Kristi Yamaguchi, Olympic figure skating gold medalist, was recognized for her work with the Always Dream Foundation, the nonprofit she founded in 1996 that, among other initiatives, champions early childhood literacy in underserved communities and empowers children to dream big.

Kristi captured gold—and the public’s hearts—in figure skating in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. She is a member of the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame, World Figure Skating Hall of Fame, and U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. She is also a New York Times Best-Selling author for her children’s picture books, Dream Big, Little Pig!; It’s A Big World, Little Pig!; and Cara’s Kindness.

In 1996, Kristi established the Always Dream Foundation, whose mission is to ensure children from low-income families have access to high-quality books in the home and to encourage extensive family engagement and support. Kristi’s passion for reading ignited the Foundation’s commitment to early childhood literacy and the Foundation launched its Always Reading™ program in 2012, which has since touched the lives of more 10,000 students in California and Hawaii. Always Reading™ combines technology and hardcover books to engage parents in their children’s learning with a goal to foster a lifelong love of reading.