Careers A Conversation with Brad Snyder

A Conversation with Brad Snyder

February 21, 2025

Connect Conversations

Connect Conversations is a series of curated discussions designed for colleagues at Citadel and Citadel Securities. In these talks, we invite peak performers from various fields to share their insights and experiences and explore their motivations and the challenges they have faced along the way.

In a recent conversation, U.S. Paralympic swimmer Brad Snyder joined Chris Doyle, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Citadel employee, to discuss his inspiring journey. From his service as a U.S. Navy officer, where he overcame a serious battlefield injury, to achieving success as a Paralympic gold medalist in swimming and triathlon, Brad’s story embodies resilience and determination.

After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2006, Brad became an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officer, one of the Navy’s riskiest assignments. He deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, where an IED explosion caused him to lose his eyesight.

Exactly one year later, Brad won a gold medal at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. He followed this success by earning three more gold medals at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games before transitioning to triathlon, where he helped Team USA secure a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

One of the most impactful lessons Brad shared during his conversation with Chris was about defining excellence: “If your gratification, your happiness, your sense of contentment or fulfillment comes from the pursuit of excellence, then you’re bombproof; you’re good for the rest of your life,” Brad explained. “If your gratification, your satisfaction, your fulfillment comes from the outcomes, that’s where you’re susceptible to catastrophe.”

Watch a clip of the conversation below:

Hear From Brad

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