Katie Spears

Interim Executive Director, Legal and Governance

Katie was appointed at Interim Executive Director, Legal and Governance in March 2025. Prior to this appointment, Katie was the GDC’s Senior Counsel and Associate Director, Legal where she oversaw the In-House Legal Advisory Service and was a member of the GDC’s Senior Management Team. Katie has run both legal and governance functions in the GDC for over 10 years. She was the Council’s Board Secretary for five years and has delivered large, business-critical change work for the organisation – including several campaigns of Board recruitment, a programme of Board Development and the implementation of a suite of governance improvements following an external review into Board Effectiveness.

Katie started her practice as a self-employed barrister, practising in predominantly criminal and regulatory law and she subsequently moved into financial and healthcare regulation.

She is the co-Executive sponsor of the GDC’s Women’s Network and is passionately committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and promoting a positive and inclusive working culture.