Dr Kate Chhatwal OBE

Dr Kate Chhatwal OBE has been CEO of Challenge Partners since February 2018.

Kate began her career in DfE, leading flagship curriculum, qualifications and school improvement policies. Since 2013 she has held senior education charity and public sector leadership roles, including Executive Director of Southwark Teaching School Alliance and Chief Programme Officer at The Future Leaders Trust.

Kate is Non Executive Director of the BETT award-winning Olex.AI; Chair of ImpactEd’s Education Advisory Board; and independent member of the Risk and Governance Committee for health and wellbeing charity Parkrun Global.

From October 2022 to March 2025, Kate served as DfE-appointed Independent Chair of Liverpool Priority Area Board. In July 2023 she stepped down after 8 years as trustee and founding Chair of Education at STEP Academy Trust, and a total of 15 years in school and trust governance.

In 2014 Kate co-founded the Leading Women's Alliance to tackle the under-representation of women in senior education roles, serving as Vice Chair until 2020.

Kate holds a PhD in education policy, and was awarded an OBE for services to education in 2020.