Born January 24^th. Oldest of three (two younger sisters). Grew up in Franklin, MA, and spent summers on Cape Cod. Franklin High School, class of 1986. Once made a mouse trap powered car out of records and coat hangers. Set off high school fire alarm after taking chemistry experiment a bit too far toward “experimental.” Occasional detentions, zero suspensions. Spent summer after graduation backpacking through Europe. Earned BA in Political Science and International Relations, Tufts University, class of 1990. Zeta Psi fraternity. Four year Navy ROTC scholarship to MIT. Outstanding Naval Aviation Candidate, officer class of 1990. Spent last two years in college living in a house with a future Marine pilot, Marine Force Recon officer, Wall St. investment banker and a hard core rower. Battles over the remote control were epic. Spent summer before senior year backpacking through Europe again. On November 3, 1990, sustained a C6,7 spinal cord injury from a dive into the waters off Pensacola Beach, FL, while in flight school to become an F-14 pilot. Spent eight months in SCI rehabilitation at the West Roxbury VA Hospital, MA. Entered Fuqua School of Business at Duke University in 1992 and graduated as only the second student in a wheelchair to earn MBA degree, class of 1994.  Delivered commencement address.

In 1994, accepted full time job offer as management consultant at Public Consulting Group, Inc., and moved to Charlotte, NC. Completed projects in NC, TN, MA and HI. Living and working in Hawaii was the best, especially “Aloha Fridays.” Second job was as deputy director of World T.E.A.M. Sports, a sport non-profit for people with and without disabilities. Helped organize 1,200 mile cycling event called Vietnam Challenge in 1998 (popularized in Emmy Award winning documentary entitled Vietnam, Long Time Coming) and cross country cycling event called Face of America in 2000. Most proud of receiving the Tufts University Distinguished Alumni Award during the University’s 2000 Global Symposium entitled Global Games: Sports, Politics and Society. Began freelance writing and consulting in 2001. Have profiled top NASCAR drivers and professional athletes, politicians, actors, comedians, farmers, musicians and artists. Have also written about business, housing, education, travel and quilting for local and national print and online publications. Editorial team and contributing writer for The Adversity Advantage, published by Simon and Schuster in 2007. Founder and Chief Thinker, Scratching Post Solutions (an innovative communication and creativity enterprise) in 2008.

Played nearly every sport imaginable growing up to avoid having to get a part time job (family rule was either an extra curricular activity or a part time job). Frustrated parents and ruined landscape by building a wiffle ball field in yard complete with grass outfield, dirt infield, shrubs cut to resemble foul poles and poorly wired lighting for night play. Broke numerous garage windows playing street hockey and demolished cemented basketball goal by dunking off trampoline and cars in driveway. Three sport varsity athlete at Franklin High School (soccer, basketball and track). Despite height, couldn’t dunk for real. Varsity soccer player at Tufts University. Semi-pro soccer in the CCASL. Ran 1989 and 1990 Boston Marathons as a bandit. After injury, introduced to wheelchair racing by racing pioneer, Bob Hall, and swimming by US disabled swim team coach, Eileen Craffey, while in rehabilitation. (Sports were more fun than staying in bed feeling sorry for self.) Upon discharge, flew directly to Miami, FL, for first competition. Fell out of chair after hitting a garden hose in first ever event, a wheelchair obstacle course. Have completed over 55 marathons (including sixteen Boston Marathons) and have participated in triathlon since 1999. USHF handcycling national criterium champion. In 2001, earned a spot in the United States Quad Rugby Association and US Paralympics High Performance Training Program. Spent three years as a national team member competing for a spot on the Athens 2004 Paralympic team (of the movie Murderball fame). Played quad rugby for 13 years. Scheduled to compete in a 70.3 (half Ironman) triathlon in 2008.

Spent a decade working at Rose’s Restaurant in Dennis, Cape Cod, MA. Began driving at age 13 to pick up vegetables for the restaurant. Once saved a woman from drowning in Lake Annecy, France. Officially recognized as the only person to ever complete the Boston Marathon both on foot and in a wheelchair. First American to complete a marathon in the new Millennium. Handcycled the length of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, finishing one day before a hurricane. Interests include music, travel, photography, art, golf, sailing, people, reading and the outdoors.

All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first thousand days, nor in the lifetime of this administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.

- John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Inaugural Address, 1961