Tiana Tozer
"The Journey from 6 Foot 1 Inch Tall to 4 Foot 5 Inches Tall"
Tiana Tozer was born in Eugene, Oregon and raised on a farm outside of Boise, Idaho. After a fairly normal childhood, Tiana went to college at the University of Oregon. In her sophomore year, Tiana was run over by an intoxicated driver. She spent a month and five days in intensive care and has undergone 34 surgeries. After four years of struggling to walk, Tiana learned that a wheelchair would become a permanent part of her life.
While doctors worked on her physically, Tiana worked to heal herself emotionally by sharing her experiences with high school students throughout Oregon. She went on to graduate school at the University of Illinois where she played wheelchair basketball. In her sport, Tiana holds four national titles, a silver medal from the Barcelona Paralympics and a bronze medal from Atlanta. In 1993 she graduated from the University of Illinois with a MA in International Relations.
As a speaker, Tiana shares her journey of recovery. Using personal experiences, she challenges people to look closely at America's drug of choice -- alcohol. She addresses taking responsibility for your choices, self-image, and how athletics and alcohol do not mix. Tiana's message can be altered to meet the needs of various school climates, age groups and purposes.
Taking the Stairs
(youth and adults)
Tiana Tozer "wheels" on stage and immediately puts her audience at ease by addressing the humorous issues of her disability. She explains that although many funny things have happened to her since she has been in a wheelchair, there is nothing humorous about how she lost her freedom to stand tall and walk. Tiana continues to capture the audience as she shares her recovery journey -- the victories and the setbacks. Skillfully, she then challenges the student's complacency towards the legal drug of alcohol.
After sharing her hospital stories, Tiana illustrates the power of choices through role playing with audience volunteers. She speaks about the unimportance of physical looks, emphasizing the importance of actions and behavior. Tiana will affirm everyone's power to make choices and then challenges them to accept responsibility for their choices -- past and those to come.
Tiana offers unique insight into what happens after the party. She has spoken at hundreds of high schools for MADD, she has presented at student leadership conferences, judicial conferences, pre-prom and Red Ribbon Week programs, and she lobbied for the .08 law in Idaho, Illinois and Nevada.
In "Taking the Stairs" Tiana can focus on:
- Drinking and Driving
- Drug Use
- Peer Pressure
- Self-Image
- Athletes and Alcohol
- Responsible Choices
- General Motivation
- Student Leadership
