Hacia Atherton

Hacia Atherton (born November 29, 1987) is an Australian CEO, CPA, founder, and speaker. She is an advocate for greater diversity in STEM and male-dominated business and trades sectors, through the charity and social enterprise, Empowered Women in Trades (EWIT), which she established in 2020. ^{[1] [2]} In 2021, she launched the annual EWIT Awards to champion women in trades professions and those who support them. ^[3]

Education and career

Atherton was born in Melbourne, to a family in the trades and manufacturing industries.

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) from Deakin University, and a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Melbourne. ^{[4] [5]}

In 2017, while training to compete at the World Equestrian Games in dressage, Atherton was accidentally crushed by her horse. In the six-month recovery and physiotherapy period to walk again, she gained her CPA Australia qualification and began her motivational speaking and coaching career, founding Hacia Atherton International in 2020. ^[6]

Recognition

Atherton was listed among the "Top 30 Women Disruptors To Look Out For" by NYC Journal in 2021, and among the "Top 30 Inspiring Women" by Disruptor Magazine in 2021. Insight Success included her in their "Top 10 Influential Women Entrepreneurs" list. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

In 2024, she won a Telstra Business Award for Best in Business. ^[10]

Advocacy

Atherton has been sought out to share her experiences and expertise on The Project , ^[11] Ticker News, ^[12] Channel 7, ^[13] News.com.au, ^[14] the Sydney Morning Herald , ^[15] and multiple trade and industry publications. ^{[16] [17] [18]}

References

1. "About Us". Empowered Women In Trades. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
2. Davis, Melinda (2024-09-10). "Empowered Women in Trades showcases industry trailblazers". Inside Construction. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
3. "EWIT Awards". Empowered Women In Trades. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
4. Deakin Alumni (2021-08-22). Alumni Story: Hacia Atherton . Retrieved 2025-01-30– via YouTube.
5. Coon, Georgia (2024-07-01). "Psychology: Hacia Atherton". Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
6. "How Hacia Atherton CPA conquered the C-suite". INTHEBLACK. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
7. McCurry, Alex (2021-10-08). "Top 30 Women Disruptors To Look Out For In 2021". The NYC Journal. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
8. Parker, Laura (2021-10-27). "Top 30 Inspiring Women To Look Out For In 2022". Disruptors Magazine. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
9. "The 10 Most Influential Women Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2022". 2022-05-04. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
10. "2024 alumni stories - Empowered Women in Trades - Telstra Best of Business Awards". Telstra. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
11. The Project (2022-07-26). Hacia Atherton's Lifechanging Accident Inspired Her To Reinvent Herself, & Help Others Along The Way . Retrieved 2025-01-30– via YouTube.
12. Hacia Atherton (2021-07-29). Hacia Atherton full interview on Ticker News - living life to its fullest in chronic pain . Retrieved 2025-01-30– via YouTube.
13. "'I couldn't feel my legs': Young Aussie crushed under 600kg horse". 7NEWS. April 10, 2022.
14. Pizzirani, Daniela. "Heartwarming moment paraplegic stands up on 30th birthday". News Limited. news.com.au. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
15. Eder, Billie (2022-03-31). "Just 3% of tradies are women. Hacia is doing something about it". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
16. Atherton, Hacia (2023-12-11). "Tools for change: Industry update from EWIT". The Tradie Magazine. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
17. lifestyleva (2022-04-18). "The rise of women in trade: Guest starring Hacia Atherton, founder of Empowered Women in Trades (EWIT)". LifestyleTradie. Retrieved 2025-01-31.
18. Atherton, Hacia (2023-12-11). "Tools for change: Industry update from EWIT". The Tradie Magazine. Retrieved 2025-01-31.