ATHLETIC SUCCESSES:
Amy's athletic successes began as a basketball player in high school, where she was a Parade All-American and one of the top five college recruits in the country. During her junior year, she participated in the U.S. Olympic Festival and was introduced to team handball. She enrolled at the University of Tennessee and played basketball for legendary coach Pat Summit, and her team went to the NCAA Final Four in 1984. After a year and a half at Tennessee, Amy decided to focus on team handball, joining the National Team from 1985-1988. She lived and trained at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for two years and competed in the 1988 Olympic Games, where the team placed seventh. After the Games, Amy played team handball for one more season before returning to school at the University of Arizona where she played basketball for one more season, earning All Pacific-10 honors.

CAREER PATH:
While she was training, Amy held a number of part-time jobs, but nothing that would eventually lead to her professional career. After the Games in 1988, Amy returned to school and earned her Bachelor's degree in Communications and subsequently her Master's degree in Organizational Management. After graduation, she accepted a job with Merck Pharmaceuticals and has been in pharmaceutical sales for the past 11 years. Currently, Amy is a National Account Director with AstraZeneca, one of the top five pharmaceutical companies in the world.

AMY'S WORDS OF WISDOM:
"Training and competing prepared me well for a successful business career. I have the stamina, resilience, persistence and drive to do well in my job. In training you have to get through the mundane everyday drills to get to the exciting competition, and this is exactly what you have to do at work - plug away at a goal until you reach it. Just as in sports, it doesn't happen overnight."

"It is important to acknowledge that there will be a letdown after participating in the Olympics. Hang in there through the transition period and be kind to yourself as you learn new skills and adjust to corporate cultures. Recognize that other people will look at you differently because you are an Olympian - some with admiration, others who think you will fail because you can't make the transition. Try to be patient with yourself and others, because Olympians have a high level of intensity and very high standards. You need to know how to balance this drive for perfection. It takes time and commitment to make transitions."