Phulé: noun, feminine

Phule is a Greek word that means clan or tribe. It can also mean kindred or captain. 

The Phule Project is a vision that evolved over nearly a decade of personal experience of growth, challenge, and transition.

As a child, I was curious, energetic, and outgoing. I spent most of my days exploring the outdoors with two older brothers. Shortly after my 8th birthday, I was diagnosed with Osteogenic Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer.

Later that year, I lost my right leg above the knee and continued aggressive chemotherapy treatment. Like any individual touched by cancer, my life changed instantly from one full of opportunity to simply survival.

Following the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games, I stepped onto a ski slope for the first time. The beauty, adrenaline, and excitement of three-track skiing captivated me, but something was missing. Snowboarding was a new Olympic sport and largely deemed “impossible” for those with limb-loss.

Four years later, in 2006 I became the first above-knee amputee, male or female, to compete in adaptive snowboarding. This helped pave the way for the introduction of snowboarding to the Paralympic roster.

In my 12 year career, I had the incredible honor of representing the United States in the 2014 & 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. I was also named World Champion in 2016 and took home 24 World Cup medals.

After retiring from the circuit in 2018, I joined the board of Move United, an organization devoted to the promotion of parasports among youth and adults with physical disabilities.

Cue, The Phule Project. Today I work in the tech industry and occasionally step on a stage, but here you’ll you’ll find real-world, relatable content from personal wisdom, to tips and tricks that have helped me along the way. I hope you’ll find something that brings some light and hope to your world.