Dr Kate Hays

Dr Kate Hays is one of the UK’s leading performance psychologists, renowned for helping elite athletes, coaches and leadership teams achieve sustained success in the world’s most demanding environments. With more than two decades of experience working at the highest level of international sport, Kate has supported Olympic and Paralympic champions, world champions, and title-winning teams to optimise performance under pressure. Currently Head of Women’s Performance Psychology at The Football Association, where she supports the England senior women’s team, Kate is highly sought after as a speaker on high performance, leadership, resilience and creating winning cultures. Her evidence-based approach combines cutting edge psychology with practical strategies that can be applied across sport and business alike.

Kate began her career in elite sport in 2003 as a Sport Psychologist with British Diving at the English Institute of Sport, developing expertise in supporting athletes through high pressure international competition. Her ability to enhance both individual and team performance led to increasingly senior leadership roles, including Head of Performance Psychology at Sport981 and Sports Psychologist for Harlequins Rugby Club. In 2014, Kate returned to the English Institute of Sport as Performance Lead before being appointed Head of Performance Psychology in 2015. In this role, she led the national psychology strategy across the Rio and Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic cycles, working closely with athletes and coaches to build mentally resilient, high performing environments capable of delivering success on the world stage.

Kate’s influence has continued to grow through her leadership within British sport. As Team GB’s Headquarters Sport Psychologist at the Tokyo Olympic Games, she supported athletes and staff throughout one of the most challenging Olympic cycles in history. In 2021, she joined The Football Association as Head of Women’s Performance Psychology, where she has played an integral role in supporting the England women’s senior team during one of the most successful periods in its history. As part of the wider support team, Kate has contributed to major international campaigns, including the UEFA Women’s EURO triumph and the team’s run to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final. In 2025, she further shared her expertise with the publication of her book, ‘How to Win’, offering valuable insights into the psychology behind sustained success.

Dr Kate Hays is hired as a speaker for her exceptional ability to translate world class performance psychology into practical lessons for leaders, teams and organisations. Drawing on decades of experience supporting elite performers, she explains how resilience, confidence, communication and mindset contribute to sustained excellence in high pressure environments. Her engaging presentations provide audiences with actionable techniques to improve performance, develop winning cultures and lead with greater clarity and purpose. Combining scientific expertise with real world experience at the pinnacle of international sport, Kate equips audiences with the tools needed to perform at their very best.