Olympic gold medalist and alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn will be the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism’s 2026 commencement speaker, the school announced Wednesday.

Across her nearly 25-year career, Vonn has won three gold medals at the Olympics, four overall FIS Alpine Ski World Cup championships and eight World Cup season titles. Vonn retired in 2019 after receiving multiple critical injuries throughout her career, including an ACL tear and critical nerve damage in her arm. After undergoing a partial knee replacement, she returned in 2024 and earned herself a spot at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

About a week before her competition at the Olympics in early February, Vonn suffered a torn ACL in her left knee. She returned and completed a few training runs before crashing 13 seconds into her actual run in the women’s downhill event, shattering her entire left leg and forcing her to exit the event. She underwent a six-hour surgery back in the United States, which rebuilt her leg.

Off the slopes, Vonn is the author of two New York Times bestsellers that document her personal life and athletic career. In 2019, Vonn founded Après Productions, a company that produces sports media.  She has also invested in the National Women’s Soccer League team Angel City FC.

In a press release, Annenberg Dean Willow Bay said Vonn’s determination and passion for helping athletes tell their stories embodies the values that define Annenberg.

“[Vonn’s] fearless pursuit of excellence — and her ability to give voice to the human experience behind competition — offers our Class of 2026 a powerful model of courage, authenticity and modern leadership,” Bay said. 

Vonn will deliver her keynote address at Annenberg’s commencement ceremony, scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on May 15 at Alumni Park.