Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton is one of the UK’s
most senior fire officers and a leading voice
on decision-making in high-pressure
environments. Her career is rooted in
extraordinary lived experience—having faced
homelessness as a teenager, she left school
at 16 and went on to build a career that
spans frontline emergency response,
academic research, and public policy.
After joining the fire service, Sabrina studied
at night school, earning a First-Class
Honours degree in Psychology, a Master’s in
International Fire Service Development, and
a PhD in Behavioural Neuroscience. Today,
she is recognised internationally for her
research into decision-making under
pressure and serves as an Honorary
Research Fellow and Professor at Cardiff
University. Her work has been used to shape
national policy and improve operational
decision-making in life-or-death situations.
With extensive experience at the highest
levels of command, Sabrina has led
emergency responses to major incidents
including the London Bridge and Finsbury
Park terror attacks and supported operations
following the Grenfell Tower fire. Her blend of
scientific insight and operational leadership
gives her a unique perspective on behaviour,
cognition, and the way people respond to risk
and uncertainty.
She is the author of two critically acclaimed
books. The Heat of the Moment offers a
powerful account of her life and frontline
experiences, exploring what it takes to make
decisions under extreme pressure. Her latest
book, Gender Bias: The Barriers That Hold
Women Back, And How To Break Them,
examines how unconscious bias plays out in
everyday life and offers practical strategies
for change.
Beyond her professional achievements,
Sabrina is a passionate advocate for social
mobility. She advises Prince William’s
Homewards initiative on ending
homelessness and is an ambassador for The
Big Issue and Street Vet. Her work has
earned her recognition as one of The Big
Issue’s top 100 changemakers, a Marie
Claire Future Shaper, and a Cosmopolitan
Millennial Power List honouree. In 2024, she
was awarded the King's Fire Service Medal
for distinguished service in the King’s
Birthday Honours.
Dr Sabrina speaks with clarity, authority and
compassion on leadership, resilience,
cognitive performance, and the power of
second chances—offering insight that
resonates across sectors and industries.