Maya DiRado, Olympic Gold Medalist and Engineer, gave the closing keynote presentation at WE Local San Jose.
Maya is living, and swimming, proof that perseverance pays off in all aspects of achievement, from inside the classroom to the workplace. A Stanford University alumnae and California native, Maya graduated in 2014 with a degree in Management Science and Engineering in addition to winning NCAA Titles in both the 200m and 300m yard medley. She won four medals representing Team USA in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil and is now retired to embark on a career as a business analyst at McKinsey.
Reaching Beyond Your Limits
Maya explained how dedication and perseverance won her gold medals, and how that translates into a career in engineering. Learn how effective goal setting, a growth mindset and surrounding yourself with the right team will help you reach beyond your limits.
During the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Maya face Katinka Hosszu in the 200-meter backstroke, who was favored to win. Maya was behind the entire race until she pushed the last 25 meters and out-touched her competitor by one-hundredths of a second for the win. Immediately after learning she won, Maya said,”My team believed in me so much… it was just a matter of convincing myself, and I did.”
