Laquita Dian is a dynamic woman. Native to Oklahoma, she moved to Carmel on the Monterey Peninsula of California in the early 80’s. Here she raised her two children while working as an executive buyer, sales manager, and lead designer curating an extensive collection of antiquities, fine art, oriental rugs, and treasures from around the world for a high-end antique gallery. Laquita is well traveled; fluent in foreign lands, arts, and the people who inhabit them; and respected by foreign nationalists whom she conducted business with.Her world was reshaped when in the late 90’s when her son suffered a catastrophic, disabling spinal cord injury and her daughter fell into the grip of self-destruction. She embraced the role as a caregiver and earned decades of hands-on experience with trauma recovery. She managed a cross-country tandem bike tour for her son, a recovering quadriplegic, and rode part time while also securing fundraising events, speaking engagements, sponsorship appearances, and media coverage. The following year, she managed a second cross-country bike tour, while riding full-time with her son the four thousand miles across America. Laquita co-founded and served as CEO of the Center of Restorative Exercise (C.O.R.E.), a specialized gym focused on helping improve the quality of life for those who suffer a disabling condition. She sold C.O.R.E in 2019. Now a mentor, public speaker, and author, she resides in Encino, CA. She enjoys time with her two children, three grandchildren, and her partner Hans.Read more about this authorRead less about this author