Adaptive Fitness Legion Non-Profit Board Members and Advisors
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Joanna Bonilla is a native of Northern Virginia, professionally she has successfully served in various roles from staff to management, and ultimately established herself as the youngest assistant general manager within a respected company in the hospitality industry. Over the course of her 13 plus year career she has learned many different skills that she feels will be of great benefit in the development of the AFL. She also has a wealth of experience in fundraising and in advocating for people.
Joanna herself became paralyzed almost a decade ago and quickly learned the need to advocate for herself, not only in the medical world, but in life personally and professionally. She learned and recognized the importance of continued health and fitness after rehab due to her own journey. She had been very active before her injury and knew there was puzzle piece missing. She heard of DPI Adaptive Fitness through her then physical therapist, DPI Adaptive Fitness helped Joanna gain strength not just physically but mentally as well, which carried over into all aspects of life. She wants everyone to experience the same and wants people to have the opportunity she had. By serving as Chairperson of the Board, she is committed to reach the AFL's goals. To help empower all abilities through adaptive education and training. |
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Cindy Umaña is a Northern Virginia native and has worked in the non-profit area for over ten years. She is very knowledgeable in college access and working with first-generation, minority students. Her commitment to student success has built her skills in the areas of relationship building, advisement and advocacy. She believes her experience in program management, award services, and event planning can contribute to accomplishing the organization's goals. Cindy is on the Adaptive Fitness Legion Board as the Secretary.
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Jo-Anne Torres has worked with various trade associations for nearly fifteen years and currently serves as education program manager at the leading association for the construction industry. She is responsible for the planning and execution of educational content for the association’s national programs, conferences and webinars. She also provides speaker and program support including event logistics for in-seat and virtual courses that offer continuing education credits toward workplace training and development as well as professional credentials.
Jo-Anne is extremely hopeful that her experience in program planning, speaker management and event logistics will contribute to carrying out AFL’s mission and goals. She welcomes the opportunity to be part of an organization deeply focused on empowering all abilities through adaptive education and training; assisting individuals with meeting their physical fitness goals; and becoming a trusted resource for the disabled community. Jo-Anne became greatly involved in adaptive fitness after a family member suffered a stroke and had a serious need for continuous physical activity and strength development following rehabilitation treatment. A close friend with a background in physical therapy recommended DPI Adaptive Fitness, and the outpatient facility further suggested adaptive boxing as a physical activity to help improve symptoms and increase mobility. As she faces the new reality of dealing with the family member’s neurologic disorder and physical disability, Jo-Anne is deeply grateful for the support system provided by AFL. She looks forward to the life-long learning and journey towards progress and recovery, and she is incredibly blessed to be residing in the Northern Virginia area with local access to DPI Adaptive Fitness’ valuable programs and training resources and be able to support AFL’s advocacy efforts. Jo-Anne serves as the Event Coordinator for the AFL board. |
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Sabrina Cohen is the Founder / President of the Sabrina Cohen Foundation (SCF), a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to providing adaptive fitness and recreational programs that provide a better quality of life for individuals living with paralysis and various disabilities.
Born and raised in Miami Beach, Florida, Sabrina endured a severe C3-5 spinal cord injury in 1992 at the age of 14 from a car accident. She instantly became a quadriplegic and has been confined to a wheelchair ever since. Sabrina has traveled the country advocating extensively for research and quality of life health initiatives and is also a Motivational Speaker who has spoken to thousands of students about life with paralysis, urging and inspiring young students to drive carefully. In 2016, Sabrina helped launch “Adaptive Beach Days”, a bi-monthly all inclusive, full service program to provide access to the beach and ocean for disabled individuals, veterans, children with special needs, and the elderly. Today, Sabrina and SCF are spearheading a campaign to build our Nation’s first of a kind beachside Adaptive Recreation Center in South Florida to provide year-round beach access and fitness programs to the disabled community. AFL is very excited and proud to have her on our board as an Advisor. |
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Darlene S. Williamson is well-known in the field of speech-language pathology, having presented at the regional, state and national level and as the recipient of several awards for her professional contributions and her tireless advocacy for people with aphasia. She received her undergraduate education at Purdue University and completed her postgraduate education at the University of Illinois. Darlene has more than 30 years of experience in all levels of post-stroke care. She was previously the Clinic Director at The George Washington University, in Washington, DC.
Darlene's commitment to individuals with aphasia is demonstrated by serving as the President of the National Aphasia Association. She has presented in the areas of supervision, ethics, progressive dementia, and aphasia, particularly group treatment and quality outcomes, but her primary area of clinical expertise and investigation is apraxia. She has researched the efficacy of various approaches to apraxia, including the Video Assisted Speech Technology (VASTTM) approach. Darlene serves as an Advisor for the AFL board. |
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Devon Palermo is the founder of the Adaptive Fitness Legion and serves as an Advisor to the AFL board of directors. He has a strong passion for safe and effective adaptive fitness programming and for focusing on inclusion in exercise for all abilities.
Devon's career started initially in 2002 as a student in the Spinal cord injury inpatient unit and ultimately as a Physical Therapist Assistant in the Spinal Cord Injury day program at a rehabilitation facility. In this professional role he found his passion for helping those with neurological disorders/disease work to improve function. In 2006, he began moonlighting as a trainer for individuals living with disabilities, fast forward to now he trains out of a fully accessible adaptive gym DPI Adaptive Fitness and has established program design for the adaptive fitness community for a major rehab hospital in the DC area serving areas of DC, MD, VA. Devon is excited about the mission of the AFL and is confident that the AFL will become a trusted resource for those in need looking for safe and effective resources to assist in their progression following injury or illness. |
