ECD Certification Bright Spots Celebration: Meet Our Newest ECD Specialist Elephant Riders!

We’re beyond excited to celebrate Katherine Riddoch, Kate Bacchus, and Cathy Sheppard—our newest ECD Specialist Elephant Riders! In just a year since becoming Certified Consultants, these three have grown, experimented, and inspired us all with their dedication to crafting emotional cultures that truly matter.

Their journeys remind us of the power of connection, courage, and trusting the process. Here’s what they shared with us when we asked them to reflect on what they've achieved so far along our ECD Certification Pathway...

Katherine Riddoch: Trusting the Power of Conversation

Facilitating the first-ever hybrid Emotional Leadership Course for the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania has been a highlight for Katherine. She says:

“I’ve especially loved integrating the simple yet transformative use of The Emotional Culture Deck to elevate the importance of feelings in the workplace. Witnessing how The ECD fosters open, meaningful conversations and creates a space for emotional connection has been deeply rewarding.” 

She’s also seen the success of The ECD 6-Step Challenge, helping teams not just learn their values but live them. And through it all, the joy and support of the R&E community have been a constant source of inspiration. 

Kate Bacchus: Embracing the Magic of ‘A-Ha’ Moments

For Kate, this journey has been about connection and courage:

“Meeting, getting to know, and being inspired by the amazing people in this community has been pure magic!” 

She’s grown her confidence by stepping outside her comfort zone, and she’s loved sharing The ECD with others. Those magical ‘a-ha’ moments—when people finally put words to what they’re feeling and plan their next steps—have made it all worthwhile. 

Her advice? Stay curious. Plan well, but hold your plans loosely. And trust that your role is to create the space for realisations to happen.

Cathy Sheppard: Keeping It Simple and Trusting the Process

Cathy’s journey with The ECD has been all about confidence and simplicity:

“Using The ECD in so many different ways with different groups has hugely increased my confidence. I’ve learned to focus on Keeping it Simple—less is more!” 

She’s found joy in writing reflections after workshops and embedding those insights into how she supports teams. Her mantra? Trust the process. The cards and tools work. Letting people experience how easy it can be to talk about emotions unlocks powerful shifts for teams.

And a bonus tip from Cathy: “Make sure your workshop participants know what they’re stepping into—no surprises!” It’s also become seamless to integrate The ECD into her leadership coaching, helping business owners reflect on emotions and how they impact stakeholder

A Huge Thank You 

Katherine, Kate, and Cathy—you’ve shown us all how transformative this work can be. You’ve shared your energy, insights, and experiences so generously. You remind us to trust the process, embrace simplicity, and lean into those a-ha moments.

We’re so grateful to have you in our community, helping us all reimagine what leadership and workplace culture can be.

Together, let’s keep flipping what the world feels.

Ready to Join the Journey? 

The Emotional Culture Deck is the #1 game for better workplace culture. It helps spark the face-to-face conversations that drive real, bottom-up change. Want to learn how you can become an ECD Certified Consultant and shape the emotional cultures of the future?

Check out our ECD Certification Pathway here >