Prior to the '02 accident, Kim Birkenfeld - a '93 graduate of Havard Business School - worked for companies including PepsiCo Int'l, E & J Gallo Winery and lastminute.com.

When not working, she competed in the sport of windsurfing from 1988 until the 2002 Olympic Test Event accident in Greece.  

At 2010, she is severely disabled -  in ongoing litigation, New Zealand courts say neither she nor the public have right to know how the accident happened.