Kristin Smedley
AUTHOR

Kristin Smedley

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Kristin Smedley is a former elementary school teacher, children’s book author, and keynote speaker who helps families, educators, and organizations look again at what’s possible. She is the author of What I Can Be Is Up To Me, a confidence-building picture book that celebrates how every child was made to thrive, and the bestselling Thriving Blind: Stories of Real People Succeeding Without Sight.

When both of her sons were diagnosed with a rare inherited retinal disease as infants, Kristin was told there might be hope in 50 years. Instead of waiting, she founded the Curing Retinal Blindness Foundation from her kitchen table. She worked with her congressman to introduce H.R. 625, the first legislation in U.S. history submitted in braille. She was also one of only 12 people worldwide to testify before the FDA for the first approved gene therapy for an inherited retinal disease.

Kristin is also the Founder of Thriving Blind Academy, a membership community that gives blind and low vision kids, teens, and families the role models, skills, and expectations to succeed. She is Executive Producer of Curveball, a feature film about her son Michael’s journey as the first blind Little League player in his community.

A TEDx speaker and recipient of the Global Genes RARE Champion of Hope Award and the Siena Medal from Theta Phi Alpha, Kristin speaks to audiences in education, healthcare, and business. Her Look Again message teaches that the first story you see is not always the whole truth, and that adversity, met with the right expectations, becomes a competitive advantage.
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The Best Fiction Podcasts for Listeners Who Love a Good Story

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Featured Article: The Best Fiction Podcasts for Listeners Who Love a Good Story

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