Lead with Confidence. Learn with Purpose. Step Into Your Future.
UP&GO empowers women and girls across New Brunswick to explore, pursue, and thrive in careers across STEM, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
Through mentorship, community, and career-connected learning, we’re building a more inclusive future – one leader at a time.
Our Audience
About Us
Up+Go is a female-led initiative built to spark confidence, digital curiosity, and leadership in the next generation of women across New Brunswick and beyond.
We design learning experiences for girls and women at three key stages – high school, post-secondary, and early career to help them explore careers in tech, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Our Mission
To close the gender gap in digital careers by building confidence, connection, and career readiness in girls and women.
What Makes Us Different:
Confidence First
We focus on mindset, identity, and leadership, not just skills
Stories that Inspire
Our programs create ripple effects through storytelling
Mentorship That Matters
Every participant is matched with a mentor that aligns with their interests
Local Roots, Big Impact
Designed for New Brunswick, delivered province-wide.
Career-Connected Learning
Real-world exposure to tech tools, pathways, and employers
Why It Matters
Women and girls are still vastly underrepresented in STEM fields, leadership roles, and as founders of startups.
This gap isn’t just a gender issue; it is a missed opportunity for innovation, creativity, and economic growth in New Brunswick.
The stats speak for themselves:
Women make up less than 30% of Canada’s STEM workforce (Government of Canada, 2023)
Globally, women represent only 29.2% of the STEM workforce (Society of Women Engineers, 2023)
Only 35% of STEM graduates in G20 countries are women (United Nations, 2023)
These numbers make it clear: while progress has been made, there’s still a long way to go.
Up+Go exists to close this gap by empowering girls and women in New Brunswick to build confidence, gain skills, and see themselves as future leaders in STEM.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Up+Go exists to change the narrative, starting early and building momentum through mentorship, digital skill-building, and community.
We help girls and women see themselves in these careers, not as exceptions, but as leaders, innovators, and builders of the future.
By empowering young women, we’re investing in a stronger, more inclusive workforce, one that reflects the full talent and diversity of New Brunswick.
Our Focus Areas
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Building digital fluency and sparking curiosity
LEADERSHIP
Encouraging bold ideas and creative risk-taking
STEM
Developing confidence, voice, and value-based decision-making.
There has never been a better time to be a girl.
And there’s never been a more important time to make sure she knows what’s possible.
Programs
At Up+Go, we create learning experiences that meet girls and women where they are and help them grow. Whether someone is in high school, mid-degree, or just starting their career, our programs offer the mentorship, tools, and confidence they need to take their next step in tech, entrepreneurship, or leadership.
Each Program is delivered over 8-10 weeks and includes a blend of self-paced learning, live sessions, and mentorship. These are not cookie-cutter workshops; they’re career-connected journeys that center real people, real skills, and real possibility.
Built Around Four Core Pillars:
Digital Skills - Practical Exposure to tools and technologies shaping the modern workforce
Confidence and Growth Mindset - Identity-building, goal setting, and resilience development
Career Exposure - Industry speakers, mentorship, and tech pathways tailored to New Brunswick
1:1 Mentorship - Two personalized sessions with a professional woman in tech
Built Around Four Core Pillars:
Digital Skills
Practical Exposure to tools and technologies shaping the modern workforce
Career Exposure
Industry speakers, mentorship, and tech pathways tailored to New Brunswick
Confidence and
Growth Mindset
Identity-building, goal setting, and resilience development
1:1 Mentorship
Two personalized sessions with a professional woman in tech
High School Girls (Grades 10-12)
Focus: Awareness + Early Confidence
Most high school girls don’t picture themselves in a tech career, many have already ruled it out. STEP UP! changes that, We help students uncover their values, discover what’s out there, and see women in roles they’ve never imagined for themselves.
What We Cover:
Career exploration and digital tools
Self-discovery and communication styles
Real stories from locas women in STEM and innovation
Format:
Weekly live sessions (interactive and low-pressure)
Guest speakers from NB’s tech ecosystem
2 1:1 mentor sessions
Guided digital workbook and optional events
Outcomes:
Broader understanding of career options
Increased interest in tech/STEM post-secondary pathways
Improved confidence and self-advocacy
STEP UP!
STAND UP!
Post-Secondary Women
Focus: Career Confidence + Job Readiness
Whether studying business, arts or computer science, many post-secondary students are curious about digital work but don’t feel ready for it. STAND UP! helps bridge the gap between school and the workforce, with hands-on prep, visibility into tech-adjacent roles, and mentorship that actually makes a difference.
What We Cover:
Resume writing, interviews, networking, and job prep
Navigating tech culture as a woman
Career mapping
Format:
Structured workshops and panels with NB tech pros
2 x 1:1 mentor sessions (tailored to interests and goals)
Access to the STEP UP! community hub
Outcomes:
Readiness for job internships in digital fields
Greater confidence navigating male-dominated spaces
Clarity around where they fit in the tech ecosystem
Young Professional Women (Under 30)
Focus: Retention, Growth, & Belonging in Tech
This stream is for women entering or pivoting into digital careers. Whether they’re recent grads or mid-pivot professionals, participants come looking for clarity, confidence, and connection, and leave with strategies from growth, self-advocacy, and staying power.
What We Cover:
Leadership, communication, and time management
Imposter syndrome, and asking for help
Building community and finding your place in tech
Format:
Discussion-driven live sessions
Optional coaching + breakout groups by role/interest
2 X 1:1 mentor sessions with mid-career women
Peer support through our STEP UP! digital platform
Outcomes:
Greater retention of women in NB’s digital workforce
Increased internal leadership and self-advocacy
A strong, supportive network of women in tech
RISE UP!
Mentorship
The Heart of Up+Go
Mentorship isn’t an add-on, it’s our foundation. Every participant is paired with a woman mentor working in tech or innovation in New Brunswick.
How It Works:
2 one-on-one mentor sessions (virtual or in person)
Matches based on interests and goals
Mentors receive a guidebook for structured conversations
Mentors Help Participants:
Imagine what’s possible
Navigate challenges (school, jobs, confidence)
Feel seen, heard, and supported
Want to become a mentor?
Tools & Community
Our Platform Includes:
A centralized online learning hub
Downloadable workbooks and reflection guides
Live sessions and guest speakers
Optional industry visits and local events
An alumni network to stay connected
We’re not just teaching digital skills, we’re creating a community where girls and women feel like they belong.
Real Women. Real Stories. Real Change.
We believe in the power of storytelling to inspire the next wave of leaders. From film screenings and tech panels to video features and blog interviews, we highlight real journeys of women in tech across NB.
Events Include:
Guest panels & networking nights
Local site visits to tech companies
Career showcases and alumni talks
Want to be featured? We’d love to share your story.
Storytelling & Events
Our Team
Cathy Simpson
Founder | cathy@thecasmpgroup.com
Cathy Simpson is a mother of three, a TECH executive, and a life-long learner and teacher of the things that inspire her – seeing the potential and impact of girls and women in our communites and economy.
Originally from Newfoundland, Cathy Simpson is an entrepreneur, tech executive and ecosystem builder with a career dedicated to growing Atlantic Canada’s innovation economy. She is currently the CEO of TechImpact, a non-profit accelerating digital transformation and innovation across the region by connecting industry, government, and academia. A co-founder of PropelICT and past Chair of the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, Cathy has long been a champion for startups and the growth of the region’s tech sector.
Over 10 years ago, she founded UP+GO, a social enterprise empowering high school girls through leadership and career-readiness programs. Through the signature STEP UP program, she brings awareness and education to careers in STEM, entrepreneurship, and how to step into this world with confidence and conviction to be your true self.
Her lifelong passion for women’s equality and excellence has not gone unnoticed. In 2023, she was named one of WXN’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada, was awarded the Business Champion VIVE award, Minister’s Award for championing Gender Equality from the Government of New Brunswick in 2022, Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Atlantic Canada, Atlantic Business Magazine in 2021, and the Equality Endorser category for the YMCA Woman of Distinction award, in 2019.
.Cathy is an Acadia University graduate and member of the universities Board of Governors. She resides in Rothesay, NB.
Sophie Leonard
Program Manager | sophie@thecasmgroup.com
Sophie Leonard is a program manager, community builder, and someone who’s always looking for the next adventure. She studied Community Development at Acadia University because she cares deeply about fostering relationships and creating meaningful change.
Over the past few years, she has worked on programs that support young women in building confidence and figuring out what’s possible for their futures. She helped launch the Step Up program and now works at TechImpact, where she leads digital skills and workforce initiatives with job seekers, tech companies, and community partners across New Brunswick.
In 2024, she completed a three-month adventure guide program in Patagonia. Before that, she travelled through U.S. state parks in a converted van she built with with her partner. Their next planned adventure is a long-distance bikepacking trip. Sophie feels most grounded when she’s outside, living simply, connecting to people, and pushing herself in uncomfortable but rewarding ways.
She believes deeply in living with intention, compassion, and the courage to carve your own path, whatever that may look like. That’s why she’s proud to be part of UP&GO, because every girl deserves a space where she feels like she belongs, where she can dream big, be supported in those dreams, and meet other women who are living proof that it’s possible.
Maggie Alexander
Marketing Coordinator | maggie@thecasmgroup.com
A recent graduate of Rothesay High School, Maggie is following in her mother and sisters’ footsteps and joining the Up+Go crew. Growing up, Maggie participated in STEP UP programs throughout middle and high school, while also attending a variety of STEM conventions, conferences, and camps alongside her mother. This upbringing, rich in opportunity and exploration, sparked Maggie’s passions for technology, science, and empowering women and girls in these fields.
As a summer intern, Maggie brings her voice and vision to content and curriculum development, as well as marketing and communications. She is excited to support meaningful learning experiences while helping amplify Up+Go’s mission through creative storytelling.
Outside of working hours, Maggie can be found on the volleyball court, she’s a competitive player fulfilling her childhood dream playing at the collegiate level in the upcoming school year. She also finds joy in cooking, staying active, and soaking in quiet moments surrounded by nature and her friends.
This fall, Maggie will begin her Bachelor of Science at Mount Allison University, majoring in Biopsychology. She plans to pursue medical school after graduation, aiming to blend her scientific curiosity and deep compassion to make a meaningful impact, supporting those in need and inspiring the next generation of girls to follow their passions and dreams.
Get Involved
Sponsor or Partner
Support inclusive talent development in New Brunswick by investing in our work.
Join as a Participant
Apply for one of our three programs and take the first step towards your future.
Become a Mentor
Support the next generation of women in tech by sharing your story and expertise.
Contact Us
We’d love to hear from you!
Whether you’re a student, educator, mentor, or community partner, we’re always looking to connect!
Email: cathy@thecasmgroup.com