Encourage | Equip | Empower
M ED I A KIT · 2019
M ED I A KIT 2019
About Kristi
Accolades
Featured
In her thirty-five-year water-ski career, Kristi Overton Johnson fell daily. Yet in the midst of her falls, she became one of the most decorated women water skiers of all time, holding the world record in women’s slalom from 1992–2010 and accumulating over 80 professional titles. Her life experiences as a wife, mother, and athlete, along with her relationship with Jesus Christ, have taught Kristi that falls don’t prevent victory—on the water or in life. Through her speaking engagements and the ministries she’s founded, Kristi shares a message of hope that empowers people to rise out of the waters of defeat and move on to victory.
• World Record Holder (1992–2010)
• CBN’s The 700 Club
• World Champion
• TBN’s More than Conquerors
• 4x U.S. Open Champion
• ESPN
• 8x U.S. Masters Champion
• ABC’s Wide World of Sports
• Pan Am Games Champion
• Sports Illustrated
• Member of NC Sports Hall of Fame,
• USA Today
World Water Ski Hall of Fame,
• The Washington Post Times
USA Water Ski Hall of Fame
Education • BA, University of Central Florida • JD, University of Florida College of Law
Personal Kristi married her best friend, Tim Johnson, in 1994. Together they have 3 children, 2 of whom were adopted from Russia.
L E T’ S C O N N E C T! Speaking Topics • The power of “HIT IT!” • Persevering to victory • Overcoming perfectionism and people pleasing • Overcoming failure and fear • Living a life of impact and influence
Social fb.com/kristiovertonjohnson @kristiovertonjohnson
Demographics Gender Female 57% Male 43%
Age Range 18-44 35% 45-65+ 65%
For more information or to invite Kristi to speak, please contact Pat@kojministries.org 352-478-2098
vlmag.org/podcasts
Motivator | World Champion Athlete | Author | Ministry Leader
CONTACT: Pat Avery, 352-478-2098
WWW.KOJMINISTRIES.ORG
SPEAKING
AUDIENCES Faith-Based Organizations After years of remaining settled on a spiritual dock, Kristi finally stepped out of her comfort zone and joined God on an adventure that has changed her life and the lives of others. Kristi’s life story will encourage your congregation to step out on the water with God and make eternal waves for Him.
Corporations As the winner of over 80 professional titles and the world record holder in women’s water skiing for 18 years, Kristi knows how to have victory in the roughest conditions and against the toughest competitors. Let Kristi’s insight encourage and equip your team for victory.
Schools “You are a champion!” That’s the message Kristi brings to today’s youth. As a child athlete and student, Kristi remembers well the pressures of fitting in, performing under pressure, and pleasing those around her. Through her experiences, Kristi encourages and equips youth to live authentic lives.
Prisons and Rehabilitation Institutions As an athlete, Kristi learned the valuable truth that it’s not falls that prevent victory. Instead, it’s how one responds to the fall that determines the outcome. Kristi takes her life lessons and combines them with her faith to bring a powerful message of God’s gift of another chance.
Motivator | World Champion Athlete | Author | Ministry Leader
Kristi is a sought after faith-based motivational speaker. From church pulpits to prison yards, corporations to schools, Kristi has a remarkable ability to connect with her audience. Her captivating gift of storytelling and authentic message will take your audience from laughter to tears as she reveals her struggles and triumphs as a professional athlete, wife, mother, and ministry leader.
SPEAKING TOPICS Speaking Endorsements • Getting off the dock with God • Persevering to victory • Navigating life’s obstacles • Gaining victory over your mind
• Turning failures into success • Performing under pressure • Preventing burnout • Overcoming obstacles
• Understanding worth and identity • Discovering passions and talents • Setting goals • Moving past failures to victory
• Moving past failure and defeat • Discovering worth and identity • Living a life of influence and impact
“Kristi has proven herself in the sport of water skiing, but more importantly, she has demonstrated the heart of a champion as a Christ-follower. She lives her message of hope and redemption. I see it every weekend as her family worships together. I read it in her magazine as she shares stories of hope. I hear it in her voice when she speaks of the love of Jesus. I highly recommend Kristi for your event. Her testimony of world championships will attract an audience, but her message of Jesus will change them through the anointing of the Holy Spirit on her words.” – David Uth, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Orlando
• Building and restoring relationships
CONTACT: Pat Avery, 352-478-2098
WWW.KOJMINISTRIES.ORG
I N T E RV I E W TA L K I N G P O I N T S • How, when, and where did you learn to water-ski? • Tell us about Lake Kristi, the private training facility your parents built for you in North Carolina. • How did you get back on the water after 16 surgeries? How did each surgery change you? • What was it like to stand on the top of the podium as a World Champion? What life lessons have you learned from your falls?
“God isn’t looking for perfect people. God is looking for persevering, passionate people. People who are humble enough to admit their mistakes, listen to God, learn from Him, and move forward despite their weaknesses. I’m grateful God chooses to use me, even with my faults.”
• Tell us about your family and the international adoption of 2 of your children. • Tell us about the words “Hit it!” • How did Victorious Living magazine begin and why? • How did a world champion water skier and her boat end up in prison, and why does she go? One visit with an incarcerated friend in 2013 opened Kristi’s eyes to the hopelessness of life behind bars. It also birthed in her a desire to minister to the souls of incarcerated men and women. With a surrendered heart, Kristi told God she would go to prison. He responded to her commitment by opening doors for her Victorious Living magazine to be distributed in the prison system, and then He brought Kristi onto prison yards to share His message of hope. Kristi can often be found behind prison walls sharing the hope of Jesus Christ and encouraging men and women to say “hit it!” to the only Power Source that will never fail.
—1 million lives impacted—
What Others Say
When Kristi shares her story of triumph and perseverance at our residential homes, both our residents and staff feel challenged to draw closer to God and encouraged to keep moving forward through life’s difficulties. Her message will encourage and inspire any audience. – Nancy Alcorn, Founder & President, Mercy Multiplied
Kristi Overton Johnson has a powerful story that touches the hearts of people of all ages. She is a world-class athlete and a champion communicator. Kristi’s sense of humor, her authenticity, and her ability to clearly present the gospel make her presentation one you will not want to miss. – Ken Davis, Speaker, Author & Communication Trainer
Kristi does what very few people, much less public champions would be willing to do—she lets us in! She gets real; she opens the doorway of her soul and invites the world to learn from her past failures and triumphs. Her transparency helps people draw closer to God and discover the place of peace that took Kristi years to find! – Dr. Bobby Joiner, Tour pastor NewSong, Winter Jam
Motivator | World Champion Athlete | Author | Ministry Leader
CONTACT: Pat Avery, 352-478-2098
WWW.KOJMINISTRIES.ORG
MINISTRIE S FOUNDED With a passion to help people live victorious lives, Kristi Overton Johnson has combined her faith, love for people, and the keys to victory she learned as a world champion water skier in the nonprofit ministries she has founded.
In His Wakes uses water sports to connect with the hearts of at-risk
youth to introduce them to the life changing power of Jesus Christ. Over 25,000 at-risk youth have been impacted since its inception.
Publications
VL Magazine Real People. Real Stories. Real Hope. Victorious Living is written proof of God’s faithfulness in the lives of people today. ENDORSEMENTS: Jack Murphy, “Murf the Surf,” International Prison Minister Nancy Alcorn, Founder Mercy Multiplied
To learn more, please visit inhiswakes.com Hit It!
Kristi Overton Johnson Ministries encourages hearts, equips
minds, and empowers lives through tangible acts of God’s love and the truth of His Word through the following avenues: • Prison Outreach—KOJM nationally reaches inmates with God’s love through Victorious Living magazine and on-site prison events. Partnerships with writing teams & transitional/recovery programs provide our VL family ongoing support. • Teaching Ministry—Through speaking, social media, VL Podcast, and
Kristi shares the obstacles and lessons she learned through her life experiences as a mother, wife, professional athlete, and ministry leader. ENDORSEMENTS: Bubba Cathy, Executive VP of Chick-fil-A Dave Ramsey, New York Times best-selling author and radio show host
published works, Kristi helps others experience a deeper relationship with God by using daily authentic illustrations from her life. • Orphan Support—KOJM provides ongoing support for the daily needs of orphans in India through a partnership with Favour the Helpless.
To learn more, please visit kojministries.org
Victorious Living Magazine, a publication of KOJM, shares God’s
faithfulness in the lives of everyday people through testimonials. In 2013,
VL entered the prison system and has introduced over 1 million inmates to the God of another chance.
To learn more, please visit vlmag.org
Motivator | World Champion Athlete | Author | Ministry Leader
Running the Course Kristi shares insights gained from her life as a Christian, focusing on the rigorous demands of her life as an athlete and the rewards of living the Christian lifestyle in a challenging world. ENDORSEMENTS: Franklin Graham, President of Samaritan’s Purse, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Joe Gibbs, 3-time Super Bowl Champion & 3-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion
CONTACT: Pat Avery, 352-478-2098
WWW.KOJMINISTRIES.ORG