’m really excited to be the interim CEO.

Dorothy: And you’ve had the experience of having breast cancer in your family?

Katherine: I have. So my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago. She’s doing great now. Um, but it was found on a routine mammogram. She’s always been very vigilant about her healthcare and is a good role model for that. Was at a routine mammogram where they found breast cancer. It was diagnosed very early and she was able to receive treatment and is doing great today.

Dorothy: Did you have to do much caregiving during [00:05:00] that time or.

Katherine: She, she needed some care. She was fortunate in her healthcare needs that she had some surgery and then radiation. She did not have to have chemo, so, so it’s really a message, that early detection and routine mammograms are invaluable.

Dorothy: Oh, yes.

Katherine: We’re so grateful in my family. Um, that she had, that she was on that schedule. And it makes it easy for me to really advocate to women that early detection, routine mammograms and care, uh, when you have a diagnosis, are just the key. It, it makes me passionate about coming to The Rose.

Dorothy: Hmm. I could, I could pick that up. From the first time that I met you, I kept thinking, why is she so passionate? What is this? And then when you said that, I thought, oh, well, from many different levels.

Katherine: Many different levels. I think we’ve all been touched by it. We all know someone, whether there’s someone in our family or someone in our friend circle. Uh, but all, we all, all of us women and men have been touched by breast [00:06:00] cancer.

Dorothy: Right. In some way or another. So let’s talk about your time at Crime Stoppers. What, what do you remember most about that time?

Katherine: Well, you know, crime Stoppers, I remember most two things.

Dorothy: Okay.

Katherine: Um, first, that was my first, uh, leadership position in a nonprofit organization. So I had to learn that nonprofit governance, uh, very quickly. I went to the Leadership Institute for Nonprofit Executives at Rice. I’m a big advocate for that program. Um, so I learned everything that I could, uh, in a, in a very short period of time. It was a steep hill to climb. But they, they really took a leap of faith on me and I was grateful to have the board support and to learn that nonprofit governance. The second thing that was so much fun about Crime Stoppers was, of course, it’s an anonymous tip line where cash rewards are paid for information that leads to an arrest of a felony suspect. And so it was really fun. Some of the stories that we heard, I had been a prosecutor in the courtroom right now. I was working to try to support the investigations and support the closing of cases in a different [00:07:00] way, and it was just a lot of fun. We had we had a lot of good stories, um, good stories coming from, from some of the tips that we received.

Dorothy: Mm. It had to be exciting.

Katherine: It was exciting. It was.

Dorothy: Oh yeah.

Katherine: You know, nonprofit work is exciting when it’s a mission that you can really get passionate about.

Dorothy: And you brought in all of your education, all of your experience, everything into that job.

Katherine: That’s right. I knew the mission side. I knew the, the work. I knew the legal side. And the criminal justice aspects. I learned the nonprofit governance and the rest. You know, the rest my career has, has been a result of all of that.

Dorothy: So now you’ve been a judge twice?

Katherine: I was a judge from 2013 to 2018. I left the bench in 2018 and since that time, have a law practice and then my, my nonprofit work. Prior to The Rose I worked at Bose Place.

Dorothy: Greater organization.

Katherine: Grief support for families.

Dorothy: Yes.

Katherine: Uh, who have suffered a loss. And really appreciated that mission and the opportunity [00:08:00] to serve as the interim CEO there. And I worked at Faith in Practice, which is medical mission work in Guatemala. Uh, we, my husband and I volunteered.

Dorothy: Which is fascinating. Yes.

Katherine: It’s a great organization. It’s been around for 30, more than 30 years now.

Dorothy: Oh.

Katherine: Uh, but we are volunteers. My husband Brian and I are volunteers on an orthopedic team that provides, uh, medical healthcare in Guatemala twice a year. We go down twice a year to serve on those mission, mission teams. So it was truly an honor having been a volunteer for Faith in practice to, to serve as their interim CEO when they were having a transition in leadership. Uh, so I’ve done it a few times now, but every time the key is, um, having a passion for the mission and being able to really get excited about the position. That’s what helps me support the team.

Dorothy: Right.

Katherine: That’s the goal here at The Rose, to be able to do all that we can do in this short period of time that we’re gonna have to support every member of the team and keep our mission [00:09:00] moving forward.

Dorothy: So you have four. Daughters?

Katherine: Four daughters, four great sons-in-law and 12 grandchildren. I have 12 grandchildren. 12 grandchildren under the age of 11.

Dorothy: Oh.

Katherine: So, so they’re like a little pack, but they’re a lot of fun. Um, only one family lives here in Houston, so we get to see two of the grandkids, um, pretty often. And then the rest of them when they come to town or when we go see them, and it’s, it’s just a ton of fun.

Dorothy: Oh, it sounded like it.

Katherine: Yeah.

Dorothy: Now. With your daughters, what are, what messages do you hope you’ve sent to them?

Katherine: Well, I think they’re all truly just amazing young women who are raising their families and working so hard in so many ways. They have wonderful lives. Um, two of them are in San Antonio, one’s in Alabama, and one is here in Houston. And I’m just so, I’m so grateful for them every single day. And I am so grateful for the [00:10:00] family that we have, and I feel very blessed by it. I’m very, very lucky.

Dorothy: I was, I was thinking about, we talk about breast cancer a lot here at The Rose, but really so much of our mission revolves around women. And that aspect that we continue to see. Of women not always putting themselves first, so. Are, have you seen that in the other positions you’ve had or even from the bench that,

Katherine: Yeah.

Dorothy: Women often didn’t do that.

Katherine: Well, I see that every day. I think that is absolutely a characteristic of women in our time or in our culture, maybe. But it’s absolutely our characteristic, all of us, that we tend not to put ourselves first. And I think that when it comes to healthcare, it’s just so important. I think we all say that, and we all know that intellectually. But we are all so busy on our little various hamster wheels, and so it is a message that’s worth [00:11:00] repeating. I, I think I sort of mentioned it earlier that I think my mom has been a good role model for consistent healthcare and making the time to go and get your mammograms. I think that we all need to be the role models for each other and, and work on on really saying that message out loud. You know, take care of yourself. Put yourself first when you need help, reach out for it. When it’s routine, make the time. Um, I think it is absolutely true that we fail to do that often, and we need to remember that, that it’s really putting, it’s putting ourselves first is, is a benefit to everyone else.

Dorothy: It is.

Katherine: When it comes to healthcare.

Dorothy: Yeah. So how do you ensure your own self wellbeing? What do you do?

Katherine: Well, I think, I think I’m as guilty as everyone not necessarily following my own best, good advice. Um, I like to work and I think that working in these nonprofit organizations, your work is rewarding. And so we [00:12:00] can all be grateful that the work that we’re doing we like to do. But I think in the downtime, I think that, um, it is making time for all the things that we need to do routinely, but making time for the things that are fun. And that downtime in my downtime. You know, I’m, um, my husband and I are social. We like to do fun things with fun people. And then we like to travel and, uh, we are, we are big travelers. Um, not only to far away places, but just short weekend trips. We have a ranch in South Texas that we really enjoy going to, and we are, um, always looking for fun things to do with fun friends. So I think that that is equally important. Making the time for relationships and making the time for, um.

Dorothy: That is such a good point.

Katherine: Relaxing and renewing.

Dorothy: With people that have nothing to do with work. Or nothing to do with our day to day that we’ve known or we’ve, we’ve have similar likes and, you [00:13:00] know, experiences.

Katherine: Yeah.

Dorothy: That, that can make such a. Difference in, in our own wellbeing. You know?

Katherine: I think that’s right. And finding those pockets of time to spend time with people or reasons to get together. Um, or just reasons, you know, to, to just, um, be at home, you know, and just be relaxing. I think that we’re lucky that we live in Houston where we can be outside all the time. And, and it’s, it’s always, you know, we can, we can really enjoy things here. We don’t have to dig through snow just to go, go do something fun. So, so I think we can take advantage of that and we often do, we have a lot of things at our house and open up the doors and spread out into the backyard and cook a big meal. And, and to me that is, that is the most fun and the best way to spend time.

Dorothy: Were you always in Texas?

Katherine: Always in Texas.

Dorothy: Ah.

Katherine: Yes. I’ve, I was born here.

Dorothy: Oh.

Katherine: Um, so I grew up here in Houston and constantly.

Dorothy: My gosh, you’re a native Houston. Besides a native Texan.

Katherine: I’m a native Houstonian and we are rare. Uh, [00:14:00] and so really enjoy, you know, in, I say Houston is a big city, but it’s a small town. And so run into people all the time that I’ve grown up with or known, always have had, uh, a home here. Always practice law here. Um, and just really appreciate all that Houston offers.

Dorothy: Parents always here?

Katherine: Parents always here. They live right around the corner. Uh, my husband.

Dorothy: Right. And how many generations? Let’s.

Katherine: Well, we have three. We have three generations here. My parents are here.

Dorothy: Okay. Uhhuh.

Katherine: Um, and then, uh. They live right around the corner from us, so get to see them quite often. I have a sister and a couple of nephews who live, who, my nephews don’t live here in Houston anymore, but my sister and brother-in-law live here in Houston. And then my husband is one of 10 siblings. So on his side we have a great amount of extended family.

Dorothy: Yes.

Katherine: So, um, the, the parsley network is huge. I always say. So he has 10 siblings, so we have lots of nieces and nephews, um, that are in town. As well as our own. So it’s just [00:15:00] a lot of, a lot of family around and it makes, um, Thanksgiving and Christmas a ball.

Dorothy: Oh yes. So what, what do you value most in, um, you’ve talked a lot about the team and how you’re here to support the team. What, what are your values when it comes to that?

Katherine: When it comes to the team? I, so because I am the interim CEO and I’m here for a limited period of time and the search committee is going to be working hard to locate the permanent leadership. I am here to support the team and be here, um, and do whatever I can do to help them move forward for the short period of time that I’m here. In other words, I’m not here and my values are not around. You know, let’s do the next biggest thing that we can accomplish for The Rose. Or let’s set the strategic plan for the next five or 10 years. That’s not my role here. My role here is the next six months and doing [00:16:00] everything that I can do to accomplish anything that anyone needs in that time.

The values. The value, we’re gonna work hard, we’re gonna have a lot of fun and we’re going to do, we’re going to. We’re gonna evaluate what we can accomplish together in a short period of time, that would be really meaningful and set a good foundation for the permanent leadership that will come in. Um, that’s the way that I like to approach it. I always, I always try to say, we’re not gonna, you know, we’re not gonna double the budget, but we’re not gonna half it either. You know, we’re, we’re just going to, we’re just gonna do everything that we can do to maintain stability. But move us forward in the most helpful way possible.

Dorothy: That, that sounds really reassuring. And I know that the employees who’ve met you are very excited to work with you. So, you know, I think.

Katherine: Thank you for that.

Dorothy: I think they’re hearing it from you, from everything that you’re saying. They’re, they’re feeling like they’re gonna have that support.

Katherine: Well, I’m excited to work with them. I mean, truly, [00:17:00] you know. Healthcare, this is, this mission is so exciting. This is such an opportunity, um, for the next person who comes into this role. Um, what an opportunity this is, um, for the search committee. I know they’re gonna have a really hard time because this is, it’s an a wonderful opportunity at a well established nonprofit that has an excellent mission, that is easy to get behind and does such a service and such a benefit to women. Um, I’m excited to be here working with the team and I’m excited to meet all of them. Um, I think I’ve met, I know I’ve met the leadership team and the executive team, and I’ve, I’ve watched.

Dorothy: Our navigation team.

Katherine: Met a few people walking around, so I’m looking forward to saying hello to everyone. Uh, we’ll be, we’ll be walking around a bunch while I’m here.

Dorothy: Okay. So this is what part of this podcast is all about. Our employees are gonna be listening, so what other message would you want them to hear?

Katherine: You [00:18:00] know, I think the only other message is that I is, the only other message would be, um, that I am here and I, I am also the interim so they can feel comfortable, you know, come and talk to me, communicate with me. Tell me what it is that I can do to help. Tell me what it is that you need. Um, tell me what’s going right. You can tell me what’s going wrong and, and, I think it’s an important message for them to know that my door is always open, my phone is always on. I recognize that times of transition can be unsettling sometimes, and so I am always available and they don’t ever, they should not ever hesitate to contact me or call me. I sort of like that, you know? I want them to reach out and I want to get to know them during the time that I’m here.

Dorothy: You do know we have like 122 employees and we only have three men. Is that, is that right?

Katherine: Can you believe that?

Dorothy: I know, I So you have, [00:19:00] so I’m, I’m.

Katherine: Three brave men.

Dorothy: Saying Yes. Very brave. You have a lot of opinionated.

Katherine: Yeah.

Dorothy: Strong women. That work here, so I have no doubt they’re gonna come to you with whatever they think.

Katherine: Well see. I’ll fit right in. You’ll fit right in. Fit right in.

Dorothy: Yes.

Katherine: Because I’m opinionated and I have been told I am opinionated and strong, so, so I’ll fit right in and we can all handle it together. And I think, I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun. I’m trying to figure out what day I can go ride around in one of the coaches. I’m kind of excited to do that.

Dorothy: Oh, that will be fun.

Katherine: Yes. Yeah. And so, you know, there’s just a lot of things that, um, a lot of messages for the team and a lot that I, that I don’t know that we’ll, that we’ll learn together as we move forward in the next, next couple weeks and months.

Dorothy: Katherine, you’ve had such a distinguished career. Now you really have, and I know that many times you’ve been on, uh, you talked about a case that was even shown on Dateline and is often they show it again. You know?

Katherine: Lots of reruns.

Dorothy: Lots of reruns. [00:20:00] And what let’s, let’s go to, it’s 50 years after your death.

Katherine: Hmm.

Dorothy: What you hope of Katherine is still visible?

Katherine: Oh, that’s such a, such a, a lovely and thought, thought provoking question. Um, I think the, I think many things will still be visible. Um, I’d certainly like, uh, to leave a very positive mark and impact on people as well as on the community. But I think to say it more simply, I think I’d like to be remembered, um, as a person who loved greatly and loved many.

Family and friends, and a person who, uh, loved greatly, the, you know, the, the missions that we serve, the people that we help, each of the places that I have worked or volunteered, uh, the population that we serve has been different. But I hope that the [00:21:00] positive impact has been great in each. I’d like to be remembered as a person who had positive impact in many different ways.

I kind of laugh about it because I say that my most recent nonprofit is always my favorite. The one, you know, the one that I’m at today is the one that I like the most. And I’m at a different one every day, and it’s the one I like the most, but I, but I really appreciate it because I want to serve in many different ways.

I want to serve in every way that I can, and I wanna have as big an impact on as many people as I can. So I don’t know that it will be names on buildings or, or, you know, names on parks. But I think that, uh, if I can be remembered by people in a positive way as a person with great love and impact, that would be, that would be, that’d be what I would want.

Dorothy: That’s a great. That’s a great thought.

Katherine: It’s really the truth. I think that that’s, you know, we’re all, we’re all in the, we’re lucky. We’re really lucky that our careers are those types [00:22:00] of careers. We, they are built around how can I be effective and make a difference. And, I feel really lucky that I have been able, each step of my career has been really different. I went from being a lawyer in a courtroom to being a nonprofit leader, to being a judge on the bench. Now, back to nonprofit leadership. I think that each of those, though I’ve had a chance to make a difference. I have had autonomy and the ability to make decisions and an impactful role, and that’s what I tell people. Um. I think is so important and that’s what gives you personal reward. In addition to the reason that you’re working for the, you know, to put food on the table. I think if we can each look at it in that way, that we are here to make a difference in whatever our role is in a positive way for the person standing in front of me or the case that I have on my desk, whatever it is. Um, I think we’re lucky if we can have a career that allows you to do that.

Dorothy: That kind of role in [00:23:00] life.

Katherine: I really do. Yeah. I think that’s the, that’s the key to career. I don’t know about the key to life, but that’s the key to career. So. But for me.

Dorothy: Could translate very easily to to that. What what do you love most about Houston?

Katherine: Well, I love that, uh, I love my family being here. And that it is, that there’s so much family here and there are so many fun things to do. I think Houston is one of the best kept secrets in the country. People think it’s just hot here and they don’t wanna come, and they do not realize. All that we have to offer.

Dorothy: Right.

Katherine: And the value of the fact that it just doesn’t get freezing cold. You can get in and outta this town anytime. We always say that Houston just has two temperatures inside and outside.

Dorothy: Oh, that’s good. Yes.

Katherine: And so I try to say that all that Houston has to offer, you know, the food, the culture. Um. The, the different plays and symphonies and operas that you can go to. The ballet, um, all the parks, all [00:24:00] the green space that we have, the museums, my husband and I are heavily involved at the health museum. Um, so all the different aspects that Houston offers, in addition to having an international airport right here.

Dorothy: Yes.

Katherine: That you can go anywhere in the world that you wanna go. I think Houston offers an awful lot and, and it’s something that maybe the rest of the country doesn’t always recognize. We’re having fun right now at the rodeo. Which I think is one of the best things about Houston. Kind of shuts down the town for three weeks. Um, but what a fun time and for a great purpose. So, so lots of fun things in Houston and, and people, uh, that people enjoy taking advantage of.

Dorothy: Alright. The most favorite place you’ve ever visited.

Katherine: Oh, that’s too hard. I love to visit so many different places.

Dorothy: You can have three.

Katherine: Well, so I, we, you know, I do love to travel. And Brian and I are travelers. I think one of my favorite places, um, that I have ever visited was Paris. Um, we went recently [00:25:00] to Italy and that was fascinating. Um, there are, you know, we go to Guatemala routinely, and Antigua, Guatemala is a great place to visit.

Dorothy: Yeah.

Katherine: Um, the farthest I have been around the world is Cambodia, in Seoul, South Korea.

Dorothy: Whoa.

Katherine: And Seoul, South Korea is amazing to visit and there’s so much there. Cambodia has amazing history and things. Uh, anger Watt is a very spiritual place to go and see. Um, so that’s about as far away as I have been. And then. You know, I even like to visit the close places like South Texas. So there are, there are lots of.

Dorothy: So where in South Texas is your ranch?

Katherine: So the ranch is near Laredo.

Dorothy: Oh.

Katherine: And then my family and my parents are from Rockport, Texas. And so we have a place in Rockport, Texas on the beach. Um, that is fun to go fishing. So we go to South Texas for the, down to Laredo for the hunting. Rockport for the fishing. We, we spend a lot of time in South Texas doing lots of different outdoor things. I definitely am an outdoor person and, uh, [00:26:00] we, we do a lot of hunting and fishing in my family. Um, and so really enjoy that.

Dorothy: Wow. Well, what else can you tell us and our, we’re gonna wrap this up, but what else would you like us to know about Katherine?

Katherine: Well, I think, I mean, I appreciate this chance to introduce myself to everyone. Um, and I think that. I, I don’t know that there’s much else to tell other than just to say that I’m, that I’m really, I’m happy to be here. I’m looking forward to what we can do in the next few months with The Rose, and then to welcoming the permanent leader when that person is identified by the search committee, uh, in the future.

And just really big shoes to fill., Dorothy. Your shoes are really big shoes to fill. And so I guess I just wanna say thank you really for, for The Rose and for all that you’ve done here. I’m enjoying getting to know it. Um, but what a legacy. You’re leaving congrats on your retirement and we look forward to celebrating that with you.

Dorothy: Oh, thank you so much, Katherine.

Katherine: I know you’re not gonna be too far away. We’re not gonna let you.

Dorothy: [00:27:00] No, I will be at least for a little while.

Katherine: That’s right.

Dorothy: Thank you for being with us and really appreciate you making the time.

Katherine: Well, thank you. Thank you for this.

Post-Credits: Thank you for joining us today on Let’s Talk About Your Breasts. This podcast is produced by Speke Podcasting and brought to you by The Rose. Visit therose.org to learn more about our organization. Subscribe to our podcast, share episodes with friends, and join the conversation on social media using #LetsTalkAboutYourBreasts. We welcome your feedback and suggestions. Consider supporting The Rose. Your gift can make the difference to a person in need. And remember, self care is not selfish. It’s essential.