Jack was 9 years old when he decided to have his leg amputated after many surgeries attempting to correct the birth defect complications in his left leg. He grew up playing youth sports alongside able-bodied competitors, as he qualified for the Colorado State Swimming Championships under the able-bodied time standards. He was also the first triathlete with a disability to compete at youth nationals, high-school nationals, and adult nationals.

Jack competed internationally in swimming for Team USA throughout high school and college. In 2023, he won three silver medals at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. This August, Jack achieved his lifelong dream of competing for Team USA at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, France.

Jack is a college graduate from the University of Wyoming with a BA in journalism and a minor in disability studies. He was a swimmer for the University and one of the only disabled swimmers at the NCAA Division I level. He was unanimously voted captain the last two years and has led the Cowboys to be one of the top teams in the Western Athletic Conference. Now, Jack is a public speaker, podcaster, and aspiring sports broadcaster.

Throughout his athletic career, Jack was blessed to receive support from many disability advocate programs in the form of grants. These grants allowed Jack to pursue lofty goals and excel at the highest level.

Owen is an all-season adaptive athlete. Since the age of 3 he has been skiing adaptively through New England Disabled Sports at Loon Mountain in New Hampshire, where he is an adaptive ski coach now.

During high school, Owen founded a non-profit to help raise awareness for adaptive sports and hand cycled from Calais, ME to Key West, FL to support his organization’s mission. They covered a total of 2,365 miles and educated many people along the ride.

Owen graduated from the University of Arizona in 2022 with a business management degree. While playing four years of collegiate wheelchair tennis, Owen traveled throughout the United States and became a national champion.

Owen is currently a Loan and Collateral Analyst at Cambridge Savings Bank.

Eavan is a Development Officer at Mass General Brigham and a Brand Ambassador for the Foundation Fighting Blindness. Diagnosed with Stargardt disease in 2020, she transformed a deeply personal challenge into a source of advocacy and empowerment. She founded Brightside, a support community for blind and low-vision individuals, and uses her platform—through storytelling and running—to raise awareness and support for vision loss research.

Running has become a defining part of Eavan’s journey. What began as a personal outlet during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic quickly evolved into a passion and purpose. She has completed multiple half marathons and in 2023 achieved a milestone by running her first Boston Marathon, where she raised funds for critical research into inherited retinal diseases. She continues to pursue competitive racing while using every mile as an opportunity to inspire others, showing that vision loss does not limit strength, resilience, or ambition.

Her presence in national media and advocacy platforms continues to motivate others to find purpose in adversity and embrace life beyond diagnosis.

Mike Palmer is 30 years old and on the autism spectrum. He grew up in Hopkinton, Massachusetts and fell in love with the Boston Marathon. Living in Hopkinton about 1.5 miles from the start line, Mike could be seen cheering runners on as they started their 26.2 mile journey into Boston. In 2018, he became serious about running and set his goal on running in the infamous Boston Marathon. In 2019, his dream of running the marathon came true and he was hooked on the sport. In 2020, he ran two marathons within a month from each other, the Virtual Boston Marathon and the Virtual Marine Corps Marathon. Then, in 2022, Mike returned again to run in Boston. In addition to running the Boston Marathon and the Marine Corps Marathon, Mike has represented the Flutie foundation at the Disney Half Marathon, New York Marathon and the Berlin Marathon.

Mike is currently working for the State of Massachusetts as a service clerk for Mass Health. In addition to working for Mass Health, Mike speaks as a self-advocate for those who have Autism. He believes that everyone who has Autism should be treated fairly and given the same opportunities for success. He currently serves on the Flutie foundation board and has shared his stories with many organizations including Foo Llocker and Unum. In addition to sitting on the board for the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation, Mike had the privilege of being the captain of Dougie’s Boston Marathon team for several years. To date, he has represented the foundation in many marathons, completing 11 so far, including three in a span of 6 months.

Maria Velat is a senior at the University of Michigan studying Movement Science, an elite adaptive track and field and wheelchair tennis athlete, and the CEO and co-founder of I Am An Athlete Too (IAAAT). After being paralyzed by transverse myelitis in high school, Maria refused to let her disability define her. She channeled her experience into advocacy, co-founding IAAAT to create permanent adaptive sports categories in Michigan high school track and field, ensuring that students with disabilities could compete fairly, score points, and gain recognition.

A decorated athlete, Maria has won the U20 T34 wheelchair-track title at the Junior Nationals and the Michigan high school wheelchair track championship, as well as regional sit-ski and air rifle titles. At the University of Michigan, she competes in both adaptive track and wheelchair tennis through the Adaptive Student Athlete Program (ASAP). Maria also made history competing in the inaugural wheelchair track collegiate championships at the Drake Relays and advanced to the 2024 Paralympic Trials. Her athletic achievements demonstrate not only her personal determination but also her commitment to raising the profile of adaptive sports.

Beyond her athletic and advocacy work, Maria contributes academically and professionally in the field of disability health. She has interned with the MDisability program at U‑M, gaining hands-on experience in research that bridges healthcare, adaptive sports, and community inclusion. Through school clinics, workshops, and presentations, she has inspired dozens of students with disabilities to engage in sports, empowering a new generation of athletes and helping to build a more inclusive sporting community.

Dr. Tyler Garner is a distinguished educator and leader in kinesiology, currently serving as the Director of Undergraduate Student Services and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). With over a decade of experience in academic advising and teaching, Tyler has made a lasting impact on students, recognized multiple times by UTA Student Affairs and Military and Veteran Services for positively influencing student experiences. Tyler holds a PhD in Kinesiology from UTA and has dedicated their career to advancing student success and inclusion in the field of exercise science.

Beyond academia, Tyler is an accomplished adaptive athlete with Spina Bifida, having completed a full IRONMAN triathlon and actively competing in wheelchair basketball since 1996. A member of professional organizations such as the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the UTA Disability Employee Network, Tyler is committed to fostering inclusivity in fitness. His achievements and contributions have been highlighted in various publications, including The Shorthorn and the UTA Disability Studies Oral History Project.