Shawn Harper
Imagine, graduating last in your class with a 1.62 accumulative GPA and voted most likely to fail, yet making your way to the NFL and becoming a leading business owner. Growing up, Aaron Shawn Harper faced multiple learning disabilities. Many didn’t believe in him, but Shawn never settled for failure achieving beyond what everyone thought was possible. While attending Indian University, Shawn was drafted to play in the NFL which became a 7-year career as an offensive lineman with the LA Rams, Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts and NFL Europe.
Shortly after the NFL, Shawn founded his thriving multi-million dollar security firm, American Services and Protection, by translating the skills and disciplines he learned from the NFL to corporate America. Author of Best Seller, The Winning Edge, Shawn is known as the “Winologist” and one of the nation’s leading motivational speakers. On the corporate stage with well-known companies including Dow, Proctor & Gamble, Chase Bank and more, Shawn is breaking down elite level strategies and methodologies used by major professional athletes into simple concepts to win in business, and in life. His paradigm-shifting approach has helped transform thousands of individuals and corporations by reframing their mindset from success to winning, and activating their greatest potential to compete and dominate at the highest levels.
Shawn’s heart to see lives transformed overflows to his innermost passion – to impact the youth. That led him to finding his non-profit initiative, For The Next Gen, that offers motivational speaking, life coaching and personal development programs in schools across the nation. Shawn’s story empowers students to write their own destiny by overcoming obstacles and developing what he calls the winner’s mindset. When Shawn speaks, students lean into his personable, powerful and humorous presentations. Shawn infuses his mantra, “We’re not born winners or losers, we’re born choosers!” It is Shawn’s ‘no excuses’ philosophy that has motived thousands of students to dream big, create opportunities out of their obstacles and believe in their true potential.
Kathleen Rooney
Autism is Kathleen’s passion and devotion. She has worked with autistic children, preteens, teens, and young adults in many capacities. Since 1991, she has worked as a private clinician using music, sensory integration, and other teaching and communication techniques to help autistic individuals and their parents interact. She aims to help their children reach their fullest potential in communication, social, cognitive, fine and gross motor development, and self-help skills.
Kathleen has presented as a workshop trainer, consultant, program originator, life coach, and sensory integration clinician for over 30 years on topics related to autism for school boards, parents, preschools, daycares, related service providers, group homes, and Indigenous communities. She originated and facilitated a summer camp program called Outdoor Work Experience for five years, where peer role models served as mentors to autistic teens and young adults as they practiced work skills. She also created and facilitated a program titled Family Contribution/Family Pride, where she helps parents incorporate chores around the house as pre-employment work skills, such as endurance and work etiquette.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kathleen developed and facilitated an adult autism dance class, a wholistic self-improvement course for autistic adults, a dating course for neurodivergent teens and adults, and was the lead of the autism advisors on the Housing through an Autism Lens housing initiative in Ontario. She also created 30 mini-courses on topics for autism and neurodivergence to aid in navigating the social realm, self-help skills, independence, wellness, employment skills, emotional regulation, and self-identity.
Kathleen has also been a consultant and trainer with the Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute since 2019, facilitating training on Autism, Trauma, De-escalating Children and Youth in Crisis, Trauma-Informed Care, Ethics of Helping, and Wellness Strategies.
Looking ahead, Kathleen Rooney envisions a significant shift in the autism paradigm, starting in Ottawa, Canada. Her plan involves creating autism-friendly businesses that actively serve and employ members of the autistic community, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment.
DOUG CRANDELL
Doug Crandell has managed, staffed and directed community mental health and disability programs at the provider level for 25 years. He has been the Project Director for a number of demonstration grants funded through the U.S. Dept. of Labor, the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Social Security Administration. He directed Georgia's Medicaid Infrastructure funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
He is a Senior Consultant with Griffin-Hammis Associates and on the faculty of the Institute on Human Development and Disability at the University of Georgia. For the last four years, Doug has provided training and technical assistance to Georgia's supported providers through a joint effort with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. He is a Subject Matter Expert (SME) with the Office of Disability Employment Policy in D.C. and is currently working with several states to restructure their employment supports to include evidence-based supported employment, customized employment, and self-employment.
Doug works in collaboration with New Mexico's UCEDD to deliver training and technical assistance under the state's Partners for Employment Initiative. Georgia was recently awarded a Disability Employment Initiative grant, which Doug will collaborate on with the Georgia Dept. of Economic Development as well as the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, Georgia Tech, and others. As an author, Doug has published 7 books and is a regular contributor to the venerable SUN Magazine, where he publishes essays on labor, health, and disability.
HEATHER JANES
Dementia expert, Heather Janes is a visionary for bringing quality care to people as they age. In twenty-plus years pursuing her passion in senior and dementia care, Heather has launched her own dementia consulting firm, Monarch Dementia Caregiver Services, LLC. and is a licensed Certified Dementia Practitioner. Currently, Heather faithfully serves individuals as an Administrator in her community- Peaceful Pines Senior Living- Fort Pierre. She also provides private consulting for grant-funded projects through the National Institute on Health. Heather is driven to provide services and resources to all people as they age through her commitment to the dementia public health crisis and is dedicated to improving the availability of care.
DR. PATRICK SCHWARZ
Dr. Patrick Schwarz is a dynamic and engaging professor, author, motivational speaker and leader in Education and Educational Leadership for all students. He is the President of Creative Culture Consulting LLC and Young Professor Emeritus at National Louis University, Chicago. He is the author of From Disability to Possibility®, You're Welcome, Just Give Him the Whale, Pedro's Whale and From Possibility to Success. His amazing colleague, Dr. Paula Kluth, co-authored three of his books. Patrick has presented, consulted and coached in school districts all across the world, impacting a significant number of schools with his progressive work. Patrick's professional mission is to promote education and human services that advance the status of people of all ages with diverse support needs. This will enable individuals to be successfully engaged, find meaning and be respected members of their learning, working and living communities.
TRACY PALECEK
Tracy Palecek is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Human Services professional who has a passion for helping those who are facing adversity. Tracy has over 20 years of experience working with trauma, poverty and resiliency in those she has served. She has served as an advocate, program developer, disaster relief responder, community trainer, mental health therapist and mentor. She loves to work within systems to create change and help people find meaning and purpose in their lives. She is the CEO and Owner of Palecek Therapy & Consulting and is blessed to spend her time between her therapy practice, public speaking, and consulting in areas of mental wellness, poverty reduction, and interpersonal skill building.
JESSIE TAKEN ALIVE-RENCOUNTRE
Jessie Taken Alive-Rencountre is a Hunkpapa Lakota from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. She has worked as a school counselor serving hundreds of students for 15 years. She was named the Great Plains Emerging Tribal Writer’s Award winner for her 1st children’s book Pet’a Shows Misun the Light. Utilizing her teachings from her Lakota culture combined with a school counselor lens, she has published 5 children’s books, with another being released in early 2024. Jessie was invited to be a guest speaker for Facebook and Instagram in the fall of 2021. Her passion is to help people remember their importance in life and to utilize their unique talents, to create better communities for future generations to come. She is also a Lakota Jingle Dress Dancer and loves to educate others about Lakota culture using storytelling combined with traditional song and dance. In 2021, Jessie was named a future legacy leader by the Spirit Aligned Leadership Program, an international organization.
TRICIA JONES-PARKIN
With over two decades of experience, Tricia Jones-Parkin is a dedicated advocate for individuals with disabilities, focusing on fostering inclusivity and competitive integrated employment. In 2011, Tricia played a pivotal role in crafting Utah's Employment First Language, leading to transformative initiatives supported by federal grants and partnerships. These efforts have significantly enhanced employment opportunities and community integration for individuals with disabilities in Utah.
Currently, Tricia is a Senior Program Coordinator at the Institute for Disability Policy and Practice and a consultant for Griffin Hammis Associates. In this role, she provides customized employment training and technical assistance to employment specialists in Utah, working directly with job seekers and their support teams. Tricia also extends her expertise through training and mentoring at the provider and government levels across several states. Her work ensures that working-age youth and adults with significant disabilities are prioritized as employment support services are established and implemented.
TONY RUSSELL