Dr. Gaffney was the first person with Down syndrome to swim across the English Channel. She has swam across Lake Tahoe, Boston Harbor, San Francisco Bay; and she even swam in the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon. For her talents in swimming and her dedication to making her community a better place, Dr. Gaffney received an honorary doctorate from the University of Portland. In addition to her doctorate, Dr. Gaffney has an Associate of Science degree and a teacher’s aide certificate. She is the founder of the Karen Gaffney Foundation. She has given TED Talks and many speeches.