Karni Liddell, one of Australia's most successful Paralympic swimmers, has been named the winner of QUT's Outstanding Alumni Award for the Health Faculty at a ceremony in Brisbane today.
Now a business women, counsellor, media presenter, professional speaker and champion for people with a disability, Ms Liddell completed a Master of Social Work (Paediatric counselling) at QUT in 2012.
Living with spinal muscular atrophy she has inspired thousands of people around Australia to live their dreams and is currently Director of Adaption Fitness, offering professional coaching support to people to adapt to whatever life circumstances they are given.
Despite her diagnosis at birth that she would never walk, Ms Liddell became an elite athlete and set her first world record as a 14 year old in the 50 metre freestyle at the 1994 Qld Invitational Games.
She won a bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games and went on to Captain the Australian swimming team at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics. In 2004 she raised enough funds for the entire Australian Paralympic team to go to the Athens Games in her role as Westpac National Fundraising Manager.
Ms Liddell is committed to educating and challenging people's perceptions about disability and difference through her presentations and workshops. Born and raised in Rockhampton, she has a particular affinity for Queenslanders living in regional centres and the social and economic challenges people with disability face in their day to day lives.
Through her work with ABC and 4BC radio, speaking engagements and charity events Ms Liddell uses her public profile to deliver messages of equity and inclusion to a wide audience. She has been an ambassador for Muscular Dystrophy for the past decade, a fundraiser and mentor for Paralympian's, a teacher and workshop facilitator for disability support service.
At present Ms Liddell is involved in preparing Australia's first disabled team for the World Outrigger Championships and in 2014 was appointed as Queensland's National Disability Insurance Scheme champion. An ambassador for The Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Sport and Recreation Association of Queensland, she has also raised more than $1 million for charities including Riding for the Disabled and Montrose Access, a provider of services to children with disabilities.
Ms Liddell was a Queensland finalist 2014 Pride of Australia Awards, Courage category.
Media contact:
Amanda Weaver, QUT Media, 07 3138 9449, amanda.weaver@qut.edu.au
After hours: Rose Trapnell, 0407 585 901, media@qut.edu.au
