Cynthia Paddock Doroghazi was on her way to what she thought would be a flourishing career as a specialist in Russian-area studies when she suffered a traumatic brain injury that left her paralyzed on her left side and in a coma. The injury changed the course of her life.  Her B.A. in Russian Studies from Amherst College and her M.A. in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies suddenly seemed irrelevant. No longer able to pursue her intended career in Russian Studies as a Russian area specialist or diplomat, Cynthia began to pursue other talents and discovered that she had very strong organizational skills, which has led to a promising career in event planning.  She also found she excelled in public speaking.  In fact, she became the District 36, Toastmasters’ International Speech contest champion in 1999. Her plan is to use these talents to become a motivational speaker on behalf of people with disabilities. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Cynthia lived for fourteen years in Washington, D. C. before moving to Ft. Lauderdale, FL where she currently resides.  She is married to Stephen Doroghazi, a blind attorney, who himself has overcome obstacles in pursuit of success, and who became a genuine source of strength for her completing her book.

 Cynthia can be reached at cynthia@tbisurvival.com.