New Zealand’s Advocacy Consultant
Built through Adversity.
Driven by Advocacy.
Designed for Impact.
Catherine Cooke has spent a lifetime turning adversity into action, leadership into impact, and lived experience into powerful advocacy creating real-world change for thousands of Kiwis and immigrants. In 2024, while receiving three life-saving blood transfusions from her hospital bed, she grew a national petition to 17,096 signatures, sparked national headlines, and became a finalist for the 2025 New Zealand Herald Hero of the Year.
Expert Healthcare Advocacy & Strategic Communications — you shouldn’t have to fight to be heard alone.
Whether navigating healthcare inequity, advocacy, organisational pressure, leadership through adversity, or building movements for meaningful change – RISE exists to amplify voices, create momentum, and turn lived experience into impact
Advocacy is not just about being seen. It’s about creating pressure, influence, traction, and outcomes that matter.
A healthcare advocate & community engagement specialist, grounded in heritage and driven by purpose.
Catherine is proudly descended from Dutch, German, Portuguese, Maori (Ngapuhi), and English heritage. Her diverse cultural background has shaped her strong sense of identity, community, and commitment to standing up for others.
She is also a proud mother of two adult children, both serving New Zealand in meaningful service roles. Family has always been at the heart of Catherine’s values, inspiring her dedication to service, compassion, and making a positive difference in the lives of others.
Her life and leadership have been forged through resilience, lived experience, and a deep understanding of the challenges many people face. Guided by empathy, integrity, and determination, she has become a passionate advocate for those whose voices are too often overlooked.
Whether supporting individuals, championing important causes, or driving meaningful change, Catherine remains committed to ensuring people feel seen, heard, valued, and fought for. Her unwavering belief in fairness, dignity, and access to opportunity continues to inspire her work and the communities she serves.
Strategic Advocacy, Public Policy Advocacy & Stakeholder Engagement Services
Advocacy & Campaign Strategy
Storytelling & Narrative Positioning
Strategic Advisory & Speaking
Building advocacy campaigns that create visibility, traction, pressure, and meaningful public engagement.
This includes: campaign creation; public narrative strategy; petition development; media positioning; stakeholder messaging; advocacy momentum planning; community engagement strategy
Turning lived experience, organisational purpose, and human stories into powerful narratives that connect emotionally and drive action.
This includes: strategic storytelling; personal and organisational narratives; media feature positioning; keynote messaging; social impact storytelling; and public-facing communication strategy.
Helping organisations, leadership teams, and advocacy movements navigate adversity, influence, communication, resilience, and impact.
Speaking topics include: advocacy through adversity; resilience and rebuilding; women’s health; healthcare inequity; leadership under pressure; navigating grief, loss, and reinvention; and purpose-driven leadership.
Engagement Options
Advocacy Strategy Intensive
FROM:
$3,000 + GST
Advocacy Campaign Partnership
FROM:
$5,000–$15,000+GST
Story Development Sessions
FROM:
$2,500 + GST
Full Narrative & Media Positioning
FROM:
$5,000–$10,000 + GST
Keynote Speaking
FROM:
$5,000 + GST
Advisory Sessions
FROM:
$2,000 + GST
Advocacy in Motion
February 2025 Petition Launch
Catherine launched a national petition calling for funded access to Keytruda for early-stage triple negative breast cancer patients and the removal of advanced-stage-only funding criteria.
This advocacy campaign was created while actively undergoing cancer treatment.
31 May 2025 Petition Closes
The petition closed with:
17,096 signatures across New Zealand.
27 June 2025
National Media & Petition Presentation
The petition was formally presented in Parliament, marking a pivotal moment in the campaign for funded Keytruda access for early-stage triple negative breast cancer patients.
28-29 June 2025
Back-to-Back NZ Herald Coverage
Two days of national coverage in the NZ Herald brought the conversation about healthcare inequity and patient advocacy to New Zealand’s largest audience.
23rd October 2025
Oral presentation to petition select committee
Keytruda added to PHARMAC OFI list for triple negative breast cancer.
November 2025
Nominated for NZ Herald Hero of the Year
Ongoing media advocating to politicians and fronting events,
Meeting with Parliament
This video shows Catherine Cooke presenting her oral submission on the 23rd of October 2025, in support of her petition calling for funding of Keytruda for people with Triple Negative Breast Cancer in New Zealand. Supported by the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, her submission highlights the urgent need to improve access to life-extending treatments and address inequities in cancer care.
She speaks to the real-world impact this disease has on patients and families, and the importance of timely access to modern immunotherapy options. Her presentation reflects a broader push for medicines policy reform and more equitable funding decisions within the health system.
Click the video to watch the full presentation and hear Catherine’s case directly from Parliament.
Todd Seymour, MP ACT 040326 Medicines and TNBC
A Conversation On Health Reform, Cancer & Advocacy
In this video, ACT MP Todd Stephenson speaks in Parliament the next day following his involvement in the World Triple Negative Breast Cancer Day event hosted by Catherine Cooke online and viewed by thousands of New Zealanders nationwide. He reflects on Catherine Cooke’s advocacy journey, medicines reform petition, and the urgent need for better healthcare and medicines access in New Zealand.
As someone living with triple negative breast cancer, this fight has never just been about Catherine Cooke— it’s about the thousands of Kiwi families facing impossible choices while waiting for access to life-saving treatment.
Watch the full discussion and help continue the conversation around meaningful healthcare reform in New Zealand.
A lifetime of building, leading, giving back, and rising again.
90 Staff
Built a multi-group business empire from home into an internationally recognised operation employing close to 90 people.
Global Innovation
Created a franchise-style operational model never previously developed in the industry.
Thousands of Businesses Supported
Worked alongside businesses nationwide through strategy, leadership, culture, growth, and reinvention.
March 2023 – $76,000 Raised for Muriwai
Created and delivered a major fundraising event following Cyclone Gabrielle.
August 2024 – 6,500 Garments donated & $11,000 raised
Delivered a major Dress for Success event shortly after spinal and bariatric surgery.
February 2025 $20,000 raised during cancer treatment + 2,500 items of clothing donated
Continued advocacy and fundraising work during active treatment in support of Dress for Success.
National Media & Publication
Breakfast TV
NZ Herald
Weekend Herald
RNZ
Checkpoint
Woman’s Day
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What does an advocacy consultant do?
A. An advocacy consultant helps individuals, organisations, charities and community groups navigate complex challenges, amplify their voice and create meaningful influence. This can include advocacy strategy, stakeholder engagement, campaign development, submissions, petitions, public awareness initiatives, media engagement and strategic communications. Effective advocacy is about turning important issues into conversations that drive action, awareness and positive change.
Q. Can Catherine help with petition campaigns?
A. Yes. Catherine has first-hand experience leading successful petition campaigns, including growing a national health petition to 17,096 signatures while receiving life-saving treatment herself. RISE can provide guidance on campaign strategy, messaging, community engagement, stakeholder management, media opportunities and maintaining momentum throughout the campaign journey. Every petition is different, but the objective is always to build awareness, engagement and impact around an important cause.
Q. Can Catherine help individuals?
A. Yes. While much of Catherine’s work involves organisations and communities, she is also passionate about helping individuals whose stories deserve to be heard.
One example was supporting Amber Rose, whose personal story resonated with communities across New Zealand. Through strategic storytelling, media exposure and community engagement, awareness of Amber’s situation grew significantly, helping increase her Givealittle campaign from approximately $2,300 to more than $42,000. While outcomes can never be guaranteed, Catherine understands the power of authentic storytelling and how lived experiences can inspire people to take action, offer support and create meaningful change.
Q. Does Catherine provide keynote speaking?
A. Yes. Catherine is available for keynote presentations, conferences, leadership events, community forums, business events and panel discussions.
Popular topics include:
- Leadership through adversity
• Advocacy that creates change
• Cancer, survivorship and resilience
• Healthcare equity and medicines access
• Women in leadership
• Community engagement and influence
• Turning lived experience into impact
• Building momentum through strategic storytelling
Every presentation is tailored to the audience and combines practical insights with authentic lived experience.
Q. What organisations does Catherine work with?
A. Catherine works with businesses, charities, not-for-profit organisations, healthcare organisations, community groups, industry associations, advocacy groups, membership organisations and leaders seeking to create meaningful impact.
She also works alongside individuals and families navigating complex situations where advocacy, awareness, stakeholder engagement or public support may assist in achieving better outcomes.
Q. Can RISE assist with stakeholder engagement?
A. Yes. Stakeholder engagement is often critical when seeking change, building support or influencing outcomes. RISE can help identify key stakeholders, develop engagement strategies, strengthen relationships, facilitate conversations and create communication approaches that foster trust, collaboration and constructive dialogue.
Q. What advocacy sectors does Catherine specialise in?
A. Catherine is particularly recognised for her work in healthcare advocacy, medicines access, cancer awareness, patient equity and survivorship. She also brings experience across immigration, social impact initiatives, community engagement, leadership, governance and issues affecting vulnerable individuals and communities.
Her advocacy approach is informed not only by professional experience but also by lived experience, allowing her to bring both empathy and strategic insight to complex challenges.
Q. Can RISE help with media positioning?
A. Yes. Strategic media engagement can be a powerful tool for raising awareness and building momentum around important issues. RISE can assist with messaging, story development, media readiness, interview preparation, opinion pieces and identifying opportunities to elevate stories through traditional and digital media channels.
Catherine’s own advocacy journey has generated significant media attention, demonstrating the power of authentic storytelling combined with strategic communication.
Q. Is Catherine available across New Zealand?
A. Yes. Catherine works with organisations, communities and individuals throughout New Zealand and is available for both in-person and virtual engagements.
Support may include advocacy strategy, advisory services, stakeholder engagement, public speaking, workshops, campaign development, media positioning and mentoring. Whether working with an individual, a community initiative or a national organisation, the focus remains the same: helping people create impact, strengthen their voice and achieve meaningful outcomes.