The inevitability of change and transition is petrifying; our identity is constantly called into question as things end, begin, or shift. As a just-graduated college student and former D1 soccer player, the largest components of how Jeannie identified had been stripped, leaving her raw and exposed. However it was only in that most vulnerable state, that she caught glimpses of the person she would become. 

Jeannie Woller graduated from Utah State University with a BS in English. She served as goalkeeper for Utah State University’s women’s soccer team and received numerous team, regional, and national accolades, both athletic and academic.

As an undergraduate, Jeannie participated in Ignite USU, a student speaker series held during Research Week. She was a 3-year member of USU’s Slam Poetry team, continuously striving to find a creative identity to pair with her overwhelmingly athletic one.

Jeannie works in Salt Lake City as a goalkeeper coach, a reading and writing tutor, as well as an audio production Intern for a local storytelling event.

Jeannie wants you to forget all these facts about her, because her goal in life is to not continually introduce herself with her past successes, but instead as someone who wants to understand how the mind can connect with the voice in order to highlight individual and shared experiences. She is figuring out a way to make that her career.


This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx