Thank you for participating!

The 2008 Inclusive Fitness Coalition Stakeholder Strategy Session was held Wednesday, October 15, 2008 from 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. CT at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at this meeting to help identify and strategize the next steps for the IFC in its continued efforts to increase access to and participation in physical activity for people with disabilities.

Launched in 2007, the Inclusive Fitness Coalition (IFC) has, as its mission, "to facilitate an expanded coordination of organizations and individuals to address the complexity of personal, social, cultural, political, and economic factors that affect the participation of people with disabilities in physical activity, fitness, sports and recreation."

The Coalition is making progress in several key areas. Your contribution is valued as we develop strategies to expand the impact of the IFC by leveraging the efforts of those working toward inclusiveness in all areas of physical activity.

Inclusive Fitness Conference

The Stakeholder meeting preceded the first-ever conference taking place at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago that challenges fitness and wellness practitioners to learn about creating and executing a plan of action to make fitness facilities accessible to all. Presentations took place on a wide variety of topics, including fitness techniques, exercise science, recreation, sports, assistive technology, programming, health promotion, evidence-based practice, wellness, and more. Attendees included owners and operators of commercial, private, and medical fitness and wellness centers, as well as professional practitioners within those fields.

The host show, Club Industry 2008, is in its 23rd year and is the premier event for commercial fitness and nutrition, gathering over 5,000 fitness industry professionals to see and try out the latest in equipment, products, and services, to network with other industry professionals, and to learn how to better serve its members and clients.

Meeting Materials:

Meeting participants:

• ACTServices, Inc.
  Mark Trieglaff, President

• American College of Sports Medicine
  Jim Whitehead, CEO
  IFC Executive Committee Co-Chair

• Beneficial Designs, Inc.
  Seanna Kringen, Research Associate

• Center for Disability Issues and the Health Professions
  June Isaacson Kailes, Associate Director
  IFC Executive Committee Member

• Chicago Park District
  Annette Dodaja, Assistant to the Director
  Daniel Ferreira, Adaptive Sport Program
  Jaclyn Jones
  

• Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago
  Yochai Eisenberg, Project Coordinator
  Faye Weinstein, Graduate Student
  Kiyoshi Yamaki, Project Director and Research Assistant Professor
  

  
  

  Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
  Marquell Johnson, Assistant Professor

  
  

  FPG Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Chris Mackey, Healthy Communities Coordinator

  
  

  Inclusive Fitness Initiative, United Kingdom
  Sue Catton, National Director IFI & IFC Executive Committee Member
  Howard Davies, IFI Staff Liason
  Dawn Hughes, IFI Staff Liason

  International Health Raquet & Sportsclub Association
  Thomas Richards
  Dan Suelo

  Lauren Howard, Consultant & IFC Executive Committee Member

• Life Fitness
  Mike Hirsh, Biomechanics Senior Engineer


• Mary Novotny, Nurse Rehabilitation Consultant and IFC Executive Committee Member
  

• Medical Fitness Association
  Cary Wing

• National Center on Physical Activity and Disability
  James Rimmer, Director and IFC Executive Committee Co-Chair
  Amy Rauworth, Associate Director and IFC Staff Liason
  Gillian Goodfriend, IFC Staff Liason
  Blythe Hiss, IFC Staff Liason
  Carrie Lullo, Graduate Student & IFC Staff Liason
  Jessica Madrigal, Graduate Student & IFC Staff Liason
  Sheila Swann-Guerrero, IFC Staff Liason
  Melissa McCall, IFC Staff Liason

  
  

  New Directions Wellness Center, The University of Montana
  James J. Laskin, Director & Associate Professor

• Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Health & Fitness
  Mitch Carr, Director of Fitness Sports and Recreation
  Justin Bomkamp

• Right Fit- Sport Fitness Wellness, LLC
  Suzanne Gray, Founder
  David Geslak, Co-Founder

• SCIFIT Systems, Inc.
  Larry Born, CEO

• Shriners Hospitals for Children
  Patricia Johnson, Director of Rehabilitation Services
  Nancy Scullion

• Special Olympics, Inc.
  Kester Edwards, Athlete Coordinator

• The Montana Disability and Health Program
  Meg Ann Traci, Project Director
  Desirae Ware, Graduate Assistant

• Wounded Warrior Project
  Ronda Jarvis-Ray, Program Architect