Having been dubbed ‘The Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century’ by Sports Illustrated, Jackie Joyner Kersee’s athletic accomplishments are literally second to none. By the conclusion of her career in the heptathlon and long jump events she had amassed six Olympic medals (3 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze) and four World Champion titles over four consecutive Olympic Games. Jackie was the first woman in history to earn more than 7,000 points in the heptathlon and today, over 20 years later, she still holds the world heptathlon record of 7,291 points. She continues to hold the Olympic and national records in the long jump and her 1994 performance in the long jump remains the second longest in history.

In addition to heptathlon and long jump, Jackie was a world class 100m and 200m runner and, after a decorated All-American career in basketball at UCLA, she eventually played professional basketball for a short time.

Jackie’s athletic accomplishments have been well documented and remain some of the best ever across all of sports. Less well known, are her tireless efforts and remarkable accomplishments off the field as a philanthropist and an advocate for children’s education, health issues (in particular asthma from which she has suffered throughout her life), racial equality, social reform and women’s rights.

Born in 1962, in East St. Louis, IL, Jackie came from very humble beginnings but despite the at times, very strained conditions she describes her early home life as being full of love, principle and discipline. These ingrained values have served Jackie well both on and off the field throughout her life. She has been described by the sports media as one of the warmest, most even-tempered, grace-filled people in all of athletics.

One of four children to Mary and Alfred Joyner, Jackie’s older brother Al went on to become an Olympic Champion triple jumper and married Florence Griffith (Joyner), a five time Olympic medalist. In 1986 she married her long-time coach, Bob Kersee.

Jackie is the author of both A Kind of Grace (1997), her autobiography, and A Woman’s Place is Everywhere. She is an active professional speaker and is widely considered one of the most inspiring motivational speakers in all sports. Jackie speaks on topics of athletics, business success, living with the limitations of medical issues, nutrition, women’s issue and youth advocacy.

Twelve years ago, I was standing at the finish line of the Boston Marathon with my 5-year-old son when a bomb exploded just feet behind us. In an instant, I became a human shield, my body absorbing the blast that could have taken both of our lives.

What followed was more than a headline. It was months in the hospital, 76 surgeries, and eventually the amputation of my left leg. I’ve had to relearn how to walk, how to parent through pain, and how to live in a body I didn’t recognize. And I’m still undergoing procedures to this day.

But I wasn’t supposed to survive — and I didn’t go through all of this to stay silent.

Over the last decade, I’ve shared my journey with audiences around the world. From Fortune 500 companies and hospital systems to women’s retreats and trauma summits, I speak about what it means to rebuild your life when everything has fallen apart — and how resilience isn’t just something we’re born with. It’s something we choose, over and over again.

Today, I’m not just a survivor. I’m a speaker, a mom, a wife, and the founder of Rebekah’s Angels Foundation, which provides mental health support for children and families navigating their own hard chapters. Because I know firsthand that trauma doesn’t end when the headlines do and healing doesn’t happen alone.

My story is messy, unfinished, and still being written, but it’s real.

And if I’ve learned anything, it’s this: you don’t have to be blown up to know what it feels like for life to explode. But you can still come back stronger than ever, even on your last leg.

Thank you for being here.

Laurie K. Baedke is the founder and CEO of Growth Edge Leadership. Ms. Baedke is a well-regarded keynote speaker at international conferences, an executive coach, and the host of a weekly leadership podcast, The Growth Edge.

Laurie holds a master's degree in healthcare administration and is a board-certified fellow of both the American College of Healthcare Executives and the American College of Medical Practice Executives. She has been certified by the Gallup organization as a Strengths Performance Coach since 2006.

She has written two editions of a book, The Emerging Healthcare Leader: A Field Guide. In 2017, Ms. Baedke contributed a chapter titled "The Clinician Entrepreneur" to a book published by Oxford Press titled The Handbook of Private Practice. Her most recent book, Mentor Coach Lead to Peak Professional Performance was released in February, 2023.

Laurie lives just outside of Omaha with her husband in their newly emptied nest.