Katie Holmes
Katie Holmes (Selwyn, 2011) is a rugby Blue and former president of the Cambridge University Women's Rugby Club. She oversaw the merger of the men’s and women’s clubs to form one united CURUFC, and helped ensure the Women's Varsity Rugby Match took place in the same place and the same time as the men's.
Katie explains:
“Playing rugby at Cambridge was one of my proudest moments and I met a group of women who have become my support network and some of my greatest friends. It was also where I began to understand my LGBTQ+ identity.”
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After Cambridge Katie started her career in the rail industry, focusing on forecasting of economic demand for the railway. She joined Jacobs, a science-based consulting and advisory firm, in 2019 and has since worked across the transport industry, including on Heathrow's expansion programme, Great British Railways, and East West Rail. Her work has now shifted to looking strategically at how Jacobs can improve the built environment we live in, working closely with local government clients to build a cleaner, greener and better UK.
On joining Jacobs Katie became a member of their LGBTQ+ network, and in 2022 she became the lead of their European network, with over 1200 members (out of 12,000 employees across Europe).
“For me seeing great LGBTQ+ role models within the construction & transport industries has really helped me come out and be the proud lesbian I am today. Often I've heard the phrase "double glass ceiling" for LGBTQ+ women, and I think industry networks are one of the key ways to help combat this and ensure that the industries we work in are as inclusive for everyone - I know that to ultimately build a better world, that works for the whole community we need a diverse set of people leading.”