Catherine Raney Norman is a four-time Olympian who has served as an active voice for athletes with roles across all facets of Olympic and Paralympic sport. She led the successful bid to bring the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games back to Utah as its board chair. Today, she serves as Vice President of Development and Athlete Relations. She was the spearhead behind the organizing committee’s $300 million development campaign, Podium34, announced in September of 2025.

Growing up in Wisconsin at the Pettit National Ice Center, she later moved to Calgary and to Salt Lake City. She competed at the 19998, 2002, 2006, and 2010 Olympics. She holds six U.S. all-around titles and three American records, all of which still stand today. She was inducted into the U.S. Speed Skating Hall of Fame in 2018.

Her career has involved working with a host of national governing bodies, including U.S. Speedskating, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, U.S. Biathlon, the United States Association for Blind Athletes, the National Wheelchair Basketball Association, and USA Climbing, supporting them in achieving their philanthropic goals through the formulation of fundraising plans, board relations, and donor activation. She has also worked in international games preparation for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. She has stayed connected at a grassroots level, coaching kids in the Park City Speed Skating Club program.

Raney Norman graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Arts in communications. She also earned an executive certificate in Olympic sport leadership from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and holds a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) certificate from CFRE International.

Keynote Title:

The Olympic Opportunity

Keynote Description: 

The 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games represent an extraordinary chance for Utah to showcase itself on the world stage over the next decade. Just as importantly, they provide a gateway for communities in every corner of the state to engage with — and benefit from — the living legacy of the Games.

Catherine Raney Norman, a four-time Olympic speed skater, helped secure Utah’s successful 2034 bid as board chair in Paris one year ago. Today, as Vice President of Development and Athlete Relations, she continues her leadership role, bringing two decades of athlete experience and a deep commitment to sharing the power of sport with Utah communities in the years ahead.

In September of 2025, her Podium34 initiative was launched, bringing together leading Utah families and philanthropic organizations in a historic $300 million fundraising campaign. With more than $200 million already committed, Podium34 is built on a cause-driven foundation, ensuring that support extends well beyond the Games to strengthen youth sport, community engagement, mental health, and arts & culture.

In her closing keynote at Utah Business Forward, Raney Norman will inspire leaders to consider how they can actively engage now in the road to 2034. Her message will challenge all of us to recognize the collective impact we can create — helping Utah business, and Utah communities, rise to new heights over the next decade.