Lakeshore Foundation/The National Center on Health, Physical Activity & Disability, (NCHPAD), Disability in Sport International (DIS), the North American Federation of Adapted Physical Activity and the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (IFAPA) are collaborating in hosting a series of ADA30 Leadership Chats conversations with current and emerging leaders focusing on the latest news, ideas, information and trends in adaptive, inclusive and disability sport. These conversations will be in recognition of the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and while focusing on what is new, innovative and emerging in sport, will also engage on topics and themes related to the intersection of inclusion, integration and disability identity in sport and physical activity. Speakers will be asked to reflect on and consider the balance of inclusion and integration advocacy efforts with disability identity in sport and physical activity.
November 18 ADA30 Leadership Chats with Jeremy Snyder and Mallory Weggemann
Jeremy Snyder is an Executive Producer, Producer, Director and Co-CEO, and is a proven content marketer in the sports, media and entertainment industries. He founded The Factory Agency and TFA Productions and is a Co-Founder of TFA Group. His achievements include Directing the documentary feature, “Empty Net” – USA Sled Hockey’s Journey of Redemption, which is now streaming on Amazon Prime and premiered on NBCSN during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Finals. Most recent credits include serving as an Executive Producer of “Fresh Tracks,” an hour-long feature documentary on the history of an adaptive skiing pioneer and the impact on the Paralympic Movement, which has been selected to 2020 Vail Film Festival, Twin Cities Film Festival and the Denver Film Festival. As part of the production studio, Jeremy leads the development and production of TV, Film and Commercial projects tied to the development and growth of the Paralympic Movement/Adaptive Sports/Disability Rights Advocacy with a focus on changing perception and raising awareness through purpose-driven content and partnerships.
Mallory Weggemann is a Co-CEO/Co-Founder & Executive Producer at TFA Group and a Paralympic Gold Medalist, and she has become proven champion for change both in and out of the pool. Following her paralysis at the young age of 18 in 2008 due to complications from a medical procedure, Mallory returned to the pool, which had been her sanctuary since the age of 7. Within a couple years of hard work and determination in the pool, Mallory quickly rose to international prominence winning an ESPY in 2011 for “Best Female with a Disability,” recording 15 World Records and 34 American Records on the Road to the London 2012 Paralympic Games, where she brought home a Gold Medal and Bronze Medal. Following the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games as a two-time Paralympian for Team USA, Mallory is actively building upon her career outside of the pool as a highly sought-after motivational speaker traveling the globe, contributing writer for CNN & Huffington Post, as well as advocating for disability rights. In September 2020, Mallory also added “author” to her resume and will release her first book titled, LIMITLESS, which releases on March 2, 2021. Mallory has her sights set on Tokyo 2021.
December 4 ADA30 Leadership Chats with Jennifer Leo and Brett Smith
Jennifer Leo is the Director of The Steadward Centre for Personal & Physical Achievement in the FacultY of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University of Alberta. With over 15 years of research and community-based experience, Jennifer has focused on understanding experiences of inclusion and participation in adapted physical activity settings. Jennifer’s work in the community included a role as the Director, Research at the Abilities Centre, an organization dedicated to building inclusive communities. Jennifer also completed a Postdoc with the UNESCO Chair in Inclusive Physical Education, Physical Activity, and Sport at the Institute of Technology Tralee in Ireland, which involved developing a resource to help fitness professionals make their practice more inclusive for individuals with disabilities. Collaboration and partnerships are critical to Jennifer as she works with the Family Engaged Sport & Exercise Team in the Canadian Disability Participation Project and is involved with the Inclusive Sport and Recreation Collective in Alberta.
Brett Smith is a Professor of Disability and Physical Activity in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Durham University, UK. His research on disability, physical activity and sport is underpinned by theories, methods and approaches from psychology, sociology, public health, and critical disability studies. . Brett is an author of the 2019 UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines report, and chair of the Disability and Physical Activity Expert Working Group. He is an appointed core member of the new UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Expert Committee for Communications, where he provides expertise on disability, messaging, and co-production. He is also the President of the International Society of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise
Previous chats included
October 30 ADA 30 Leadership Chats with Ryan Martin – video to be available shortly
ADA 30 Leadership Chats with Ann Cody – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVAbO0eSDmg