Katara McCarty
Founder + CEO, Katecha Corp
Bio: From out of the realities of abandonment by her biological mother, being bi-racial, and growing up in a Black home, Katara McCarty realized early in life that her skin color mattered. After becoming a single mother at 19 and finding the courage to leave an abusive relationship, Katara became an entrepreneur holding leadership positions in non- and for-profit organizations.
Today, Katara is a sought-after coach, author, and podcast host, as well as the Founder and CEO of Katecha Corp, a technology startup dedicated to expanding access to health and wellness for Black Women/People and communities of color. As a Black Woman, she is committed to amplifying the richness of Black Women and their stories while advocating and providing well-being resources through her app EXHALE and social movement Exhale the Movement.
Org Info: Katecha Corp. is a technology company creating app-based well-being resources for Communities of Color. Our first product is Exhale App, an emotional well-being app for Black Women. Exhale is designed to offer Black Women and Women of Color support in navigating everyday stressors and the effects of systemic racism on their mental and emotional health.
What motivated you to pursue your current work?
I noticed a gap in prioritizing Black Women’s well-being in the mental and emotional health industry and wanted to do something about it. In 2020 I was reaching for well-being apps, which were not creating anything to assist the Black Community in what we were facing, so I decided to create what I was looking for; that’s when Exhale App was born.
What distinct value does your work bring to the digital health field?
My vision and work to prioritize Black Women’s well-being fills a gap in digital health. Black Women are underrepresented in the mental and emotional health industry. My work is to bring them to the forefront and create culturally relevant resources centering Black Women.
How does your work impact your target end-users or stakeholders?
My users have a space and place where they can see themselves reflected back to them and find safety in their mental and emotional well-being journey; this leads to Black Women experiencing healthier lives.
What is one exciting update or near-term opportunity that you would like to share with the digital health community?
I’m excited about version 2 of Exhale App! We are building a more robust version with some excellent features. Exhale 2.0 will launch this Spring, and I can’t wait to share what we’ve been creating; it is beautiful!
Bio: From out of the realities of abandonment by her biological mother, being bi-racial, and growing up in a Black home, Katara McCarty realized early in life that her skin color mattered. After becoming a single mother at 19 and finding the courage to leave an abusive relationship, Katara became an entrepreneur holding leadership positions in non- and for-profit organizations.
Today, Katara is a sought-after coach, author, and podcast host, as well as the Founder and CEO of Katecha Corp, a technology startup dedicated to expanding access to health and wellness for Black Women/People and communities of color. As a Black Woman, she is committed to amplifying the richness of Black Women and their stories while advocating and providing well-being resources through her app EXHALE and social movement Exhale the Movement.
Org Info: Katecha Corp. is a technology company creating app-based well-being resources for Communities of Color. Our first product is Exhale App, an emotional well-being app for Black Women. Exhale is designed to offer Black Women and Women of Color support in navigating everyday stressors and the effects of systemic racism on their mental and emotional health.
What motivated you to pursue your current work?
I noticed a gap in prioritizing Black Women’s well-being in the mental and emotional health industry and wanted to do something about it. In 2020 I was reaching for well-being apps, which were not creating anything to assist the Black Community in what we were facing, so I decided to create what I was looking for; that’s when Exhale App was born.
What distinct value does your work bring to the digital health field?
My vision and work to prioritize Black Women’s well-being fills a gap in digital health. Black Women are underrepresented in the mental and emotional health industry. My work is to bring them to the forefront and create culturally relevant resources centering Black Women.
How does your work impact your target end-users or stakeholders?
My users have a space and place where they can see themselves reflected back to them and find safety in their mental and emotional well-being journey; this leads to Black Women experiencing healthier lives.
What is one exciting update or near-term opportunity that you would like to share with the digital health community?
I’m excited about version 2 of Exhale App! We are building a more robust version with some excellent features. Exhale 2.0 will launch this Spring, and I can’t wait to share what we’ve been creating; it is beautiful!