After a year-long hiatus, I am finally back! I talk about my 2023 entrepreneurial journey, launching a Rush Bowls franchise, and the insights gained from small business ownership Before talking to Rayne Clarkson, the Commodity Business Manager for Applied Materials in Austin, TX. 

Rayne shared her path of resilience after a life-changing accident, emphasizing the role of yoga in her recovery and the importance of seeing abilities rather than disabilities. We delve into societal perceptions of disability, the value of independence, and the impact of societal norms on mental health. This conversation sheds light on overcoming adversity, embracing individual strengths, and the significance of genuine connections.

Reach out to me by e-mailing  offthecrutch@gmail.com or on social media at @offthecrutchpod

Happy Christmas Eve Eve everyone! Today my podcast just got a little merrier! I had the pleasure of interviewing Karen Roy

I first connected with Karen a couple of years ago on LinkedIn and during my first Abilities Expo in Phoenix, I got to meet her in person!

What makes Karen unique is how she has handled adversity since the spinal cord injury she sustained in 1987, as the result of a gunshot wound to the back. She was the victim of an armed Robbery during her sophomore year at Louisiana State University.

After completing her rehabilitation, she went on to finish her BA in Psychology. Next, she
obtained a Master’s Degree in Social Work, also from Louisiana State University, and became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in 1996. Most of her Social Work career was spent working with patients in physical rehabilitation hospitals. For the past six years, she has worked at Numotion and is now the Numotion Brand Ambassador. In her role as Brand Ambassador Karen hosts a disability-related podcast, which is called Life Possible with a Disability and can be found on most podcast platforms. Karen also works in both government and payer relations as part of her role with Numotion. Another passion of Karen’s is co-leading the Numotion Disability ERG, the Disability Alliance Network.

Karen’s passion is advocacy for people with disabilities. This includes over a decade of being on the board for the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Association of Louisiana, which is also the Louisiana Chapter of United Spinal Association. Karen is also the State Coordinator for Ms. Wheelchair Louisiana and an active peer mentor for the United Spinal Association. She was Ms. Wheelchair Louisiana 2018 and won Ms. Wheelchair America 2019. The Ms. Wheelchair America organization’s competition is completely based on the woman’s history of advocacy and the ability to articulate her platform.

Please give her a follow on social media @lifepossiblekr or Life Possible with Karen Roy

Follow me @offthecrutchpod

After several months of being away working and enjoying the summer, the podcast is back. Check out this episode to hear what I’ve been up to. Then, listen to my interview with Billy Price, owner of Billy Footwear.

As a teenager and Seattle native, Billy suffered a spinal cord injury and became paralyzed from the chest down, losing the ability to move his fingers. Daily tasks became difficult, but using his creative mind and unyielding spirit, he never gave up. He continued on, facing life’s challenges with tenacity and determination. Born out of a need, BILLY Footwear was founded on the principle of inclusion and perseverance. Along with co-founder Darin Donaldson, Billy strives to add value to the lives of others and make a measurable difference in the world, one foot at a time.

Check out Billy Footwear at:

billycares.com
billyfootwear.com
IG: billyfootwear
FB: billyfootwear

YouTube Channel

Follow me on social media @offthecrutchpod or send me an e-mail at offthecrutch@gmail.com

Last week was a great conversation with Janie McCloughan. I decided to continue the conversation of SLP with my friend, Monica Harms.

Monica Jordan has been involved in the disability community since she was young, which propelled her in the direction of speech-language pathology. She graduated with her Masters of Communication Disorders at New Mexico State University and has extensive experience with the deaf/hard of hearing population at the Albuquerque Sign Language Academy and New Mexico School for the Deaf. She now is a speech-language pathologist working with a variety of individuals with communication needs at a clinic in Albuquerque.

Follow me @offthecrutchpod or e-mail at offthecrutch@gmail.com

This is the last week of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month and with that, my guest is Chelsea Bear.

Chelsea Bear is a South Florida-based disability and inclusivity influencer and advocate. Chelsea utilizes her social media platforms to share her first-hand story of living with cerebral palsy. Her content consists of educational, fun, and lighthearted posts that strive to create acceptance and awareness for those with disabilities and beyond. Bear earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication with a specialization in Public Relations from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2015, and now leads a career as a public relations professional.

Follow Chelsea on Instagram @realchelseabear and her website chelseabear.com

Follow me @offthecrutchpod or offthecrutch@gmail.com