Diana Golden '84

Professional Speaker

From the age of 12, when golden had her cancerous right leg amputated, her most pressing question was, "Can I Still ski?" With encouragement from her doctors and her coaches, she not only continued to ski but also went on to win 19 U.S. national championships, ten world championships, and an Olympic gold medal. She became that rarest of athletes who not only dominate , a sport but redefine it. As Sports Illustrated put it in a 1990; article, "She will be remembered as the woman who, perhaps more than any other athlete, brought crossover credibility to the disabled-sports movement. Golden was among the first to persuade sponsors and the public to perceive, disabled athletes as athletes, period."

Since her'retirement from competition, Golden has followed two passions that have taken the place of skiing: mountaineering and public speaking. She has already climbed 14,400-foot Mt. Rainier. She is perfecting designs for flexible, adjustable crutches that can be used as climbing tools. Her public speaking shows the same drive and commitment that once put her at the top of the ski world; she is in demand around the country for her motiva- tional talks. Last June she spoke at the talk industry's most coveted forum: the "Million-Dollar Round Table" gathering of the nation's elite insurance sales people.