Enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps at 17 years old in 2000, Coach Rudder’s life changed forever when she was injured at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Following 13 years of intense reconstructive surgeries, Coach Rudder ultimately underwent a leg amputation.

Coach Rudder’s athletic recovery journey began at the 2015 Marine Corps Trials, where she quickly realized she was capable of far more than she has  ever been told. During Coach Rudder’s multi-sport training, she fell in love with CrossFit, finding that its foundational movements perfectly prepared her for the unknown. In 2021, Coach Rudder made her first CrossFit Games debut, securing a third-place finish. Since then, she has dialed in her training to capture three consecutive global titles as the Fittest Female Amputee on Earth, proving that peak performance has no limits. Throughout Coach Rudder’s competitive career across the Warrior Games and Invictus Games, she has been honored to win a combined 30 Gold medals (14 in the Warrior Games and 16 in the Invictus Games), alongside six Gold medals at the Arnold Sports Festival’s BEST competition in Ukraine. 

Beyond competing on the world stage, Coach Rudder’s true passion lies in coaching and giving back. She has dedicated her time to helping other adaptive athletes discover their hidden strengths and rewrite their own narratives. For Coach Rudder, fitness is more than just staying healthy; it is a vital mental health healer where she channels her inner emotions, builds unshakable self-confidence, and quiets the noise of the world. Coach Rudder also loves volunteering in her community, organizing donation drives for the Catch A Lift Fund, and planning events and parties for local kids.

Coach Rudder’s mission is backed by a robust athletic toolkit, including certifications as a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, CrossFit Adaptive Trainer, Adaptive Training Academy (ATA) Coach, TRX Instructor, and a specialized certification in Head Trauma and Concussion Management.