Do you want to write for us?
We’re always looking for guest bloggers and want to hear your opinion. Email us the following information with the heading “NCPAD blog-guest blogger” and attach a sample of your work. We’ll take a look and get back to you as soon as possible!

Full Name:
Phone Number:
Email:
Preferred method of contact: phone or email
Do you have or write for another blog? Yes/no
If yes, what is the web address?

[Attach work sample]

MEET OUR 10 MOST RECENT GUEST BLOGGERS

MICHAEL GARVEY

A blog, Michael’s not so sure…but hopes he’s cable of filling the NCPAD Blog with content that is worthy of the time spent reading it. He grew up in Springfield Massachusetts, went to Catholic school which explains at lot. Michael graduated from Boston University with a degree in recreation, which also, explains a lot. He was never really interested in the details of exercise, sports or recreation, he just liked to participate. Practice was never much of a priority but Michael sure liked to play. Eventfully his career path led him to opportunities to learn more about human movement and the importance of exercise. Michael’s passion for exercise and sports helped fuel his interest in working in these environments and starting his own business. Today The Dumbell Man allows Michael to meet people in numerous settings involving the use of exercise machines and programming. Inclusive Fitness environments are of great interest to him. These days most of his time is spent working and enjoying being his own boss. Michael has a wife, two kids, two dogs and a house payment. He is involved in numerous charity events; a few pick up basketball games and an occasional poker game with old guys who like to drink beer and tell stories. Michael considers his self very fortunate.

JESS TOURTELLOTTE

Jess is a Graduate Assistant for the NCPAD located at UIC, where she is also currently a Masters student, in Disability Studies. As an undergraduate student Jess received an academic emphasis in creative writing and continues to enjoy working within that particular genre of writing in her academic work as well as her personal blog. She hopes to apply her current interest in teen culture for young woman with disabilities to her future goal of applying to the Doctorate program in Women’s Studies at Emory University. Most importantly, Jess loves to laugh and believes that everything happens for a reason—to take things as they come. Her biggest fear is flying, but will put her anxiety aside for her trip to London in March!

LAURA SCHUMAKER

Laura Shumaker is the author of  A Regular Guy: Growing Up With Autism, a memoir about raising her autistic son, Matthew, from babyhood to young adulthood. She writes a nationally recognized autism blog for the San Francisco Chronicle and is a frequent guest blogger for Autism Speaks. Her essays have also appeared in the The New York Times, the Contra Costa Times, The Autism Advocate, on cnn.com, and in myriad anthologies including Voices of Autism, Cup of Comfort and Gravity Pulls You In. Laura speaks regularly to schools, book and disability groups and lives in Lafayette, California with her husband, Peter, and her three sons.

RYAN RAE MCLEAN

Considering herself a thirty-year old know-it-nothing, Ryan has spent every single day of her life learning and absorbing light and love from those around her. A car accident created an unforeseen alternate future nearly half of her life ago. Since then, she has raced a marathon, ridden in many an Indian rickshaw, sought solace in a small creek in her backyard, tried climbing and skating and anything else that seemed improbable, stood up to the brutality of today’s youth through teaching and coaching,  traveled across the country to swim, and learned to better understand her soul. To learn more about Ryan’s journey, please visit: www.ryanistryin.blogspot.com.

GARY BARBER

Gary Barber is a physical education teacher  and school administrator with over 30 years experience teaching students of all ages, abilities and varying needs.  He lives in Victoria, British Columbia and is the father of two sons who have autism. He was international level middle distance runner and uses his knowledge of this sport as the Head Coach of Islanders Running Club: a running programme especially designed for students that have experienced difficulties in other sports. Gary is also the head of SportWrite Education  (www.SportWrite.CA). This is a company that provides parents, teachers, and educators with resources to support all students in finding success and acceptance in sport and physical education.  Gary has written three books: “Getting Started in Track and Field Athletics”, “Sports Psychology for Runners”, and “Different Speeds and Different Needs: How to teach sports to every kid” (Paul Brookes Publishing).