We want you to meet our Banquet Speaker and Mistress of Ceremonies
Are you gearing up for MAWMR 2023? The board has been super busy finding the very best ladies to inspire you no matter what journey you’re on. Inspiration – it’s something that we need in our everyday life – hearing stories of triumph over adversity, living life while pivoting, and finding success from that pivot. At MAWMR, we will always strive to find inspirational women that pull us all up – just like a rubber band – it doesn’t matter where you pull, it always pulls in the same direction.
This year, we’re mixing it up a little. In addition to an inspirational Banquet Speaker for Saturday, we’ll have a Mistress of Ceremonies for Friday night.
Kimberly Chavez – Banquet Speaker
Kimberly (aka I-lean and Unistump) is from Southern California and a survivor of a passenger vehicle vs. motorcycle accident. She made the conscious decision to manifest a positive outcome that would inspire and educate motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists alike.
First riding on dirt before moving to asphalt, she’s traveled over 300,000 miles on her last three bikes. She’s served as a Ride Captain for the San Diego / Imperial Valley Patriot Guard Riders and as the president of STAR 224 (El Cajon, CA). As an avid motorcyclist, Kimberly has participated in several different motorcycle-related events pre- and post-accident. Her most memorable was the 2019 Women Riders World Relay-USA Ripple Relay as the lead escort for the Southern California leg of the trip. In 2015, she formed the fzZzycru, a group of women riders who empower other women by teaching, mentoring, and tracking riders on long-distance rides.
Kimberly’s story begins on May 6, 2019. While riding home, she was broadsided by a pickup that barely stopped at a stop sign. A thankful believer in ATGATT (All The Gear All The time), this is what saved her life. She was struck so hard that her right leg was amputated at the knee on the scene and she sustained several other life-threatening injuries. During recovery, she found herself battling stage 4 Non-Hodgkins lymphoma in the Spring of 2021. This was followed by a mini-stroke in August 2022. Despite these obstacles, she’s fully recovered and back in the wind on a one-of-a-kind 2021 Indian Challenger – it’s been triked and modified to allow her to ride safely, and it sports an amazing unicorn paint job. She’s sure to inspire us all to be unicorns – mythical creatures filled with happiness and an abundance of joy!
In September 2022, Kimberly was named Ms. Wheelchair Arizona USA! With this title, she travels the country promoting The Dane Foundation (which provides for the unique needs of individuals with physical and developmental disabilities) and Motorcycle Safety and Awareness. In 2023, she’ll be doing extensive traveling to represent these organizations share her passion for motorcycling.
Cat Grabowski – Mistress of Ceremonies
Cat has stories! She was a nun for twenty years – yes…the habit-wearing kind (Sisters of Mercy), and has been an educator, published author, cartoonist, public speaker, and college professor, Cat learned to ride at age 38 and never looked back. She traded her habit for a Harley to become the “Biker Nun from Hell” and transferred her nun skills to the construction and heavy machinery industry. As the first female lineman in the county for the local telephone company, she survived and thrived in traditionally male-dominated roles.
She’s built a Tiger Custom Bike and has ridden her Harley in all lower 48 states, six Canadian Provinces, and Mexico. She’s co-founder of the Old Bags on Bikes (OBOB) 31-Day, 10K trip around the US – 31 States, Mexico, and Canada (www.oldbagsonbikes.com).
Along the way she lost a job, needed to reinvent herself to keep the house, and sustained a life-threatening neck injury that required surgery. Besides being an avid rider, Cat has also been a HOG Director and MSF RiderCoach (retired), and she held several volunteer roles with Women in the Wind (WITW) including past International Safety Officer and International President.
“Because I Can” is Cat’s mantra – she’s overcome and adapted more times than one can count. She’s travelled many interesting roads – literally and figuratively – most of which would have stopped others in their tracks. She’s met the most interesting people and had the best experiences…but watch out, she’s not done yet! As long as “she keeps moving,” no difficult or untenable situation will hold her back. Each one is an opportunity to learn and grow.
Cat encourages women to value themselves, live their dreams, and make it happen…Because We Can!
We’re excited to hear these ladies’ stories and laugh and cry with them as we tag along for the ride. These two ladies prove that there is no ride to short or too long. With good riding and good friends, you’re bound to come away with at least one good story!
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