About

About Jen

With over two decades of experience spanning both corporate and non-profit, heart-centred leadership has been the guiding star of Jen Murtagh’s career. An award-winning and values-based leader, Jen has successfully led national campaigns on anti-bullying, raised millions for vulnerable youth and helped advance gender equity through her work with a variety of women’s causes. 

As an ICF accredited leadership coach, Jen supports women to live + lead bravely through her 1:1 coaching, workshops, speaking and signature Brave Leadership for Women group coaching program. In 2021, Jen co-founded Maturn – Canada’s first maternity leave program and is on a mission to turn the motherhood penalty into the motherhood opportunity. Working with individuals and organizations, Maturn helps build inclusive and equitable organizational cultures by supporting mothers throughout the maternity leave lifecycle and through their transition back to work. 

Jen is a Business in Vancouver ‘Forty Under 40’ Award Winner and Greater Vancouver Board of Trade ‘Women of Promise’. As a community champion, she has volunteered thousands of hours for countless charities and in 2017 fulfilled a lifelong dream by travelling to Africa to lead mentoring + goal-setting workshops with her favourite non-profit One Girl Can. Jen is a mother and stepmother to four children and on weekends can be found reciting the lyrics to her favourite U2 songs and brushing up on her roller skating skills developed in her early years. You can follow her on IG @jenmurtaghcoaching or web at jenmurtagh.com

I will challenge you to show up for yourself
and others with Brave Connectedness™.

What is Brave Connectedness?

Brave Connectednessin your life, your work and your relationships with others means overcoming fear and the stories we’ve held onto, so that you can move forward with confidence, expanded self-compassion and a more grounded sense of self. How you show up for yourself is connected in how you show up with others. 

I believe that Tiny Acts of Bravery pave the way for collective change — but it doesn’t come without facing your fears.

Five Tiny Acts of Bravery
from my own life.

  1. Launching my own business.

    After working for others for 20 years, taking the leap to solely coach others took care, support and overcoming my own inner glass ceiling.

  2. Leaving a marriage in search of Big Love.

    Navigating a divorce, becoming a stepmom, raising & co-parenting four children in pursuit of love that fills my cup was one of the first times I finally decided to prioritize myself.

  3. Saying hello to, well, everyone.

    I’m *that* unapologetic, enthusiastic stranger who would strike up a conversation mid-run or in an elevator. Connecting with others I don’t know and leaning into curiosity, almost daily, truly paved the way to become a community leader. (Seriously, there’s science behind it.)

  4. Speaking on stage. It never gets easier.

    I sometimes feel like I am an introvert living an extrovert lifestyle. Getting up on stage is both thrilling and excruciatingly vulnerable, all at the same time. I have to call hard on my courage and trust that I have value to offer.

  5. Asking the hard questions — for myself *and* others

    Knowing when to step back, reflect and take a new course of action that serves your
    Bigger Picture — even if it means being seen as a failure or navigating judgment — is
    an act of bravery. I believe you can do it, too.

Speaking

A sought-after compelling speaker, I engage and connect with audiences by injecting humour, personal storytelling and tangible takeaways. With ten years of experience presenting to crowds ranging from corporate executive audiences to global conferences, I speak on networking, relationship building, burnout, motherhood, women in leadership and much more.

Speaking Highlights

  • Opening Keynote – Gordon Food Service Women’s Conference ‘Overcoming limiting beliefs to thrive’
  • Panelist – Young Women in Business, International Women’s Day
  • Panelist – PwC, ‘How to Build more Diverse & Inclusive Workplaces’
  • Keynote – MentHERship, ‘The Road to Joy. Redesigning Your Life at Any Age’
  • Panelist – Canadian Public Relations Society, Mental Health + Communications
  • Keynote – RBC Bank Canada, ‘Building social capital through meaningful relationships’
  • Keynote – Rotary International, ‘Aligning with your Purpose’
  • Keynote – Business Council of BC, KPMG, Aritzia, BCLC, and Whistler Chamber of Commerce, ‘Building Meaningful Relationships & Networking’
  • Presenter – WNORTH Conference, Young Women in Business Conference

Community Service

As a volunteer from age 14, being of service is one of my core values. In the last decade, I have volunteered over 1500 hours for non-profits, community groups and mentoring individuals. In 2014, I was recognized as a finalist for the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards in the Community Building category; this was for taking an active role in the service of others and organizations in British Columbia.

Community Service Highlights

  • Board-of-Directors, Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award 
  • Strategic Advisory Council + Volunteer in Africa, One Girl Can
  • Mentor, Women’s Enterprise Centre
  • Organizing Committee, Greater Vancouver Board of Trade ‘We for She’ Event Board-of-Directors, WNORTH Conference Whistler
  • Board-of-Directors, Little Flower Academy
  • Mentor, Speaker + Keynote, Minerva BC
  • Founder, Steveston Moms Network
  • Advisory Council + Communications Co-Chair, GVBOT Women’s Leadership Circle Gala Committee Member, Forum for Women Entrepreneurs
  • Mentor, Association of Fundraising Professionals
  • Mentor, GVBOT Leaders of Tomorrow
  • Sponsorship Chair + House Volunteer, Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon
  • Gala Committee, Canucks for Kids Fund
  • Marketing Chair, BC Children’s Hospital Foundation ‘Jeans Day’
  • Sponsorship Chair + House Volunteer, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice

Career Highlights

  • Chief Strategy Officer at BC Women’s Health Foundation
    • Highlight: Playing a key leadership role in the historical rebrand of the organization.
  • Chief Executive Officer at Minerva BC
    • Highlight: Opening Learning to Lead weekend with 50 young women from around BC.
  • Executive Director, CKNW Kids Fund
    • Highlight: Challenging the hearts and minds of Canadians in leading the Pink Shirt Day campaign, raising over $1.5M for anti-bullying programs in Canada.
  • Director of Communications + Marketing, Sport BC
    • Highlight: Winning the BCAB Humanitarian Grant Award, receiving over $1M in valued media to promote non-profit Kidsport, providing financial assistance to kids who want to play sports. 
  • Marketing Manager, Canucks Sports & Entertainment 
    • Highlight: Being an integral member of a small but mighty marketing team that launched the revered “We are all Canucks” advertising campaign in 2006.

For a more complete overview of Jen’s career experience, education and volunteer leadership, please visit her on Linkedin: 

LinkedIn