Katie's Story

Katie Samson grew up in Wayne, Pennsylvania and graduated from Radnor High School in 1998. She excelled as a lacrosse goaltender, community volunteer and art enthusiast. While attending Middlebury College she helped her team capture a Division III National Championship and was named the game MVP. The following winter, Katie's life was forever altered when she suffered a spinal cord injury while sledding in a nearby park.

After months of rehabilitation and encouragement from family and friends, Katie went back to finish her degree and help coach her college team to 2 more National titles. Being in a wheelchair does not slow Katie down; she considers her disability a circumstance in her life, not a defining characteristic. She has lived in Tuscon, Arizona for the past 6 years first attending graduate school and then working for the Tuscon Museum of Art. Katie is very happy to have recently moved back to Philadelphia to be closer to her family and to assist arts and cultural organizations in the area.

She plays wheelchair rugby and tennis for the Magee Adaptive Sports Program, skis in Vermont and continues her involvement in the KSLF. She is grateful to all of the amazing volunteers who put hours into making the festival worthwhile each year.