Meet Dawn venturas

The most inspiring story of the 21st century is unfolding in Saudi Arabia — a nation redefining progress through it's Vision 2030, and crafting a Quality of Life program that champions inclusion, opportunity, and excellence for all.

Amid this transformation, Coach Dawn Venturas stands as one

of the region’s pioneering voices — shaping the future of sport through leadership, equality, and legacy-building.

In December 2024, Dawn VENTURAS led the Saudi Paralympic Swimming Team to a defining moment in history, winning their first-ever medals on the world stage at the Para Swimming World Series in Egypt. Competing against 18 nations and 200 elite athletes, Team Saudi secured four medals ( two silver and two bronze), marking a breakthrough for the Kingdom’s para sport movement.

Earlier that same year, she guided a team of five young Saudi men to the World Championships in Berlin, where they competed among 500 of the world’s FASTEST athletes, determined to COMPETE AGAINST THE BEST IN THE WORLD AHEAD OF THE THE at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. THESE YOUNG ATHLETES SECURED 10 WORLD FINALS IN THEIR FIRST EVER INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, symboliSING a nation finding its sporting voice , built on courage, belief, and a shared purpose.

Before arriving in Saudi Arabia, Dawn spent NEARLY TWO DECADES in the United Arab Emirates, where between 2008 and 2023, she helped drive social and sporting development during one of the region’s most progressive eras.

As co-founder of Coach Sport, an entrepreneurial start-up she built with Helen Amos, Dawn championed female leadership in sport, creating meaningful pathways for women to coach, lead, and excel. The company grew into a regional leader in residential swimming coaching, employing more than 20 professional coaches and setting new standards for education, ethics, and gender equity in sport across the Middle East.

In 2023, Dawn joined Aramco’s Eastern Region sports division AND AL QADSIAH FOOTBALL CLUB, contributing to the privatization and revitalization of a professional football club’s aquatic programMESs. There, she established the first-ever training programs for women and girls in the club’s history WITHIN THE NATIONAL FACILITY and developed long-term athlete pathway systems designed to nurture youth and women , ensuring that no one is left behind.

By 2024, her work INCLUDED THE PARTICIPATION OF the Kingdom’s first Women’s Championships for athletes with disabilities, further embedding inclusion as a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s sporting identity.

Guided by her belief that sport is a vehicle for human connection and social transformation, Dawn’s leadership has always been rooted in integrity, compassion, and excellence. Her journey across four continents , from Zimbabwe to the uk, eUROPE AND GULF, has been defined by a hands-on commitment to building thriving communities, developing future leaders, and leaving a legacy that elevates both sport and society.

Today, Coach Sport UAE remains proudly affiliated with Cardiff Metropolitan University, ensuring all coaches in its network are educated to the highest UK-accredited standards. As an alumna of Cardiff Met’s School of Sport, Dawn continues to mentor and contribute as an alumni panelist, helping shape the next generation of sports professionals ready to lead with purpose and vision.