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Introduction
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Amanda Boxtel International Professional Speaker and Coach Motivational Catalyst Successful Entrepreneur – Co-founder, Challenge Aspen Ski Instructor What has made Amanda become the woman she is today… • Australian born, she has a Degree in Primary Education with a specialization in Early Childhood; • She was an elementary school teacher and an aerobic dance instructor; • In 1995 she co-founded Challenge Aspen, which has grown into a successful million-dollar non-profit organization; • For ten years she has taught for Aspen Skiing Company as a professional ski instructor; • In 1999 she was the Colorado Ski Country USA Adaptive Athlete of the Year; • That same year she orchestrated the first disability whitewater rafting trip down the Grand Canyon; • In 2002 she carried the Olympic Torch on her mono-ski; • In 2002 she assisted with research in Antarctica on tourism for disabilities; • From 2001-2005 she helped establish adaptive skiing programs in Chile, Argentina and Iceland; • In September of 2005 she spearheaded bringing 200 wheelchairs to the poorest of the poor in Argentina; • She was the recipient of the Harold Grinspoon Humanism Award for 2005; • Amanda is a passionate and dynamic motivational speaker who has shared the stage with high profile figures such as President Jimmy Carter, Michael York, Florence Griffith Joyner, Amy Grant and Vince Gill; • She has appeared on various documentaries and television shows around the world, including ESPN, MTV, Good Morning America and ABC’s Australian Story; • She is the author of her own book titled, “Pivotal Moments – Life Lessons is Overcoming”; …and on February 27th, 1992 a freak skiing accident rendered her a paraplegic. ABOUT AMANDA “Dynamic, compelling, never-say-never, and motivating…” Amanda shares her life experiences to motivate and inspire audiences. A story of overcoming, her keynote and motivational presentations include topics on embracing change, how to turn conflicts into opportunities and how to live your most passionate life. Amanda has a unique ability to teach individuals and businesses how to accept and embrace change, how to turn tragedies into triumphs, and how to realize and manifest their unfulfilled potential. She inspires others to take responsibility for choosing their own path and to believe in their power and ability to create anything they want. As a true motivational catalyst, Amanda is passionate about assisting others to launch their dreams and celebrate as their dreams unfold. Amanda is an internationally recognized speaker who captivates her audiences with her stories, weaves in the valuable lessons she has learned along the way, and warms their hearts with laughter and compassion. She focuses her energy to present fresh material in a polished style. Amanda is the author of “Pivotal Moments – Life Lessons In Overcoming”. In her coaching practice, she applies the lessons from her experience in a structured and integrated process creating an environment of transformation for personal and professional growth. |
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Amanda’s life story in a nutshell… Born in Brisbane, Australia, December 15, 1967 I spent the first 10 years of my childhood in Papua New Guinea with an abusive father. At the age of 12 my father committed suicide. Despite this tumultuous time, and with a phenomenal mother to support and encourage, I became a school leader and the Athletics Captain. After university I taught Grade 4. In 1988 I fell in love with an American schoolteacher and followed my heart to Aspen, Colorado. After three years, I decided to head home. He proposed in the airport and within the next hour we were married. Two days later he asked me to leave. Curled up in the fetal position on the floor sobbing, my life was surely over. Heartbroken, I flew back to Australia. In December that year I returned to Aspen choosing to live in the magical place that had crept into the core of my being. A life-altering moment… On February 27, 1992, at the age of 24 my life took a dramatic turn and my dance on wheels began. It happened in a split second while downhill skiing… a freak somersault and I knew I was paralyzed. An electric current went through my legs, and then there was nothing. I shattered four vertebrae, bruising my spinal cord, paralyzed from the hips down with no sensation. I soon became a ski instructor teaching skiing sitting down. I challenged myself with all the things I could do - a rock climber, paraglider, biker, and diver. I had beaten the odds, but on the inside I still ached to walk. Life became a journey of confronting adversity, and through sheer frustration my pivotal moment came when I realized I could turn “why me” into “why not me”. I was not just a half a woman but a whole woman. My healing came with my change in attitude – I now get rock star parking and bikini waxes no longer hurt! A successful entrepreneur… Two year’s post injury I went on to co-found Challenge Aspen, which has grown into a successful internationally recognized, million-dollar non-profit organization that enables individuals with disabilities to recreate and realize their life potential. In 2000 I was the Colorado Ski Country USA Adaptive Athlete of the Year and in 2002 I carried the Olympic torch on my mono-ski. I participated in the first disability raft trip down the Grand Canyon, and flanked by penguins in Antarctica, I assisted with research on tourism for disabilities. Through Challenge Aspen’s global outreach I helped establish adaptive skiing programs in Iceland, Chile and Argentina. I have an uncanny insight that my legs will again support me. I reach for the stars with my wheels on the ground and while I won’t lose sight of this vision, I choose to live moment-by-moment. Vision is key, yet living the reality of my life now - this is where the magic begins. A poignant message… My life is fueled by passion and compassion. I am an ordinary person living an extraordinary life inspiring others through motivational speaking. The human spirit knows no limitation. My message is “it’s not what happens to you, but how you embrace the changes that take place and who you become”. |
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