Our Mission and Vision - Disabled Sports USA’s mission is to provide national leadership and opportunities for individuals with disabilities to develop independence, confidence, and fitness through participation in community sports, recreation, and educational programs. Every day, we work hard to pursue our vision that “every person, regardless of ability, has an equal opportunity to participate in sports and recreation in their community.”Our Purpose - Since 1967, Disabled Sports USA has focused on one goal: To improve the lives of wounded warriors, youth and adults with disabilities by providing sports and recreation opportunities. Disabilities include those with visual impairments, amputations, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, head injury, cerebral palsy, other neuromuscular/orthopedic conditions, autism and related intellectual disabilities. These sports opportunities transform the people we serve, highlighting the potential in each of us, embodied in our motto: “If I can do this, I can do anything!”Our Strength - Our unique structure as a community-based chapter network allows Disabled Sports USA to reach people across the country, through a grassroots approach that supports local chapters in identifying the needs of the communities they serve.Our Impact - Each year through our nationwide network, we serve over 60,000 youth, wounded warriors and adults through a nationwide network of over 120 community-based chapters in more than 40 states nationwide. Over 50 different sports are offered, including alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, kayaking, water skiing, sailing, scuba, surfing, rafting, outrigger canoeing, fishing, hiking, golf, athletics, archery, cycling, running/wheeling, rock climbing, equestrian and others.
DSUSA StAff
ExEcUtivE DirEctor
Kirk Bauer, JD, 301-217-9838
kbauer@dsusa.org
ExEcUtivE ASSiStAnt
Huayra Gomez-Garcia, 240-268-0864
hgomezgarcia@dsusa.org
SpEciAl projEctS MAnAgEr
Kathy Laffey, 724-265-2546
klaffey@dsusa.org
ADMiniStrAtivE SErvicES
MAnAgEr
Cheryl Collins, 301-217-9841
dsusa@dsusa.org
SportS progrAM MAnAgEr
Julia Ray, 301-217-9840
jray@dsusa.org
SEnior progrAMS coorDinAtor
Kyleen Davis, 301-217-9839
programs@dsusa.org
progrAM SErvicES ASSiStAnt
Karalyn Stott, 240-268-2180
kstott@dsusa.org
DEvElopMEnt
Dave Simonson, 301-217-9837
dsimonson@dsusa.org
cHAptEr SErvicES MAnAgEr
Rob Mueller, 240-268-0237
RMueller@dsusa.org
cHiEf finAnciAl officEr
Bill Snyder, 301-217-9843
wsnyder@dsusa.org
MilitAry fiElD rEprESEntAtivES
Staff Sgt. Orlando Gill (Ret.)
Petty Officer 2nd Class
Derrick Wallace (Ret.)
Maj. Bill Biondolillo, U.S. Army, (Ret.)
BoArD of DirEctorS
officErS
Robert Meserve, President
Robert Harney, MD, Vice President
Steven D. Goodwin, 2nd Vice President
Todd Sajauskas, Treasurer & Secretary
rEgionAl rEprESEntAtivES
John B. Lincoln, Eastern
Joel Berman, Mid-America
Jeff Underwood, Sunbelt
Gregg Baumgarten, Western
AtHlEtE rEprESEntAtivES
Ralph Green, Winter
Anjali J. Forber-Pratt, Summer
MEMBErS At lArgE
Carol Harnett
DisAbLED sports UsA, iNC.
spriNG ‘12
Volume 17 • Number 1
issN 1940-526X
CHALLENGE Magazine (ISSN 1940-526X) is published three times a year by
Disabled Sports USA, Inc., 451 Hungerford Drive, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850.
Phone: 301.217.9841; Fax: 301.217.0968; E-mail: dsusa@dsusa.org, www.dsusa.org.
Editorial Director: Kathy Laffey, Disabled Sports USA, 724-265-2546 • KLaffey@dsusa.org
Advertising inquiries: Ron Sonntag Public Relations,
Patty Johnson, 1-800-969-0200 ext 103, E-mail: patty@rspr.com.
Copyright 2012 by Disabled Sports USA, Inc. All rights reserved. Articles may
not be reprinted in part or in whole without written permission from DSUSA.
spring 2012 | CHALLENGE mAGAziNE | 5
More news can be accessed by visiting
www.dsusa.org. Cl