Katie Hanna
Katie has 15 years’ experience preventing sexual abuse, as well as developing new programs engaging multiple stakeholders. Over the last nearly five years this work focused on preventing child abuse in sport.
Expertise
Her collaborative work has led to the passage of four federal and state laws in the United States focused on preventing and responding to sexual violence. She most recently led the education and outreach team at the U.S. Center for SafeSport, developing national abuse prevention policies and more than 13 online abuse prevention trainings reaching more than 3 million individuals in the U.S. She also serves on the Steering Committee of the National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation.
Current Work
Katie is Head of North America, responsible for the management and implementation of the grant-funded project: Promoting the Rights of Children in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. She leads collaborations to improve knowledge and capacity of key decision makers of host cities (including public bodies and the organising committee), governments, sport governing bodies and other stakeholders of the 2026 FIFA World Cup such that they take concrete actions and commit resources to ensure that child rights are protected, respected and promoted during preparations to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Previous Experience
Katie most recently served as Vice President of Education & Public Policy at the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Her career has spanned roles including: Visiting Fellow at the U.S. Department of Justice; Executive Director of the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence; Women’s Health Advocate at Case Western Reserve University; and multiple roles working directly with children, youth and families in school and community settings. Katie earned a bachelor’s degree from Rochester Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in counseling from Ohio University.