Hannah Teter
Hannah Teter (born January 27, 1987) is a decorated American snowboarder, Olympic gold and silver medalist, and committed philanthropist. This detailed biography explores her early life, athletic achievements, charitable work, philosophy, and enduring influence.
Introduction
Hannah Teter is a name synonymous with excellence in snowboarding and with heart off the slopes. As a two-time Olympic medalist, she has dazzled audiences with her skill, grace, and resilience. Beyond sport, she has built a legacy of giving, using her platform to help communities in need and to advocate for inclusivity. Her journey teaches us about ambition, humility, and the power of leveraging success for good.
Early Life and Family
Hannah Lee Teter was born on January 27, 1987, in Belmont, Vermont, USA. She is the youngest of five siblings. Her parents, Jeff and Pat Teter, were both skiers who later embraced snowboarding through exposure via their children. Her brothers played a significant role: Abe and Elijah competed in snowboarding; her eldest brother, Amen, became her manager/agent. One brother, Josh, has intellectual disabilities, which influenced Hannah’s advocacy and involvement in disability inclusion causes.
From an early age, Hannah was immersed in a snow culture. She took her first snowboarding lesson at age 8 at Okemo Mountain, her local mountain, and she attended Okemo Mountain School. By her mid-teens, she had already begun competing in junior championships and national competitions.
Snowboarding Career & Achievements
Rise in Competitions
At age 15, in 2002, Hannah Teter won the World Junior Halfpipe Championship and began competing on the FIS World Cup circuit. In her first World Cup halfpipe event (in Valle Nevado, Chile), she placed 4th. Over her career, she earned six World Cup victories and multiple podium finishes. She also medaled at the FIS Snowboard World Championships with a bronze in 2005 (Halfpipe). At the Winter X Games, she collected multiple medals (bronze, silver, gold) across different years.
Olympic Success
Hannah’s Olympic performances are high points in her career:
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2006 Winter Olympics (Turin): Gold medal in women’s halfpipe.
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2010 Winter Olympics (Vancouver): Silver medal in halfpipe.
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2014 Winter Olympics (Sochi): Placed 4th in halfpipe.
Her medals place her among the elite in snowboarding history, especially in halfpipe competition.
Style & Approach
Hannah was known for combining technical skill with expressive fluidity. Some observers described her as “risky and aggressive” in her trick selection, but also fun-loving and creative in performance. She continued competing across a long span, adapting her style and maintaining competitiveness even as the sport evolved in difficulty and athletic standards.
Philanthropy, Advocacy & Off-Slope Work
One of the hallmarks of Hannah Teter’s public life is her commitment to giving back.
Hannah’s Gold
In 2008, she founded a charity called Hannah’s Gold. The idea: sell Vermont maple syrup and channel the profits toward humanitarian projects in Kirindon, Kenya. Projects supported by Hannah’s Gold include building schools, digging wells, providing clean water filtration, and infrastructure assistance in rural communities. She once donated her entire prize money from a competition to relief efforts after the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Special Olympics & Inclusion
In 2014, Hannah Teter became the first Action Sports Global Ambassador for Special Olympics. She has engaged in unified snowboarding events (where athletes with and without intellectual disabilities compete or train together). Her advocacy is personal: her brother Josh’s intellectual disability underscores her focus on inclusion and representation.
Other Ventures & Media
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Hannah appeared in snowboarding documentaries such as First Descent (2005) and Snow Blind (2006).
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In 2009, Ben & Jerry’s released an ice cream flavor named “Hannah Teter’s Maple Blondie” in Vermont, tying together her local roots and philanthropic brand.
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She was featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (Olympic Stars section) in 2010.
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In 2013 she co-authored the instructional book Mastering Snowboarding.
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More recently, in 2025 she was announced as an inductee into the Vermont Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame.
Her off-slope work demonstrates a deeply held belief in using success to serve others, particularly in education and accessibility.
Personality, Influence & Public Perception
Hannah is often described as warm, grounded, and driven—not just by medals, but by purpose. Her journey in a family of athletes gave her both competition and camaraderie, and she’s often spoken about the support of her siblings and family.
Her decision to become vegetarian after watching the documentary Earthlings has also been noted as part of her holistic approach to life and health.
She has leveraged her platform to speak about body positivity, the strength of women in action sports, and social responsibility. Her participation in modeling (e.g. for Sports Illustrated) underscored that she controlled that narrative rather than being controlled by it.
Her influence extends beyond the snowboarding community: young athletes, especially girls, see in Hannah a model of how to blend competitive excellence with integrity and heart.
Notable Quotes
Here are a few statements attributed to Hannah Teter that reflect her mindset:
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“I just go big.”
— She once described her approach to competition in a profile, reflecting her fearless style. -
On giving back:
“Selling maple syrup to support a village in Kenya has always been a dream come true.”
— paraphrase from her humanitarian messaging tied to Hannah’s Gold. -
On mental preparation:
She has spoken about visualization, breathing exercises, and grounding meditations before events. -
On embodiment and self-acceptance:
In response to criticism of her posing in swimsuit modeling, she said: “I don’t believe in the criminalization of bodies and women having to be ashamed of their bodies.”
These quotes reveal the combination of courage, self-awareness, and purpose that guides her public narrative.
Lessons from Hannah Teter’s Journey
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Pursuit of excellence and purpose can coexist
Hannah’s career shows that one can compete at the highest level while staying anchored in values and service. -
Family and identity matter
Coming from a family of snowboarders gave her both opportunity and perspective; she didn’t ride alone, and she acknowledges those foundational ties. -
Resilience through evolution
As snowboarding pushed into more extreme tricks and younger talent appeared, Hannah adapted, extended her competitive longevity, and found new roles off the slope. -
Authentic use of platform
Her charity (Hannah’s Gold), advocacy for inclusion, and public voice show how athletes can use fame as a bridge rather than a barrier. -
Courage to redefine boundaries
Whether modeling, writing, or exploring philanthropy, she took opportunities that others in her sport might eschew, intentionally shaping her own path.
Conclusion
Hannah Teter’s story is more than a chronicle of medals—though those are extraordinary in their own right. It is a narrative of empowerment, compassion, and evolving purpose. From the slopes of Vermont to global humanitarian efforts, she embodies what it means for an athlete to aim high and reach outward.