As a college student, Chris Waddell set his sites on becoming an All-American ski racer. Leading up to the winter, he tore his body down and built it back up with the intention of proving how good he could be. He never got the chance. The first morning of Christmas Vacation, warming up for training, he crashed, breaking his back and paralyzing himself.

In his hospital bed, Chris dreamed of skiing. He was determined to recover completely, though not quite sure what that meant. Two months after the accident he returned to Middlebury College for the spring semester. Three days short of a year, Chris started to ski in a monoski. Eventually, he could make it from the top to the bottom without falling. A little more than two years later he was named to the US Disabled Ski Team. He would become the most decorated male skier in Paralympic history, winning twelve medals over four games, including all four golds in Lillehammer, Norway.

In addition to winning races, Chris revolutionized the technique for monoskiers. He didn't keep it to himself, but instead started a camp with a teammate for aspiring monoskiers. Many of the participants would go on to the US Disabled Ski Team, insuring a legacy for the sport.

When Chris broke his back he joined a group that he didn't want to join, yet as a visible athlete, he realized that he represented and spoke for more than himself. He spoke for the disabled community and for the human condition that we all share. He pushed his barriers and challenged perceptions. In September of 2009, he became the first paraplegic to summit 19,340 foot Mt Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa.

Chris captained the ski team at Middlebury his senior year. He graduated cum laude in International Politics and Economics. In addition to skiing he raced wheelchairs - winning a World Championship in 1998. He also acted in a soap opera and founded One Revolution, a foundation aimed at gaining equality for people with disabilities by challenging public perception and offering opportunities of mobility.

Chris has spoken to groups ranging from school children to Senators, CEOs, and Fortune 500 Companies over the last twenty years. His presentation makes you feel like you're the only one in the room with him. It's intimate and impactful and will change the way that you see yourself and the world around you.