Michelle Kwan

Michelle Kwan Speaker Biography

Legendary Olympic Figure Skater and Most-Decorated Skater in US History; United States Ambassador to Belize

From a very young age, figure skater Michelle Kwan displayed remarkable drive, determination and passion in the pursuit of her competitive goals, all of which propelled her to the very pinnacle of her sport. For over a decade, Kwan dominated figure skating like no other skater in history. She is the most decorated US skater in World Championship history and captured her second consecutive Olympic medal (Bronze) at the 2002 Olympics — making her only the seventh skater in US history to win multiple Olympic medals. Michelle Kwan is widely considered to be the best professional figure skater alive today. Her decade-long career is marked by nine U.S. championships and five world championships. She may have never won a gold medal, but she is beloved the world over by her many fans.

Honors

Through her unique perspective as a world-class athlete and global spokesperson, Kwan shares with her audience the passion, perseverance and plain old hard work needed to succeed in even the most complicated and difficult situations. She is a true winner and leader who lives by the skating maxim that one must first learn how to fall and pull themselves back up before they can learn to succeed. Kwan has been named Sportswoman of the Year by both the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Women’s Sports Foundation and has won the Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in America.

Books

Her autobiography, Michelle Kwan: Heart of a Champion is now in its sixth printing. She also authored two books The Winning Attitude! and My Special Moments, collaborated on the six-book fiction series, Michelle Kwan presents Skating Dreams, and stars in her own interactive video game, “Michelle Kwan Figure Skating”.

Ambassador to Belize

Kwan’s illustrious skating background is coupled with an equally successful career in international relations, diplomacy, and politics. In 2006, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice named Kwan a public diplomacy ambassador, a position that continued under the Obama administration. In December 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Kwan to serve as the United States Ambassador to Belize.

Education

In 2009, Kwan graduated from the University of Denver with a degree in international studies. In 2011, she earned a master’s degree in international relations from Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. The same year she was named a senior adviser to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the U.S-China Women’s Leadership Exchange and Dialogue (Women-LEAD).

Public Service & Political Campaigns

Since then, Michelle Kwan has been involved in a variety of public service and political campaigns including but not limited to the Clinton Presidential Campaign, the Special Olympics, and several U.S. midterm election movements in 2018. Most recently, she worked for Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign as the director of surrogates and 2021 senior advisor to the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

Michelle Kwan Speaking Topics

Aspiring to Greatness: What It Takes to Win

There are bound to be disappointments in life. Aspiration, the power to bounce back and the ability to persevere in the face of adversity is what carries you through. A world-class champion whose performances have been called “the gold standard for future generations of figure skaters,” Michelle Kwan shares with her audience the planning, practice and preparation it takes to reach the heights of success. Kwan uses her athletic and diplomatic experience as a parallel to individual and organizational performance, showing that the top finishers are not always the ones who come in first but are instead the ones with the will, courage and determination to get up when they fall and keep going. Whatever the challenge, staying focused on a mission and always having high standards can put anyone on the path to success—whether on or off the ice.