OSHAWA, Ont. - From competing on the court for the Durham Lords to helping tell the stories of Canada's top Paralympic athletes on the world stage, former Durham College women's volleyball student-athlete Mia Hildebrandt has turned her passion for sport into a career at the highest level of international competition.

Now serving as the Manager, Digital Marketing with the Canadian Paralympic Committee, Hildebrandt recently returned from the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, where she helped oversee digital coverage and storytelling efforts for Team Canada throughout the Games.

Hildebrandt's path to the role began after gaining experience in marketing and communications with the Winnipeg Sea Bears of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). When she came across the opportunity with the Canadian Paralympic Committee online, she saw it as a chance to eventually return to Ontario and continue building her career in sport marketing and communications.

During the Paralympics, her responsibilities ranged from overseeing digital coverage efforts to helping identify storylines, conducting interviews and managing content captured across multiple competition sites.

"Working in sports, you're used to the grind, but this was a different beast," said Hildebrandt. "It was two weeks where you felt removed from the real world and this was all you do. It was a good type of busy."

With events spread across three different competition clusters, the workload was nonstop. Hildebrandt worked alongside content creators and media staff to gather interviews, video footage and behind-the-scenes moments that helped bring Team Canada's Paralympic experience to audiences back home.

Beyond the competition itself, Hildebrandt said one of the most rewarding parts of the experience was helping to grow visibility for Para sport and connecting Canadians to the athletes and their stories.

"A big part of what we do is growing the Paralympic movement," she said. "We want people to see the importance of Parasport and find ways to engage even when we can't be on the ground covering everything."

The atmosphere surrounding Team Canada throughout the Games left a lasting impression on her.

"It was incredible," said Hildebrandt. "This was the first time I'd been part of an international sporting event and it's hard to put into words what that support was like for our teams."

One moment in particular stands above the rest. Hildebrandt was in attendance when Canada captured gold in wheelchair curling, completing an undefeated tournament run and making history in the process.

"I will never forget it," she said. "To be around the athletes, their families and friends, and see all of those emotions after winning gold was unbelievable."

The experience also deepened her appreciation for the resilience and determination of Paralympic athletes. "These athletes overcame so many challenges and barriers to compete and were doing so at the highest level," she said.

Before beginning her professional career, Hildebrandt built an impressive legacy with the Lords. During her time at Durham College, she earned numerous accolades, including being named a CCAA All-Canadian, OCAA East Player of the Year and Durham College's "Margaret Greenley" Female Athlete of the Year during the 2021-22 season. She also helped lead the Lords to OCAA bronze and silver medal finishes while earning multiple academic honours as both a CCAA Academic All-Canadian and OCAA All-Academic Award recipient.

Hildebrandt credits her experience as a student-athlete and Sport Management student at Durham College for preparing her for the fast-paced demands of the sports industry.

For current student-athletes hoping to break into sports media or marketing, Hildebrandt encourages them to seek out every opportunity possible.

"The biggest thing is to get experience when you can," she said. "Volunteer, put yourself out there, and meet as many people as you can. You never know where an opportunity will come from. Good opportunities come to those who work for them."

Mia wants people to see the importance of Parasport and noted that she is looking forward to the 2027 Parapan American Games in Peru and 2028 Summer Paralympics in Los Angeles.

Stay up to date with the Canadian Paralympic Committee at paralympic.ca, as well as on Instagram and Facebook.