Girls on the Run of Los Angeles County

Volunteer: Catherine Bradshaw

Girls on the Run of Los Angeles County's (GOTRLA) mission is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.

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Catherine Bradshaw discovered GOTRLA through word of mouth during the COVID-19
pandemic. As a certified personal trainer with a deep history of volunteerism, she felt drawn to the
organization, but it was her personal story that made the connection especially meaningful. Raised by a single father in the military, marked by the frequency of her moves and school transfers, Cat
experienced bullying as a child and often felt like an outsider. “This is exactly what I needed when I
was a 12-year-old girl,” she shared. Since completing her first season as a coach, Cat has continued to lead Heart & Sole teams of middle schoolers with energy and care. Each season, she dedicates more than 55 hours to leading practices, supporting registration and communication with parents, training junior coaches, and building a positive, organized environment where every girl feels seen and celebrated. Her coaching is deeply inclusive and emotionally attuned—creating safe spaces where girls open up about challenges like bullying, autism, or dyslexia and feel empowered in return. Cat is also an engaged ambassador of the program, having served a term on the Board and continuing to support fundraising efforts. She takes pride in the lifelong friendships she’s formed with fellow coaches, whom she mentors with encouragement, feedback, and shared leadership. Cat fully embodies GOTRLA's mission: transforming lives through confidence, connection, and care. Her service is extraordinary not only in its consistency (nine seasons and counting) but in the depth of empathy, leadership, and joy she brings to every interaction.