Tricia Downing

Tricia quotes a saying she learned from her grandmother, “never judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes.” Yet every day, people with disabilities are judged and typecast in a societal role without opening their mouths or being given an opportunity to display their thoughts, talents or a glimpse of life from where they stand (or sit).

How are common misconceptions and low expectations detracting from the abilities and assets of those who may navigate the world in different ways? What talents are we leaving on the table when we don’t include people with disabilities in mainstream activities or our greater society? Are there things you could be doing within your organizations that would make your workplace, products or services more accessible?

Diversity is a topic prevalent in our media and conversations today, but disability is often neglected as we look to a more inclusive society. Learn how you can begin to understand the experience of disability and become inspired to think differently. Invite Tricia to share her strategies with your team today.

Life is unpredictable. Have you ever been blindsided by a major change or roadblock in your personal or professional life? Had your heart set on a particular outcome, only to see it fall through your fingers? Did you feel overwhelmed and burned out?

It would be an ideal world if we could control when and where we take on challenges in our lives. But in the real world, challenge and change usually take us by surprise. Your reaction and ability to deal with these occurrences may be the difference between prospering or letting life get the best of you. How can you become more resilient in the face of adversity?

Let Tricia take you on a journey of self-discovery as she shares the tactics she has learned through decades of athletic training and competition, as well as the skills she learned to rebound from her tragic and paralyzing accident. Learn practical tips for dealing with your own adversity, so you are able to bounce back more quickly and get back on the road to success.

Strength. Courage. Perseverance.

At thirty-one, Tricia Downing was in the best shape of her life. In the summer of 2000, Tricia, an avid cyclist, drove across the country for what amounted to eighteen races in twenty-three days. She returned from her adventure to a fresh start: a new job awaited her, and, determined to make the next summer the year she would make her mark on the world of cycling, she began a rigorous training strategy.

But on September 17, 2000, Tricia Downing’s life took a detour. While training on her bicycle one sunny Colorado afternoon, Tricia collided with a car that turned directly in her path and instantly became paralyzed from the chest down. As a competitive road and track cyclist and lifelong athlete, losing the use of her legs was devastating on all accounts. As she re-learned to do everything from sitting straight up to navigating through her house in a wheelchair to returning to work and operating a handcycle, her grueling recovery took her to the very core of her athletic mettle. This inner strength helped her to not only learn how to live life as a paraplegic—a label that took time to grow accustomed to—but to have the courage to return to the competitive sport she loved and almost lost. Determined to live life on her terms, Tricia turned her misfortune into opportunity, and is now a wheelchair athlete, competing regularly in events around the globe.

Each of us faces hurdles, challenges, and adversity, which seem insurmountable when we first face them. Tricia will help you learn to see these obstacles as opportunities and build the strength, endurance, and courage to cross the finish line, no matter the size, distance or difficulty of the “race.”

Tricia’s presentations motivate her audiences to reach further and to persevere in the face of heartache, trials, and change. She shares the importance of authenticity, passion, and belief in oneself. This program not only provides inspiration but gives practical strategies to emerge from difficulty and get back on a positive track to success.

Let Tricia motivate your audience members to achieve their personal best.