New York Speakers

Advancing Opportunities

The mission of Advancing Opportunities is to achieve full societal participation for all people with disabilities. The agency is committed to providing person-centered services in community-based settings. While at Abilities Expo NY Metro, visit the Assistive Technology Showcase. The Advancing Opportunities team of technology specialists will be available for free hands-on demonstrations of technology and tools. From low-tech tips to advice about sophisticated software, they can help you find solutions.

Event: Assistive Technology Showcase

Center for Modern Dance Education (CMDE)

The Center for Modern Dance Education (CMDE) is a community arts organization with the mission to promote modern dance and related art forms and make it available to everyone while serving as a resource for the professional dance community. The Center for Modern Dance Education seeks, through quality dance programs, to nurture talent and instill confidence in every student, and to preserve the legacy of modern dance and nurture its future. The Center believes that dance is for every body, including individuals with disabilities, youth at risk, older adults, and people of all income levels. CMDE is an inclusive, diverse oasis for non competitive artistic engagement. CMDE is a Non-Profit since 1962! Awarded New Jersey State Council on the Arts Citation of Excellence!

Event: Every Body Dance!

Empower Spinal Cord Injury

Empower Spinal Cord Injury is a non-profit corporation established to enable individuals with spinal cord injuries to lead happier, more meaningful and more independent lives. Empower SCI seeks to fill the gap in the rehabilitation industry that has been created by a decrease in length of stays at rehabilitation hospitals and outpatient services during the recovery from a spinal cord injury.

Event: Manual Wheelchair Skills for Everyone

Envision Dance Exchange (EDE), Dance Innovations, and Artistic Director, Susan M. Coutts

Envision Dance Exchange (EDE) is an integrated creative movement company for dancers of all abilities. Under the guidance of Susan McCutcheon Coutts (Artistic Director), able-bodied teen dancers donate their time and love of dance to learn from, embrace, and encourage their partners. For the EDE participant, this program improves motor skills, mood and overall health. It builds confidence and self-esteem, enhances social skills, and creates unexpected friendships. Performance opportunities have included venues such as ECLC-(Chatham, NJ), F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theater @ Drew University (Madison, NJ) and Dance Innovations annual recital as all pursue their passion for dance. The parents of our EDE participants have said that the EDE program provides a "supportive family that welcomes all as part of a team of dancers" and is "a blessing for children with ADHD, Dyslexia, Aspergers, Autism, Speech and language impairments, Down's Syndrome and other developmental disabilities to have this type of acceptance, creative outlet & interaction." Learn more at danceinnovations.org/dipf or contact the program at 973-635-1205 or [email protected].

Event: Never Miss a Chance to Dance

Henry Viscardi School Adapted Sports Program

The Adapted Sports Programs at Henry Viscardi School was created to afford children of all levels of physical abilities, the opportunity to play together as a team and to reach their highest potential as athletes. The game is structured to allow each child to be as independent as possible while playing wheelchair basketball. The program allows children with disabilities to have fun and enjoy themselves. The program teaches the players to respect each other's individual needs and limitations as well as providing guidance for learning individual skills, team skills and good sportsmanship. Our goal is to encourage individuality, heighten self-esteem and provide a safe environment for each basketball player involved.

Event: Adapted Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Tennis

Kristin Hartness

Executive Director, CDK

Public awareness and education are very important to CDK – so important that they travel the country to talk to students of all grade levels, civic groups, religious groups, and businesses about assistance dogs. CDK also offers different ways to help educate the public about service dogs including Educational Presentations, Booth Event Participation, Americans with Disability (ADA) consulting. Members of CDK staff and volunteers travel all over the country for these opportunities. Please contact the CDK team to learn more about how we might participate in your school, business, or community event.

Event: All About Service Dogs

Kelly L. Green

Executive Director, Help Hope Live

Kelly has been executive director of Help Hope Live since November 2017. The daughter of a transplant recipient, Kelly not only believes in the mission of Help Hope Live, but she once used the service and it "completely changed her life." She feels honored and proud to lead an organization that provided hope and help to her family during her mother's journey to transplant in 2007. Kelly describes herself as a mother, a daughter of her hero, a battle-tested unifier, and a thought leader. She has more than 20 years' experience working in and leading nonprofit organizations and has dedicated her life to civic engagement. Kelly has proudly served as the CEO of Variety – The Children's Charity; director of Montgomery County, PA Voters Services; and deputy director for the Institute for the Study of Civic Values in Philadelphia. In 2018, Kelly was recognized with Main Line Today's Women on the Move Award for redefining success around Philadelphia, PA's Main Line region and western suburbs. Kelly is a connector, a person who needs to infuse each day with a lesson and inspire others to be the one makes someone else's day just a little brighter. She places value in small acts of kindness. She is a self-proclaimed activist, but most people just see her as someone who believes everyone deserves dignity and respect. She knows firsthand how broken our healthcare system is and is determined to help place medical needs in reach to those in need!

Event: Help Hope Live Adaptive Bike Giveaway

MJXpressions

MJXpressions is a dance program founded by Stefan Hercel, a professional Michael Jackson Tribute Artist who has devoted his time and passion to creating a weekly dance program for individuals with disabilities and special needs. This program has become to be known as The MJX Dance Family. We promote inclusion for this dance program to heal the world through dance.

Event: Michael Jackson Dance Program for Special Needs

Sonny Mullen

Director of Outreach, Help Hope Live

Sonny Mullen is from the Philadelphia area and spent the first part of her career in New York City working in television. She joined Help Hope Live in 2016, first working in the Finance Department and now proudly serves as the Outreach Manager. In this role she has helped build the Outreach department with the goal of bringing Help Hope Live's mission to a wider audience. Growing up with a younger brother living with GRIN1 Disorder, Sonny has a personal connection to Help Hope Live's mission. She is happy to use her experiences, both at home and with Help Hope Live, to connect and speak with individuals in the disability community all over the country, with the goal of helping them safely fundraise for their medical and related expenses.

Event: Help Hope Live Adaptive Bike Giveaway

Gianna Rojas

One Handed Lady Golfer and Founder, Adaptive Golfers

For Gianna Rojas, no obstacle is too daunting to tackle. Born without fingers on her left hand, Gianna is known world-wide as the "One Handed Lady Golfer." She strives to bring attention to golfing success stories people with physical, cognitive, sensory, health, and age-related challenges. She does not like the word "disabled." "We are all able, just differently ABLED," says Gianna. Despite her own challenges, she inspires and motivates others to "get out of bed, and out of their head." By sharing her own story she hopes to inspire others who may question their own abilities. Named by the LPGA as one of the TOP 22 Women "Disrupters" in the golf industry, Gianna is the epitome of adaptive empowerment through golf. Today, Gianna collaborates, sits on committees, and is an active member of many organizations. She represents the USAGA as their Director of Global Brand Awareness. She is an adaptive athlete and a two-time division winner in the Adaptive and Para Long Drives and is a member of the USA Disabled Team participating in International and National Events. Find her online by searching for "One Handed Lady Golfer" or at her website, adaptivegolfers.org.

Event: Adaptive Golf

Tap: On Tap - An All Abilities Tap Ensemble and Mary Six Rupert, Founder and Director

Tap Dancing Hands Down is a system created by Mary Six Rupert that allows those with mobility issues to tap dance with their hands. She makes tap gloves by attaching regulation taps to a pair of stretchy gloves. The dancer has a small wooden board in their lap (or on a table in front of them) that serves as the tap floor. This system has been taught for many years at Mt Sinai Hospital in New York in their recreational therapy program. Some occupational therapists have expressed interest in using this system in their program. Tap: On Tap is a unique tap dance company that includes wheelchair users and professional tap dancers. The company's performances include tap dancing with feet and tap dancing with hands. Mary Six Rupert is the creator, director, and choreographer of Tap Dancing Hands Down and Tap: On Tap. She is a former Radio City Rockette, professor of tap, producer of tap shows, and a tap instructor and choreographer for over 30 years.

Event: Tap-Dancing Hands Down

Philadelphia Power Play

Power Wheelchair Floor Hockey

The Philadelphia Flyers PowerPlay was founded with the purpose of providing an athletic and social environment for people who use power wheelchairs in their daily lives. While sports such as Challenger's Baseball, Wheelchair Basketball, and Sled Hockey have been established for some time, there was a need for a competitive sport that could be played in a power wheelchair. This sport follows the rules and regulations of the United States Electric Wheelchair Hockey Association (USEWHA) and is open to all competent power wheelchair users. The team plays monthly and provides an outlet not only for members to play hockey but for the team to socialize in an atmosphere of acceptance. The family members have also been greatly affected in that they have others who share the everyday struggles and happiness that come with a disabled family member. The team is an official affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Event: Power Wheelchair Floor Hockey

Mark Wellman

Adventure Athlete and Founder, No Limits

Mark Wellman is a nationally acclaimed author, filmmaker, and motivational speaker. Despite being paralyzed in a mountain climbing accident, Mark has inspired millions to meet their problems head-on and reach for their full potential. A two-time Paralympian and former Park Ranger at Yosemite National Park, Mark's "No Limits" philosophy encourages individuals to adventure into new horizons; to go beyond the seeming unreachable. Mark is the first paraplegic to summit El Capitan and Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. He dedicates his time to improving the quality of life for adults and children with disabilities including disabled war veterans through his company No Limits.

Event: Adaptive Climbing Wall

Wheel With Me Adapt Fit

Wheel With Me Adapt Fit was founded by Jesi Stracham and Nikki Walsh.

Nikki is an NASM certified Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach, content creator and mentor for women with disabilities. She has been featured in Women's Health Magazine and Love What Matters.

Jesi is an NCI Certified Nutrition Coach, Adaptive Crossfit Certified, and Adaptive Training Certified. She has been featured on the Today Show, GMA3, Woman's Day Magazine, Shape.com and Yahoo.com.

Event: Wheel With Me Adapt Fit

ZCO/Dance Project and Zazel O'Gara

ZCO/Dance Project is a physically integrated dance company dedicated to the integration and inclusion of people with disabilities in dance and society. The company creates dance performances that are witty, soulful, intelligent, powerful and intriguing, presenting new, exciting, challenging, and inspiring contemporary dance performances to the widest possible audience. Founder and artistic director Zazel-Chavah O'Gara is a native New Yorker and a Presidential Arts Scholar. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in dance performance and has performed with Mark Dendy Dance Company and Alvin Ailey Workshop II, as well as performing Off-Broadway and in many musical theatre stage productions in the U.S. and abroad. She also served as movement coach for "As the World Turns". In addition to dance, she is a professional model, appearing on two Essence Magazine covers as well as print, voice-over, and runway nationally. In December 2001, Zazel discovered that she had meningioma, a benign brain tumor, which proceeded to paralyze her right side and resulted in a slight speech impediment and cognitive loss. After receiving extensive treatment at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (East Orange, NJ) and New York University Rusk Medical Center, Zazel was able to overcome the speech impediment, cognitive loss, and paralysis. Consciously deciding to make best use of this debilitating circumstance, Zazel transitioned into teaching dance as a healing form to the disabled and non-disabled alike, continuing to share her infectiously positive and fun spirit with others. Her objective is to give those with disabilities a vehicle for self-expression, help them build a sense of self-esteem and self-reliance, and provide them with opportunities for community recognition and acclaim. She is also passionate about raising public awareness about the challenges facing and the gifts offered by those with disabilities.

Event: Dance-Based Exercise for Self-Care and Mindfulness