Katie Spotz

Katie Spotz, from Cleveland, Ohio, describes herself as having been the “benchwarmer” throughout her life. However, there came a time when she made a discovery: you don’t have to be extraordinary to achieve incredible things. And she set about achieving them, one by one.

The list of accomplishments to her name is long, and includes five ironman triathlons, running 100 miles nonstop, cycling across the USA twice, a 325-mile river swim, running across deserts and a solo row across the Atlantic Ocean. But this wasn’t just any row; when Spotz arrived in Guyana, South America, after 70 days at sea, she set a world record for the youngest ever solo ocean rower, one of many records to her name. Spotz finished her latest challenge in 2021, Run4Water, where she ran 11 ultra-marathons for 11 days consecutively, setting a new world record along the way.

Throughout her adventures, Spotz isn't just seeking to make history. She is also raising money for safe drinking water projects around the world. To date, clean water 93 projects across 13 countries have been funded resulting in access to clean water for more than 40,000 people.

Spotz’s story has been featured on CBS Morning Show, CBS Evening News, World News with Diane Sawyer, Anderson Cooper 360, New York Times, NPR, PBS News Hour, and the Discovery Channel. In 2010, Spotz was honored by Glamour Magazine as one of their “Women of the Year”, alongside people like Julia Roberts, Cher, and Queen Rania of Jordan. Spotz was awarded the Elite Female Athlete of the Year for 2020 by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Spotz is an acclaimed motivational speaker sought across the country including the United Nations for their Annual Youth Assembly. She has inspired and captivated school children to business professionals, and speaks about overcoming adversity and achieving what we set out to achieve, no matter how steep the odds. Along the way, she can’t help but inspire all who come to see her speak, as they realize that extraordinary achievements are within everyone’s grasp.