Katie Kelleher
Katie Kelleher is Technical & Development Officer at the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA), a former crane operator and Appointed Person, and a recognised advocate for workforce retention and culture within the construction industry.
Starting her career through a construction apprenticeship, Katie became the first women in the UK to complete the Lifting Technician apprenticeship programme before going on to work on major infrastructure projects including Crossrail and Tideway in London.
Alongside her technical and industry role, Katie has built a large online following through honest conversations about construction culture, leadership, mental health and life on site, becoming widely known across the industry as “Katie Cranes”.
Katie is an international speaker and podcast host who has spoken at major global industry events including CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas and Intermat in Paris. At CONEXPO, she delivered her session “Beyond Recruitment: Retaining Talent to Build a Resilient Construction Workforce” and took part in the EmpowerHER workshop focused on women and leadership in construction.
She also hosts the “Tales from the Hook” podcast, sharing stories and experiences from across the lifting and construction sectors.
Katie is passionate about making construction a better industry for the people working within it.