Katie Spotz

Katie Spotz is an adventurer known for her endurance feats and charitable endeavors. Although she identifies with being a “benchwarmer” throughout her life, she made a profound realization: you don’t have to be extraordinary to achieve incredible things. This mindset led to an impressive list of accomplishments, including becoming the youngest person to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean, a record-setting feat that landed her in the annals of global endurance events.

In addition to her solo Atlantic row, her other notable achievements include five ironman triathlons, running 100 miles nonstop, cycling across the USA twice, a 325-mile river swim, and being the first person to swim the entire length of the Allegheny River in New York state and Pennsylvania. Spotz has also completed numerous ultra-running events, including an exceptional run across Maine in 33 hours and breaking the female world record for the most consecutive ultra-marathons in a row, where she ran 11 daily 31-mile runs in her 2021 challenge, "Run4Water".

Her endurance pursuits are not merely for personal achievement but also serve a philanthropic purpose. In 2010, she founded a nonprofit organization called Schools for Water to tackle the global water crisis. By undertaking extreme challenges, she raises funds for safe drinking water projects around the world. To date, she has funded 93 projects across 13 countries, providing access to clean water for more than 46,000 people. Her most recent endeavor, A Long Way 4 Water, saw her embark on a cycling trip across South America from the Atlantic Ocean to the Amazon River, aiming to provide 3,000 additional people with clean water.

In 2018, Spotz enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard as a Fireman and later was commissioned as an active duty Response Officer. Her extraordinary feats of endurance and service earned her the honor of being named the U.S. Coast Guard's Elite Female Athlete of the Year for 2020.

Spotz's story has been featured across a variety of high-profile platforms, including 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. She authored a book titled "Just Keep Rowing," which details her journey across the Atlantic Ocean. As a motivational speaker, Spotz has shared her experiences and insights with audiences across the country, from the United Nations' Annual Youth Assembly to schools and business forums, inspiring others with her message of overcoming adversity and achieving one's goals.