Cat Davison

Cat Davison was appointed as CEO in 2024 following an open recruitment process, after nine years of voluntary leadership of EduSpots whilst also teaching full-time, during which time she was recognised as a $1 million Global Teacher Prize Finalist.

Since this official appointment, Cat has led the team through significant organisational growth through working collaboratively with 500 local change makers in Ghana, Kenya and globally to streamline and evaluate the unique "Spot" model, widely advocating for community-led approaches, and the power of digital networks and peer learning.

As a result, income has nearly quadrupled over three years, with Cat developing high-profile campaigns featured on BBC News, building several multi-year funding relationships, and with EduSpots selected for the highly competitive Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, Theirworld Education Innovation Award and the Dovetail Impact Foundation’s Accelerator Portfolio, with Cat selected as a UNESCO Youth for Peace Young Leader and building government relationships.

Cat has strengthened a values-driven people model, growing from a small part-time team to a values-aligned staff team of 22, with 40% recruited from the grassroots network, progressing through peer mentor pathways. As a result, programme engagement has tripled, with 50 Spots across 12 regions reaching 10,000 learners annually. An independent evaluation validated EduSpots’ theory of change, with strong evidence of literacy and citizenship outcomes, with the team launching EduSpots Unlocked to share learnings and connect with partners.

Despite navigating challenges, including chronic fatigue syndrome, Cat leads with unshakable optimism and a deep commitment to equitable and inclusive education.