Brad Snyder graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2006 as the swim team captain, then served seven years in the Navy as an explosive ordnance disposal officer. In 2011, Brad was completely blinded as the result of a combat injury suffered in Afghanistan. The incident would prove to be lucky timing, however, as Brad was able to make a swift transition back to the pool and earn a spot on Team USA for the 2012 Paralympics. Exactly one year after losing his vision, Brad swam to gold in the London Paralympic Games! Four years later, Brad won three more races at the Rio Paralympics, notably sweeping the freestyle events and breaking a world record that had previously stood for over 30 years. After Rio, Brad transitioned to triathlon, and became the first American male to win gold at either the Olympics or Paralympics.

In 2022, Brad was inducted as a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, and in 2025 was welcomed back home to his alma mater as the Deputy Director of the Vice Admiral James B. Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership. Brad’s mission in this role is to inspire and empower leaders of character by promoting the pursuit of excellence in mind, body, and spirit.

Brad is a Pat Tillman Foundation Scholar and holds a BS degree in Naval Architecture from the U.S. Naval Academy, a MA degree in International Relations from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Public Policy at Princeton University. Brad also serves as an athlete representative on the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s Board of Directors, and is on the Advisory Board for the Navy Special Operations Foundation.