From Northern Ireland to Portland, Oregon, Cathy Reynolds has built her life around public service, leadership, and compassion. A successful HR executive and proud Bridges parent, Cathy brings her deep understanding of people and purpose to her role on the Bridges Board.
Early Roots: A Foundation in Service
Cathy grew up in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, just outside of Belfast, during one of the most turbulent times in the country’s history. When sectarian violence erupted in the late 1970s — during what became known as the Troubles — her parents made the courageous decision to emigrate. The turning point came after Lord Mountbatten, Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin, was assassinated mere miles from where they had planned to build a family vacation cottage in County Sligo.
When she was almost 12 years old, Cathy, her parents, and two sisters settled in Calgary, Canada. “It was a huge cultural and educational transition,” she recalls. “Middle school is hard for all kids, but adding a completely new country and cultural differences on top of that made it even tougher. No one deserves to be bullied. No one deserves to be left out.”
Those early challenges helped forge Cathy’s empathy and determination. By high school, she had found her rhythm. She joined the stage band, winning a national competition, and discovered an appreciation for teamwork and camaraderie. At 17 years old, Cathy joined the Canadian Army Reserves, where she completed Signals Officer training and gained extensive leadership and teamwork experience.
“That experience shaped how I think about people, structure, and purpose,” she says. “It taught me that leadership isn’t about rank. It’s about helping others succeed.”
Building a Career Around People and Service
Cathy earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and Anthropology at the University of Calgary, followed by a Masters of Science in Business Administration from the University of British Columbia (UBC). Her Master’s thesis focused on empowerment in the workplace, foreshadowing her lifelong interest in how people grow and thrive within organizations.
She has always been in a public-serving or mission-oriented setting. Cathy kicked off her non-military career in organizational behavior at UBC’s HR department. In her late 20s, she transitioned to Portland and a nearly two-decade career at Northwest Natural. There, she honed her leadership skills across HR, operations, and technology integration — developing a reputation for aligning people, systems, and strategy.
Today, Cathy blends data-driven insights with a human-centered approach as Vice President of of HR Technology, Talent Acquisition, Talent Planning, and People Analytics & Insights at Legacy Health, where she is proud to contribute to their mission of being essential to the health of the community. “No matter what role I’m in,” she laughs, “I center my work around being of service to the community; and, I also want to develop those who work on my teams. My job is to work myself out of a job! I’m here to help people learn and grow.”
Family and Connection
Cathy and her wife Alix, a Portland Public Schools teacher, have four children — Aidan, Kieran, Rylie, and Olivia — and an Irish wolfhound, Maeve.
“As a blended family, we’ve navigated all the intricacies of neurodiversity,” Cathy shares. “My oldest son has ADHD and anxiety, and Rylie is neurodiverse. Frankly, we’re all neurodiverse!”
It was Rylie’s journey that first brought the family to Bridges Middle School, shortly after its transition from being Gately Academy. They learned about Bridges through a neuropsych evaluation and immediately knew it was the right fit.
“This is the school where kids like Rylie could truly be themselves, learn, and feel safe,” Cathy explains. “When Rylie started at Bridges, her tantrums stopped. She had a sense of happiness and calmness that permeated our whole house.”
Joining the Board
When Beven Byrnes approached Cathy about joining the Bridges Board, she didn’t hesitate. “I said, ‘Yes! What can I do to help?’” she recalls.
Since joining in 2018, Cathy has contributed her strategic thinking and HR leadership expertise to help guide the school through a number of major milestones, including stabilizing finances, supporting the Southwest Portland and Slabtown moves, and reinstating the executive director/principal co-leadership model.
“I’m not a finance expert,” Cathy shares with a smile, “but I know how to look at the numbers and think strategically. I’m also happy to be a thought partner whenever there’s a complex HR issue.”
Vision for the Future
Cathy’s current focus is on strengthening governance and expanding the Board to reflect the school’s growing impact. “We’re currently a small but mighty board,” she says. “I’d like to see us adopt some of the governance structures that larger independent schools have.”
She’s also passionate about fostering more community engagement, staff support, and continuing Bridges’ mission as a learning hub for neurodiverse education.
“I love the idea of hosting community and educator externships on our campus,” she says. “Bridges isn’t just a school. It’s a model for nurturing and empowering students who learn differently.”
Words to Live (and Lead) By
“As a Board, we collectively focus on the school environment. We’re here for the student learning and for the mission.” Cathy explains. “Bridges is often the place for those who have been bullied … not for the people who do the bullying.”
She continues, “If you come from a walk of life we haven’t yet encountered, it’s our job to learn, not for you to adapt. There’s too much pressure for everyone to code-switch to the norm. You shouldn’t need to.”
Beyond the Boardroom
Outside of work and volunteering, Cathy enjoys gardening, cooking, camping, and walking her dog, Maeve. She often combines some of these loves by taking trips with Maeve in her camper-van Dreamboat Annie (aka Annie the Vannie per the kids). She’s also rediscovering her love of reading and enjoys a good TV binge, everything from The Great British Baking Show to The Gilded Age and Only Murders in the Building.
Her home projects and hands-on hobbies mirror her approach to life: “I’m not a precision gardener,” she laughs. “I like to get out in the dirt and rummage around. Cooking is like that, too. It’s all about experimentation.”
Future Hopes
Reflecting on Bridges’ journey, Cathy’s pride is palpable.
“I’m proud of where we’ve come from,” she says. “Beven and Carrie have given their everything to this school. The move to our new campus marks a continued trajectory of stability, strategic planning, and being mission-focused. We’re in the big leagues now!”Her hope for Bridges’ future? “That we continue to grow, stay true to our mission, and always remain a community where every child feels seen, valued, and safe.”