Dame Katherine Grainger DBE

Originally from Glasgow, Katherine first found her passion for rowing while studying law at the University of Edinburgh. There, she was awarded the Eva Bailey Trophy as the university's most outstanding female athlete in both 1996 and 1997, after winning her first international Gold medal at the U23 World Rowing Championships. After graduating, she went on to earn an MPhil in Medical Law and Medical Ethics from Glasgow University and completed her PhD in the sentencing of homicide at King’s College, University of London.

Continuing to compete internationally, she was named Scottish Sportsperson of the Year in 2009 and received the “Emirates Lonsdale Trophy” from Commonwealth Games Scotland, becoming the first female athlete to win this award.

Fulfilling her dreams, Katherine won the Olympic Gold medal with her teammate Anna Watkins in the double sculls at the London 2012 Olympics. Since her Olympic win, Katherine has been shortlisted for the 2012 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award, appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to rowing in the 2013 New Year's honors list, appeared on the Superstars television show, and has been a guest on Question of Sport, the Clare Balding Show on BT Sport, and Countdown.

During a two-week break from rowing while completing her PhD, she wrote her autobiography 'Dreams Do Come True’ and worked with the BBC as a co-presenter for the Rowing World Cup coverage, the 'Inspire' series, and as a pundit during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Her extensive TV experience helped her develop a captivating hosting style, and she spent her free time visiting schools and sports clubs, honing her natural talents as a keynote and after-dinner speaker.

After returning to competitive rowing in late 2014, Katherine competed with Victoria Thornley at the 2015 World Rowing Championships, qualifying them for the Rio Olympics in 2016. There, Katherine became the most decorated female Olympian of all time, winning a silver medal.

Katherine is not only Britain’s most successful female rower, but the only female athlete— in any sport— to win medals in four consecutive Olympic Games.

In March 2015, Katherine was inaugurated as Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University, and after a rewarding five years in this role, she became the first female Chancellor of the University of Glasgow. This was especially exciting as she was born in Glasgow and it provided an opportunity to return to the university where she earned her master’s degree and play an active role in shaping its future.

The crowning achievement of her exceptional two-decade rowing career came in 2017 when Katherine was named a Dame in the New Year's Honors List for her services to rowing and to charity.

Dame Katherine Grainger now focuses her time as Chair at UK Sport, a high-performance agency in the UK, and is a popular keynote and after-dinner speaker. Her talks can be customized for special occasions and cover topics such as teamwork, motivation, overcoming challenges, winning, and the importance of effective communication.