Professor Catherine Lee MBE (she/her) is Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, Education and Social Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University in the East of England. As Professor of Inclusive Education and Leadership and a National Teaching Fellow, she is nationally recognised for her transformative work in equality, diversity and inclusion in schools and universities.

Catherine has established a number of national leadership development programmes for LGBTQ+ teachers and university staff and her research on LGBTQ+ inclusion has driven policy change in schools and universities. Catherine’s book Pretended combines historical, political and personal perspectives to document the lived experience of teachers in the homophobic section 28 era. Pretended inspired the 2022 BAFTA nominated feature film, Blue Jean and Catherine worked as a adviser throughout the film’s production.

In 2023, in recognition of her leadership, advocacy and impact, Catherine was awarded an MBE for Services to Equality in Education.