Boston, Massachusetts, United States
My greatest challenge in life came when doctors told me that I would never run again and would only be able to walk with the assistance of a leg brace. After sustaining a gunshot wound to the abdomen during combat operations in Afghanistan, my left leg was paralyzed. It took great perseverance and numerous surgeries, but I overcame my injuries and gained admittance to MIT Sloan and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. I spent three years on concurrent master’s degrees and was proud to earn both an MBA and an MPA in 2016. At Goldman Sachs I have been exposed to the world of finance, markets and business development. This experience has complimented the skills I honed in the Army: leading and developing teams, logistics and supply chain. I am at my best working with mission driven individuals, teams and organizations to help them achieve their goals. Ten years after being told I would never run again, I ran the 2021 Boston Marathon. Since my injury, I’ve travelled the country telling my story of resilience and courage because an experience is worth nothing unless you share it. Everyday I strive to be the best version of myself and I am ready to accept new challenges.
After sustaining a gunshot wound to my lower abdomen during a combat operation in Afghanistan, my Special Forces career was effectively over. I underwent six surgeries that have left me with over 40 inches of scars. I performed thousands of hours of physical therapy to re-learn simple tasks like walking and navigating stairs. Due to my dedication towards rehabilitation and positive attitude, I was chosen to represent the 1st Special Forces Group's Wounded Warriors in meetings with President Barack Obama and former United States Special Operations Command Commander, Admiral William Mc Raven. In 2013 I began speaking and writing about the lessons I learned from my time in the military, being wounded, the recovery process and transition to the civilian world. I maintain a blog/website, www.woundedbywar.com where I cover the topics of resilience, courage, self-reliance, service and overcoming obstacles. I have spoken to 35+ companies, teams and organizations including Raytheon, PWC, S&P Global, The Kraft Group and the Boston College Athletics Department.