About Us
Mission
Harness the power of sport to build a community that invests in the lives of people impacted by rare diseases.
Vision
No person impacted by a rare disease feels alone and everyone is inspired with hope for the future.
Core Values
Integrity.
Collaboration.
Empathy.
Passion.
Our History
Our Story Built on the vision of one person, pulling from his family's rare disease experience as the foundation, Uplifting Athletes was started by Penn State University football player and student Scott Shirley in 2003.
When Shirley's Penn State teammate, Damon Jones, learned of the challenges the Shirley family was enduring when Scott's father, Don Shirley, was diagnosed with a rare disease in 2002, Damon suggested that they do something since they were in a position to shine their spotlight on those who needed a voice.
The Penn State football team rallied around the idea of leveraging a summer strength and conditioning competition into a fundraising event called Lift For Life by opening it up to their fans and the media. They soon realized that the benefits of this new organization were far greater than they had imagined.
Since Day 1, Uplifting Athletes has focused on using the platform of college football to shine a spotlight on the rare disease cause while providing our student-athletes a valuable leadership experience as well.
University Chapters
With more than two dozen chapters at universities nationwide, it's these selfless servants - the athletes who run our chapters -that drive home the mission and vision of the rare disease cause through our signature Lift For Life event in the off-season and our Touchdown Pledge Drive during the season.
Uplifting Athletes provides an opportunity for our student-athletes to enhance the valuable skills they develop on the college football playing field and hone in on transferable life and leadership skills that are necessary for careers after athletics.
Uplifting Athletes Today
More than a dozen years later, the cause is still the same. Though today, the organization has expanded its reach to include a network of athletes that consists of college football student-athlete led chapters, Uplifting Ambassadors and Team UA participants.
All the annual events and fundraisers associated with Uplifting Athletes fuels its four charitable programs: Rare Disease Awareness, Rare Disease Research, Uplifting Experiences and Uplifting Leaders.
Since its inception, Uplifting Athletes has raised more than $6 million to support the mission of Uplifting Athletes and its charitable programs.
Our Why
A Rare Disease is one that affects fewer than 200,000 Americans at any given time.
Approximate number of different rare diseases that collectively affect more than 30 million Americans.
of children with a rare disease will not live to see their 5th birthday.
of rare diseases affect children
Key Leadership
Current Chapter Leaders
Cooper Dawson became a chapter leader at Syracuse in 2020 before he transferred to Charleston Southern and founded a chapter at his new school in 2021. Cooper is the President of the new chapter. He helped oversee the inaugural Charleston Southern Lift For Life in 2021. He attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2020, 2021 and 2022, was a draft pick presenter at the 2022 Young Investigator Draft and is making sure the Buccaneers football program is using their platform as college football student athletes to serve and inspire hope in the Rare Disease Community.
“My friend Kingsley, who has cerebral palsy, inspires me. I learned that the only disability is a bad attitude and a strong mindset can accomplish anything.”
Hombre Kennedy volunteered to step into a leadership role and serve as a chapter leader in 2022. He attended the Leadership Development Conference and Young Investigator Draft in 2022 to prepare for the upcoming year. Hombre will play a key and instrumental role moving forward in helping the Charleston Southern Chapter establish its mission to inspire the Rare Disease Community with hope.
Hombre played 10 games as a defensive back for the Buccaneers in 2021 and was an All Big South second team selection after finishing with 43 tackles, three interceptions, 11 pass break-ups and a pair of forced fumbles.
President
Brannon Spector volunteered to step into a leadership role and serve as a chapter leader in 2021. Brannon attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2021 and was at the Young Investigator Draft and Leadership Conference in 2022. He is making sure the Tigers football program is using their platform as college football student athletes to serve and inspire hope in the Rare Disease Community.
The junior saw action in each of his first two seasons with the Tigers before missing the 2021 season with respiratory challenges. In 2020, the wide receiver from Georgia hauled in 16 passes and was on the field for more than 180 snaps in 11 games including one start
Vice President
Blackmon Huckabee volunteered to step into a leadership role and serve as a chapter leader after the 2021 season. He attended the Leadership Development Conference and Young Investigator Draft in 2022 to prepare for the upcoming year. Blackmon will play a key and instrumental role moving forward in helping the Clemson Chapter continue its mission to inspire the Rare Disease Community with hope.
“I got to hear from some amazing people who have rare diseases and hear their testimony and story. The way they’ve lived their life … that inspired me to want to help, let them know somebody is in their corner and somebody is fighting for them and representing them.”
Blackmon started his college career at Furman in 2020 before transferring to Clemson as a walk-on prior to the 2021 season. He made his debut for the Tigers last season on special teams against South Carolina State.
Arthur Hamlin volunteered to step into a leadership role and serve as a chapter leader in 2022. He will play a key and instrumental role moving forward in helping the Colgate Chapter continue its mission to inspire the Rare Disease Community with hope.
The third year defensive back is a native of Canada and has played in 14 games for Colgate since making his collegiate debut in 2019 against Villanova. Arthur has made a pair of starts and owns 17 career tackles.
President
Storm Monroe became a chapter leader in 2021 and now serves as the Davidson Chapter President. He attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2021 and 2022 and was a draft pick presenter at the 2022 Young Investigator Draft. Storm is making sure the Wildcats football program is using their platform as student athletes to serve and inspire hope in the Rare Disease Community.
“My own battle with a rare condition led to my interest in being involved with Uplifting Athletes. I was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome when I was younger. I was basically paralyzed from the waist down and spent weeks in the hospital and months relearning to walk twice due to a relapse. Anybody can make a difference in another’s life, regardless of situation or status, all it takes is compassion, effort, and the will to do so.”
A series of long-term injuries has prevented Storm from making his collegiate debut.
Vice President
Quentin James volunteered to step into a leadership role and serve as a chapter leader following the 2021 season. He attended the Leadership Development Conference and Young Investigator Draft in 2022 to prepare for the upcoming year. Quentin will play a key and instrumental role moving forward in helping the Davidson Chapter continue its mission to inspire the Rare Disease Community with hope.
“I wanted to make sure our chapter at Davison continues and it was important for me to be a part of something that was bigger than myself through athletics.”
The junior from Virginia appeared in seven games as a defensive back his true freshman year in 2019. Last season he recorded his first career interception against VMI, appeared in 10 games and finished with a career-best 16 tackles.
President - Football
Tim Varga volunteered to step into a leadership role and serve as a chapter leader following the 2021 season. Tim attended the Leadership Development Conference and Young Investigator Draft in 2022 and is making sure the Panthers football program is using their platform as college football student athletes to serve and inspire hope in the Rare Disease Community.
“My roommate was the Eastern Illinois Chapter President, so it was just a natural fit for me to get involved. I’m learning that being a part of Uplifting Athletes provides us the opportunity to help so many people.”
Tim has been a starter on the defensive line his first season at EIU and following the 2021 campaign he was named second team All-Ohio Valley Conference after posting 48 total tackles and six tackles for loss in 11 games including tying for the team lead with four sacks.
Vice President - Football
Cameron Leach volunteered to step into a leadership role and serve as a chapter leader following the 2021 season. He attended the Leadership Development Conference and Young Investigator Draft in 2022 to prepare for the upcoming year. Cameron will play a key and instrumental role moving forward in helping the Eastern Illinois Chapter continue its mission to inspire the Rare Disease Community with hope.
“My dad had a rare form of cancer that he was able to beat so I wanted to help other people in similar situations.”
The native of Chicago has started 17 consecutive games on the defensive line for the Panthers, including all 11 games in 2021. Cameron recorded 48 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two pass break ups and a fumble recovery the last two seasons as a starter.
President - Women's Soccer
Kenzie Balcerak became a chapter leader at Eastern Illinois for the women’s soccer team in 2021. She is the President and was largely responsible for the historical first non-football Lift For Life by a college program in 2021. Kenzie attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2022 and was a grant presenter at the 2022 Young Investigator Draft celebration. Kenzie is making sure the Panthers women’s soccer program is using their platform as college student athletes to serve and inspire hope in the Rare Disease Community.
The Wisconsin native midfielder has appeared in 38 matches the last three years including 17 starts in 2021 where she logged a team-high 1,462 minutes of action. Kenzie has four career assists and her lone collegiate goal was an overtime game winner in 2020.
Jenna Little volunteered to step into a leadership role and serve as a chapter leader in 2022 after participating in the inaugural EIU Lift For Life in 2021. SHe attended the Leadership Development Conference and Young Investigator Draft celebration in 2022 to prepare for the upcoming year. Jenna will play a key and instrumental role moving forward in helping the Eastern Illinois Chapter continue its mission to inspire the Rare Disease Community with hope.
The Michigan native is a third-year midfielder/forward for the Panthers who has appeared in 21 games with five starts and more than 800 minutes played. Jenna scored her first career goal against Morehead State in 2021 and was an Ohio Valley Conference Academic Medal of Honor recipient in 2020.
President
Shaun Hastings became a chapter leader at Saint Francis in 2020 before he transferred to East Tennessee State and founded a chapter at his new school in 2021. Shaun is the President of the new chapter. He attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2020, 2021 and 2022, was a draft pick presenter at the 2022 Young Investigator Draft and is making sure the Buccaneers football program is using their platform as college football student athletes to serve and inspire hope in the Rare Disease Community.
"One of the biggest things I have learned is how much of an impact that I myself can have on so many people’s lives. I’m very passionate about helping others and making sure everyone gets a fair shot.”
Shaun started his collegiate career at Saint Francis where he played in 18 games along the offensive line, including nine starts, in 2018 and 2019. After the Red Flash season in 2020 was canceled, he transferred to ETSU and is looking to contribute up front for the Buccaneers in 2022.
Vice President
Blake Austin volunteered to step into a leadership role and serve as a chapter leader following the 2021 season. He attended the Leadership Development Conference and Young Investigator Draft in 2022 to prepare for the upcoming year. Blake will play a key and instrumental role moving forward in helping the East Tennessee State Chapter continue its mission to inspire the Rare Disease Community with hope.
Blake became a starter late in his second season at ETSU and last year ,during his third year, became the No. 1 left guard on the depth chart for a team that finished 11-2, won a conference championship and posted an FCS playoff game victory.
President
Chaz Neal started his collegiate career at Florida State and participated in Lift For Life at FSU in 2019 before transferring to Florida Atlantic and starting a chapter at his new school in 2021. He serves as Chapter President and was instrumental in the FAU Chapter holding its inaugural Lift For Life in 2021. Chaz is making sure the Owls football program is using their platform as college football student athletes to serve and inspire hope in the Rare Disease Community.
The Tampa native appeared in 19 games for Florida State over two seasons before transferring to Florida Atlantic in 2021. In his first year with the Owls, Neal was a regular in the starting five along the offensive line and made starts at left and right tackle.
President
Keyshawn Helton became a chapter leader following the 2019 Lift For Life. He has served as Vice President for two years and has ascended to the role of Chapter President for 2022. Keyshawn helped oversee the Seminoles' Lift For Life and Touchdown Pledge Drive events and is making sure the Florida State football program is using its platform as college student athletes to serve and inspire hope in the Rare Disease Community.
The Florida native wide receiver had appeared in 36 career games for the Seminoles as a wide receiver and kick returner. Keyshawn has 61 career receptions for more than 800 yards with eight touchdowns to go along with more than 500 yards on kick returns.
Vice President
Josh Burrell volunteered to step into a leadership role and serve as a chapter leader in 2022. Josh will play a key and instrumental role moving forward in helping the Florida State Chapter continue its mission to inspire the Rare Disease Community with hope.
The South Carolina native wide receiver did make his collegiate debut as a true freshman in 2021 against Notre Dame, but appeared in only one other game last season and was redshirted.
President
Ryan Joyce became a chapter leader at Fordham in 2021. He serves as the President of the Fordham Chapter and was part of the leadership team that helped oversee the Rams Lift For Life last summer. Ryan attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2021 and 2022 and was also part of the Young Investigator Draft celebration in February. Ryan is making sure the Rams football program is using their platform as college football student athletes to serve and inspire hope in the Rare Disease Community.
The 6-foot-5 offensive lineman started three games at right guard as a freshman in 2019 before an injury forced him to the sidelines for the rest of the season. Ryan was a starter during the pandemic season of 2020 in limited action. And last year he was the Rams’ starting right guard all 11 games.
Vice President
Lucas Portes became a chapter leader at Fordham in 2021. He serves as the Vice President of the Fordham Chapter and was part of the leadership team that helped oversee the Rams Lift For Life last summer. Lucas attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2021 and 2022 and was also part of the Young Investigator Draft celebration in February. Lucas is making sure the Rams football program is using their platform as college football student athletes to serve and inspire hope in the Rare Disease Community.
The Maryland native came in as a freshman in 2019 and earned a starting spot at left guard for all 12 games. Lucas, who stands 6-foot-5, is now an anchor up front for the Rams after starting all 11 games in 2021 at guard.
President
Ryan Spiers became a chapter leader at Georgia Tech in 2021. He served as the Chapter Vice President and has now ascended to the role of Georgia Tech Chapter President. He assisted in landing NFL prospects to be part of Reps For Rare Diseases 2021 and helped oversee the Yellow Jackets Lift For Life last summer. Ryan attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2021 and is making sure the Georgia Tech football program is using their platform as college football student athletes to serve and inspire hope in the Rare Disease Community.
The sophomore from Mississippi was a two-time All-State selection in high school and is gunning to work his way up the depth chart along the offensive line and make his college debut
President
Alex Palczewski played along the offensive line early in his career with former Illinois Chapter leader Nick Allegretti . He volunteered to step into a leadership role during his senior year. Alex attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2020 and 2021, and as the chapter President will play a key and instrumental role in helping the Illinois Chapter continue its mission to inspire the Rare Disease Community with hope.
The native of Illinois has started for the Fighting Illini since his true freshman year in 2017. Over the last four seasons, Alex had started 40 straight games including 29 in a row at right tackle before an injury ended his 2020 season. His 40 career starts is only eight shy of tying the school record. He was a third-team All Big Ten selection following the 2019 season and played in the first bowl game of his career.
Michael Marchese is the third member of his family to serve in a leadership role for an Uplifting Athletes chapter. His oldest brother Joe served as the Maryland Chapter President and older brother Jimmy served as an Illinois Chapter leader. Michael attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2020 and as a chapter leader will play a key and instrumental role in helping the Illinois Chapter continue its mission to inspire the Rare Disease Community with hope.
The native of Illinois started his career as a walk on for the Illini and has developed into a contributor on defense and special teams. He was awarded a scholarship during the offseason prior to the 2021 campaign. Over the last three seasons he has appeared in 27 games, making three starts at safety in 2018 and two starts as a linebacker in 2020. He’s registered nearly 50 tackles, a couple fumble recoveries and a pair of interceptions. Michael has a twin brother, Henry, who plays for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Isaac Vance was a teammate of Antwan Dixon, the Kent State Chapter founder. Inspired by Antwan and his rare disease journey, Isaac became a chapter leader at Kent State after participating in the inaugural Kent State Lift For Life in 2019 and helped oversee the Golden Flashes Lift For Life in 2021 as Chapter President. Isaac attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2020, 2021 and 2022. In February, he was a grant recipient presenter at the Young Investigator Draft celebration and is making sure the Kent State football program is using their platform as college football student athletes to serve and inspire hope in the Rare Disease Community.
“One of my great friends and former teammate, Antwan Dixon, struggles with Aplastic Anemia,” Vance said. “Seeing his daily fight and getting involved because of him in the Rare Disease Community is something that has impacted my life.”
The native of Las Cruces, New Mexico has played in 35 games for the Golden Flashes as a slot receiver and on special teams. In 2020 he finished third on the team in receptions with 17 catches in four games. Isaac is a two-time member of the Academic All-Mac Team and was honored as the 2019-2020 recipient of the Lou Holtz Scholarship Endowment.
Vice President
Nico Bolden became a chapter leader at Kent State in 2021 and serves as the Vice President. He has assisted in landing NFL prospects to be part of Reps For Rare Diseases and helped oversee the Golden Flashes Lift For Life in 2021. Nico attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2021 and 2022 and was part of the Young Investigator Draft celebration earlier this year to help ensure the Golden Flashes football program is using their platform as college student athletes to serve and inspire hope in the Rare Disease Community.
A graduate student transfer from the University of New Mexico, Bolden saw his first action for Kent State in 2021 and had his most productive collegiate season. He appeared in 12 games, making six starts at safety. Nico finished with 85 total tackles, a couple of interceptions, a pair of forced fumbles and a fumble recovery
President
Dante Perri volunteered to step into a leadership role and serve as a chapter leader in 2021. He attended the Leadership Development Conference and Young Investigator Draft in 2022 to prepare for the upcoming year. Dante will play a key and instrumental role moving forward in helping the Lehigh Chapter continue its mission to inspire the Rare Disease Community with hope.
As a sophomore in 2021, Dante saw his first collegiate action of his career against Villanova and went on to secure the starting quarterback job by making six starts, including the final five games in a row, and was under center for all three Lehigh wins last season. He ended up throwing for nearly 1,400 yards with five touchdowns.
Latriel Wimberly volunteered to step into a leadership role and serve as a chapter leader following the 2021 season. Treil attended the Leadership Development Conference and Young Investigator Draft celebration in 2022 and is making sure the Mountain Hawks football program is using their platform as college student athletes to serve and inspire hope in the Rare Disease Community.
The Maryland native has been an impact player from the moment he stepped on campus, earning second team All-Patriot League honors his first two seasons and has started every game at cornerback. In 11 games last season he finished with 44 tackles and snared his first career interception against Holy Cross.
Paul Olivett is a graduate of State College High School, home of Penn State University. He was familiar with Uplifting Athletes through the Penn State Chapter and its Lift For Life event and wants to use his platform as a college football player to make a difference at Marist. So the redshirt freshman contacted the Uplifting Athletes staff early in 2019 and worked hard to launch the Marist Chapter. In early May of that year, the Red Foxes held their inaugural Lift For Life.
“Starting an Uplifting Athletes chapter at Marist is an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I’ve always wanted to get involved in the community and help those who need it and with Uplifting Athletes I believe that’s possible. Using the platform of Uplifting Athletes and the Marist Football team I hope we are able to continue the goal of spreading awareness and support for rare diseases. On behalf of Marist and the football team we cannot thank Uplifting Athletes enough and look forward to being a part of the many college teams tackling rare diseases.”
A third year player who will play safety after a standout high school career, Paul made his collegiate debut during the 2019 season and recorded his first tackle against Dartmouth. Marist did not have a 2020 season.
Vice President
Luke Paladino became an impact player for the Red Foxes in 2019 and now is looking to make an impact serving the Rare Disease Community. Luke participated in the inaugural Marist Chapter Lift For Life in 2019 and volunteered to assume a leadership role. He attended the 2020 and 2021 Leadership Development Conference and is excited to help the Marist program support the rare disease cause.
Originally from Rochester, New York, Luke took over the kicking duties as a redshirt freshman in ‘19 and delivered 61 points for the Red Foxes. He tied the program record with a 49-yard field goal, missed only three of his 14 attempts and nailed three field goals of 45 or more yards. Luke was a PFL All-Academic Honor Roll selection and was also a PFL honorable mention pick following the 2019 season. Marist did not have a 2020 season.
Peter Snodgrass has been inspiring the Rare Disease Community for more than three years in a leadership role for the Northwestern Chapter and is the Chapter President. Peter has been instrumental in continuing a strong tradition of outstanding football student-athlete leaders for the Wildcats. He attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2018 and 2019, learning to become a stronger voice and inspiration to the Rare Disease Community.
“Uplifting Athletes is the first time I have been able to use my voice as a student-athlete to help others. Watching my brothers rally around the Rare Disease Community is truly THE most inspiring experience I have had at Northwestern. As a leader of our chapter, I have seen first hand the value that my teammates and I can give to the Rare Disease Community.”
A native of Palo Alto, California, Peter was a four-year captain during his high school years and played linebacker, center and long snapper. The fourth-year player is a long snapper for the Wildcats and made his collegiate debut in 2019, appearing in three games. The economics major and former Eagle Scout and President’s Gold Award honoree for community service has a heart for giving back.
Joe Spivak joined the leadership team of Northwestern’s Uplifting Athletes’ Chapter in 2018, serving as the chapter Vice President in 2019. Joe attended the 2019 Leadership Development Conference and became passionate about the rare disease cause. He helped guide the Northwestern Chapter to successful Lift for Life events in 2019 and 2021. For his passionate work engaging with the rare disease patient community and his commitment to the cause, Joe was named to the 2020 Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion Team.
”I love football... but even more than that, I love the relationships that football has brought into my life. I believe that Uplifting Athletes is extending these unbreakable bonds into a community that needs them more than ever,” Northwestern Chapter Vice President Joe Spivak said. “I think most of the guys all agree that the money we raise is awesome, but to be able to serve as an example and extension of FAMILY to these families is what is really awesome! Uplifting Athletes brings us all together on the same team.”
The defensive tackle saw action as a true freshman in 2017, appeared in 22 games the next two seasons as a back-up before becoming a starter the second game of the 2020 season during the Wildcats’ run to the Big Ten West title.
Drew White participated in the inaugural Notre Dame Chapter Lift For Life in 2018 and was inspired to take on a bigger role for the Fighting Irish. He volunteered to become a Chapter Leader and attended the Leadership Development Conference in January, 2019. Drew is motivated by the rare disease cause and wants to make a difference. He was instrumental in Notre Dame’s record-breaking Lift For Life in 2019 and is inspired to use his platform to give a voice to the Rare Disease Community.
A marquee linebacker recruit from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Boca Raton, FL, Drew spent his freshman year on the scout team before appearing in four games and totaling eight tackles in 2018. Over the next two seasons, he started 25 games at linebacker for the Irish and recorded 136 tackles. Drew tied for the team lead in tackles with 80 in 2019 and posted a career-high nine tackles for a loss in 2020.
Vice President
JD Bertrand stepped into a leadership role for the Notre Dame Chapter after his first season with the Fighting Irish. He attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2020 and is motivated by the rare disease cause to make a difference and support the Rare Disease Community.
The linebacker from Georgia played four games on special teams for Notre Dame as a true freshman in 2019 and saw his first action at linebacker in 2020 with a pair of tackles in a victory over South Florida. JD appeared in eight games in 2020, including the College Football Playoff semifinal in the Rose Bowl.
Brian O’Neill has been an impact player on the field the last two seasons (2018, 2019) for Penn and now is looking to make an impact serving the Rare Disease Community. Brian participated in the 2018 and 2019 Lift For Life events as part of the Iron Quaker and volunteered to assume a leadership role in the Penn Chapter of Uplifting Athletes. He attended the 2020 and 2021 Leadership Development Conference and is excited to help the UPenn program support the rare disease cause.
A native of New Jersey, Brian started 10 games in 2018 and 2019 at linebacker and in 2019 was a second team All-Ivy selection. He led the Quakers in interceptions in 2019 with three and the last two seasons as a starter has registered more than 110 tackles and 20-plus tackles for a loss. Penn did not have a 2020 season.
Chris Stoll takes over the role of Penn State Chapter President after serving two years in other leadership roles. He has become an impact player for the Nittany Lions, serving as the starting long snapper the last two seasons, and now is looking to make an impact serving the Rare Disease Community. Chris participated in the Penn State Chapter Lift For Life in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and volunteered to step into the high profile leadership role. He attended the 2019, 2020 and 2021 Leadership Development Conference and is excited to help the Penn State program continue its long standing tradition of supporting the rare disease cause.
A native of Ohio, Chris made his first collegiate start in 2019 when he took over the Penn State long snapper duties while also serving as the holder for the Nittany Lion kickers. He appeared in all 13 games and made a memorable open-field tackle on special teams in the Michigan game. In 2020, he appeared in all nine games running his starting streak to 22 consecutive outings.
Luke Aschenbrand is a third-year player from Arizona who attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2019 and immediately wanted to become heavily involved in using his platform to support the cause. So Luke took over as the President of the Princeton Chapter and guided the Tigers through Lift For Life in 2019 and again attended the Leadership Development Conference in 2020 and 2021.
“Uplifting Athletes has given me a humbling and incredible opportunity to help give back to the community. Meeting rare disease patients who appreciate the effort we put in and are thankful for the outreach of their message makes what I do worth it.”
A two-sport athlete coming out of high school, Luke played multiple positions on both sides of the ball for his high school team and is projected to be an offensive lineman at Princeton. Princeton did not have a 2020 season.
Harrison Caponiti is looking to make an impact serving the Rare Disease Community. Harrison participated in the Princeton Chapter Lift For Life in 2019 and volunteered to assume a leadership role. He attended the 2020 and 2021 Leadership Development Conference and is excited to help the Tigers’ program support the rare disease cause.
A native of Rye, New York, Harrison was a three-sport athlete in high school playing football, lacrosse and baseball. The tight end appeared in all 10 games in 2019 and also recorded his first career tackle on special teams. Princeton did not have a 2020 season.
Dom Clark became a regular on the field in 2019 and now is looking to make an impact serving the Rare Disease Community. Dom participated in the Saint Francis Chapter Lift For Life in 2018 and 2019 and volunteered to assume a leadership role. He attended the 2020 and 2021 Leadership Development Conference and is excited to help the Red Flash program support the rare disease cause. Dom served in a key leadership role for the 2021 Saint Francis Chapter Lift For Life.
A native of Maryland, Dom, a three-sport athlete in high school, played in all 12 games in 2019 for the Red Flash, primarily as a tight end. The redshirt junior recorded his first points by hauling in a two-point conversion and also made his first official catch against Bryant. Saint Francis did not have a 2020 season.
Regan Craig is an Academic Honor Roll selection looking to make an impact serving the Rare Disease Community. Regan participated in the Stony Brook Chapter Lift For Life in 2019 and volunteered to assume a leadership role. He attended the 2020 and 2021 Leadership Development Conference and his leadership played a key role in Stony Brook holding a successful 2020 Lift For Life in support of the rare disease cause.
A native of New York, Regan is a redshirt junior who has moved up the depth chart and is looking to make his collegiate debut on the offensive line. Stony Brook played only four games during the 2021 spring season.
Kyle Nunez has been an impact player on the field the last three seasons for Stony Brook and now is looking to make an impact serving the Rare Disease Community. Kyle participated in the Stony Brook Chapter Lift For Life in 2019 and volunteered to assume a leadership role. He attended the 2020 and 2021 Leadership Development Conference and his leadership played a key role in Stony Brook holding a successful 2020 Lift For Life in support of the rare disease cause.
A native of New York, Kyle has played in 28 straight games at right guard for the Seawolves including 21 starts up front. Following the 2021 spring season, Kyle earned first-team All-CAA and AFCA FCS Coaches’ All-America second team.
Aaron Bolinsky has been an impact player on the field since he arrived at Syracuse and now is looking to make an impact serving the Rare Disease Community. Aaron participated in the Syracuse Chapter Lift For Life in 2018 and 2019 and volunteered to assume a leadership role. He attended the 2020 and 2021 Leadership Development Conference and is excited to help the Orange program support the rare disease cause.
A native of Pennsylvania, Aaron stepped in right away and took over the long snapper duties as a true freshman in 2018. After never missing an offensive snap in four years of high school, Aaron has made 30 consecutive starts and has contributed four tackles on special teams for the Orange. Last season marked the third consecutive year Aaron has snapped for an All-American specialist.
Zaire Barnes is part of the second wave of leaders for Western Michigan Chapter after co-founders Jamauri Bogan and Justin Tranquill move on. He joined the leadership team at WMU after his 2018 freshman season and attended the Leadership Development Conference. Holding a Lift For Life is an important big step for a new chapter, and Zaire served as chapter Vice President when the Western Michigan Chapter held its inaugural signature event to inspire the Rare Disease Community with hope.
A native of Illinois, Zaire appeared in all 13 games for the Broncos as a true freshman in 2018 and made 11 starts at linebacker in 2019. He recorded his first tackle for a loss in 2019 and finished with a career-high 29 tackles for the season. Projected to start again in 2020, Barnes suffered an injury and was unable to play for the Broncos in the spring 2021 season.
Jake Moertl found the field early in his Broncos career and is now looking to make an impact serving the Rare Disease Community. Jake participated in the inaugural Western Michigan Lift For Life in 2019 and volunteered to assume a leadership role. He attended the 2020 and 2021 Leadership Development Conference and is excited to help the Western Michigan program support the rare disease cause.
A native of Illinois, Jake has appeared in 23 games as a safety his first two years at Western Michigan. He is a key reserve at safety and plays a pivotal role on special teams. Jake has six tackles and has logged nearly 275 career snaps for the Broncos.
Antwan Dixon was a member of the Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion Team in 2019 and, as a rare disease patient with the rare blood disorder aplastic anemia, Antwan is inspired to use his platform as a college football student-athlete to give back to others in the Rare Disease Community. Antwan attended the Uplifting Athletes Leadership Development Conference in 2019 and 2020 and worked with his teammates and university football support staff to launch the Kent State Chapter. As the Kent State Chapter President, Antwan and his Golden Flashes teammates held their inaugural Lift For Life in July, 2019.
“Having the opportunity to give back to others, as a member of the Rare Disease Community myself, is very important to me. Also, having my teammates and coaches being all in so that we can raise money for raise disease patients is such a blessing. We are all proud to be part of a team that is working so hard to Tackle Rare Diseases.”
Antwan is a native of South Fort Myers, Fla. and played as a true freshman in 2015, registering 26 catches for 355 yards. He scored a touchdown in his very first collegiate game. He missed the next two seasons during his long and difficult battle with aplastic anemia, but returned to the field after a 36-month absence in 2018 and appeared in all 12 games with seven starts. He was second on the team in catches, receiving yards and caught a touchdown pass in his first game back against Illinois. Antwan was recognized as the 2018 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year and the Columbus Touchdown Club Male Athlete of the Year. In 2019 he played in all 13 games and had a season-high 99 yards and a touchdown in the Golden Flashes’ bowl victory.
Staff
A suburban Philadelphia native, Rob is a former All-American punter at Syracuse and has lived the rare disease journey. In December of 2010, late in his senior season, Rob was diagnosed with anaplastic astrocytoma, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer. His prognosis at the time was less than encouraging, and his surgery, recovery and treatment took 16 months. Prior to his diagnosis, Rob was on a path to the NFL as a punter, but that opportunity was lost by the time he was healthy enough to train again. A graduate of Syracuse University, Rob pursued a Masters in New Media Management from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. He also received a B.S. from the Martin J. Whitman School of Management.
Rob played football all four years for the Orange and was voted team captain by his teammates his final two seasons. He became the second Executive Director of Uplifting Athletes at the end of 2018. Prior to taking over as the Executive Director, Rob served as Uplifting Athletes' Director of Rare Disease Engagement for nearly two years. Rob has a steadfast commitment and connection to the Rare Disease Community as a rare brain cancer survivor . As a former star college football student-athlete, his passion and drive to advance the mission of Uplifting Athletes is inspirational. Rob and his wife, Irie, reside in suburban Philadelphia with their dogs Winston and Rocket.
The New Jersey native has an innate passion for helping others and directs that passion towards the rare disease community and using the platform of sport for social good. Brett proved to be an exceptional athlete as he transitioned from a top-rated quarterback in high school to a standout wide receiver at Penn State then to a tight end in the NFL. A four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection for the Nittany Lions, Brackett graduated with a double major in Marketing and Economics. He was the President of the Penn State Chapter of Uplifting Athletes and was voted as a co-captain of the team his senior year.
On the field he played in 52 straight games and averaged 12.8 yards per catch with seven touchdowns. Undrafted out of college, he still made it to the NFL with stops in Miami, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Tennessee and Seattle before his playing career came to an end. Brett and his wife Jamie have three children. Currently, Brett serves the rare disease community as Uplifting Athletes General Manager and Director of Sports Impact.
Like many coaches’ kids, Levi does not consider one place home but currently resides in Denver, Colorado. Levi is a former student-athlete at Baylor University where he played football and basketball. While at Baylor, he developed a relationship with a local high school student battling Cerebral Palsy and, in the Spring of 2014, founded the Baylor Uplifting Athletes Chapter. And in 2015, he was an Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion Award finalist.
Levi was a part of the winningest class in Baylor football history and helped the school win its first two Big 12 Conference Championships in 2013 and 2014. As the primary punt returner, he holds the school record in career punt return touchdowns (2) and as a receiver caught 128 passes with 11 touchdowns. He also has one career point for the Baylor University basketball team.
Following Baylor, Levi spent a short time in the NFL with the Chicago Bears and the Pittsburgh Steelers, then returned to Baylor to receive his Masters in Sport Management. Levi serves the rare disease community as Uplifting Athletes’ Chapter Success Manager.
Born in China, Aimei was adopted when she was several months old and grew up in Woodstock, New York. An only child, Aimei was lucky enough to travel a lot growing up and that included attending Penn State football games with her parents from the time she was 10 years old. It was no surprise when it came time to choose a college, Aimei became a Penn Stater and graduated in 2017 with a B.S. in Psychology. In 2022 Aimei completed her M.S. in Higher Education Administration from Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).
Professionally, she started as a preschool teacher at Penn State before moving to Boston to become the Community Development Manager at the American Cancer Society and most recently served as the Manager of The Longest Day for the Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Nonprofit work allows Aimei the ability to provide opportunity to those who want to be involved in a cause that is important to them, and gives her a sense of purpose each day. Familiar with Uplifting Athletes from her days at Penn State, Aimei is excited to serve the rare disease community. Aimei and her fiancé, Jeff, reside in Southern New Jersey.
A military brat who lived all over the world for three decades of his life, Andy came to Uplifting Athletes full-time in 2014 after 18 months working part-time. Prior to joining Uplifting Athletes he was a sportswriter for PennLive/The Patriot-News for more than 20 years covering high school football, golf, college football recruiting and basketball. Andy is also an Army combat veteran, serving in the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment during Operation Desert Storm.
He has been married to Maureen for more than 25 years and has two grown children, Kaci and Brendan. Andy serves the Rare Disease Community by connecting his sportswriter background to developing communications aimed at fulfilling the mission of Uplifting Athletes.
Jake is passionate about using his insider knowledge of sports and the ability to elevate simple visuals to striking multimedia content to help Uplifting Athletes better serve the rare disease community. A 2013 graduate from the University of Colorado, Jake worked for the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL and the University of California football team before becoming the manager of football video operations at Texas State University starting in 2018.
During his four years at Texas State Jake was responsible for producing video content for the university football web page and social media accounts, creating a variety of recruiting videos, highlights and promotional videos and overseeing the filming and editing of football practices and games.
Jake is a native of southern California and resides in Austin, Texas with his wife, the former Michelle Crose. He enjoys traveling, playing golf and practicing the art of Texas barbecue and is excited about the opportunity to share his talents with the rare disease community.
Mitch is a Long Island native and a true New Yorker. A graduate of the State University of New York College at Oneonta in 2014 with a degree in Communication Studies and a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. Mitch started his professional career with a mental health non-profit in California where he worked his way up to Development Associate.
Most recently Mitch worked for the Alzheimer’s Association as their Constituent Events Manager running two signature fundraising events for the New York City Chapter. During his career he’s worked with many organizations that believe in the power of giving including: Google, Kaiser Permanente, Golden State Warriors, Oakland Athletics, Discord, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Serving the rare disease community is personal to Mitch as a patient who has been diagnosed with a pair of rare conditions.
Mitch founded a diversity conference in 2013 for the State University of New York (SUNY) system that nine years later is still going strong. He enjoys craft beer, cooking, gardening and playing slow pitch softball. Mitch resides in Queens, New York along with his fiancé, Colleen. The duo are busy planning their October 2022 wedding.
Valaree grew up in the real-life town that inspired the television show Gilmore Girls, but has traveled extensively across the United States throughout her life. Valaree earned a Professional Writing degree from Western Connecticut State University and began working for three chapters of The Y upon graduation. From there, her passion for non-for-profit work led her to the Society of Plastics Engineers and the National Organization for Rare Disorders before landing at Uplifting Athletes. Valaree will graduate from West Virginia University in 2023 with a Master of Science degree in Data Marketing. Valaree’s personal philosophy is that for-purpose work should be done with purpose and specializes in strategic, data-driven marketing.
Valaree rode horses and taught professionally for many years as a hunt seat rider before retiring to enjoy riding as a recreational pursuit. These days, Valaree is married with two dogs and a cat, enjoys reading and rooting for Philadelphia-based sports.
Valaree serves the rare disease community as Uplifting Athletes’ Senior Manager of Integrated Marketing Communications.
Andrea is fueled by her passion for helping student-athletes excel off the field and first-hand experiences seeing the impact sports can have on the lives of others.
She received her BS in Recreational Therapy from the University of Toledo in 2015 and a MS in Sport Administration from Mississippi State University while embarking on her professional career as a graduate assistant in Athletic Academics at Mississippi State University. After completing her graduate degree in 2017, she started at the University of New Mexico as an athletic academic advisor working with football, softball, and women’s golf before transitioning to an academic advisor in the Anderson School of Management at the University of New Mexico in 2020. Prior to joining Uplifting Athletes, Andrea worked for BetterHelp as a Therapist Onboarding Specialist.
While at New Mexico, Andrea lost two of her student-athletes to suicide and that changed her perspective on life and what was important. She wanted to do more to make a change in the world, so she started a scholarship fund at the University of New Mexico and Mississippi State University called Tomorrow Needs You. Andrea resides in Louisiana just outside of New Orleans with her dog Harley.
Andrea serves the rare disease community as Uplifting Athletes’ Chapter Success Manager.
Board
Although John grew up in upstate New York, he considers State College, Pa. his home. John earned both an undergraduate and a Masters of Business Administration degree from Penn State University. He worked for more than two decades for a multi-national company with its World Headquarters in State College. He joined that organization in its relative infancy, and after leading the growth of the Sales and Marketing functions globally, retired from the organization in 2016. John was a member of the inaugural Executive Team at the organization.
Although not a collegiate athlete, John has always participated in sports and has a devotion to sports and what sports can offer any individual. Being able to maximize the benefit of sport to help others is a rewarding challenge that John has been dedicated to and actively engaged in with Uplifting Athletes since his retirement when he took on the role of Business Manager
Dave has served on the Uplifting Athletes Board of Directors since the organization was launched as a national non-profit in 2007. He was also instrumental in crafting the initial business plan for Uplifting Athletes with Founder Scott Shirley.
Early in 2019, Dave became a faculty member at the Penn State Bellisario College of Communications where he teaches courses in advertising. Prior to that he served as vice president of advertising and sponsorships for Lincoln Financial Group. During his 15-year tenure at Lincoln Financial, he was responsible for a wide array of initiatives that were designed to build a strong Lincoln Financial Group brand. Dave was also responsible for overseeing Lincoln’s long, successful partnership with the Philadelphia Eagles, including the development of experiential programs as the naming rights partner for Lincoln Financial Field.
Dave served as Director of Advertising from 1998-2003 at the Principal Financial Group in Des Moines, Iowa, spent 10 years at N.W. Ayer & Partners in Detroit, Michigan where he was the account director on the General Motors brand advertising program and was also the advertising manager at Barnett Banks of Florida, Inc.
He is an active member of the Financial Communications Society, the Association of National Advertisers, and serves on the executive committee for the Conference Board Council on Corporate Brand Management and Strategy.
A native of Harrisburg in Central Pennsylvania, Kerwin joined the Uplifting Athletes Board of Directors in 2012 and serves as Treasurer.
Kerwin is very involved as a servant to other community organizations in the greater Harrisburg area. Since 1999 he has been the Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors for Salt ‘N Light Youth Ministry, was on the Board of Directors for the West Shore Chamber of Commerce for more than a decade, including a two-year stint at Board Chair, and since 2016 has been Chairperson of the Board of the United Methodist Home for Children. He also served as Treasurer for his church for nearly 15 years and for the last six years has served on the Community Advisory Committee for a Continuing Care Community.
Since 2003, Kerwin has worked for Pyramid Construction, a commercial general contractor, serving as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Prior to joining Pyramid Construction, the Roanoke College graduate spent 14 years as a Vice President and Controller for another commercial general contractor; worked as a controller for two other Central Pennsylvania companies through most of the 1980s and started his career as a Senior Accountant with Price Waterhouse & Co. in Nashville, Tennessee.
Scott is the founder of Uplifting Athletes and served the 30 million Americans that comprise the Rare Disease Community as the Executive Director from when he launched Uplifting Athletes as a national nonprofit in 2007 until December, 2018.
Uplifting Athletes was built on Scott’s rare disease journey that started in 2002 when his father, Don Shirley, was diagnosed with kidney cancer. When Scott’s Penn State football teammate, Damon Jones, learned of the challenges the Shirley family was enduring, he suggested that they do something since they were in a position to shine their spotlight on those who needed a voice.
The Penn State football team rallied around the idea of leveraging a summer strength and conditioning competition into a fundraising event called Lift For Life®.
After graduating from Penn State with a B.S. and Masters degree in Engineering, Scott held his “dream job” as a Project Engineer with Clark Construction Group in Washington D.C. He didn’t envision leaving that job so soon, but when Uplifting Athletes started to take off, Scott quit his job and started a full-service nonprofit.
Scott also founded a sports inspired for-profit company in 2015 called PledgeIt and is currently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) responsible for strategic planning, investor relations and daily operations.
The Central Pennsylvania native is married to Stephanie, has two children and in his spare time serves on the AmeriChoice Federal Credit Union Board of Directors, is a member of the Board of Directors at his church and is also a Kellogg Executive Scholar in Nonprofit Management.
Keith is a graduate of Penn State University and has served as President of the Board of Directors since 2012. He helped guide Uplifting Athletes through an updated and innovative business model and business plan change in 2016 and, in 2018, provided key leadership during the Executive Director transition.
Keith is the Co-Founder of Mediabarn in Arlington, Virginia, a company that specializes in UX research, design, and staff augmentation. As CEO and Co-Founder, he has led Mediabarn through more than a decade of success. He has helped build the organization into an interactive powerhouse with a wide range of clients including government agencies, such as the U.S. Army, U.S. Patent Office and National Institute of Health (NIH), to some of the world’s most widely recognized media and education brands including: Discovery Communications, National Geographic, The Better Business Bureau, PBS, K12, and Pearson Education.
He started his interactive career at America Online, spending 10 years there during a significant period of growth from 1994 to 2004. Keith worked his way up to become the Executive Director of the Producer Team in the AOL Studio for more than two years. The Producer Team was responsible for project managing the user experience design and production of nearly all of the AOL properties, giving Keith wide exposure to all facets of creating and running interactive products.
Keith continues to stay plugged into his alma mater, assisting the College of Information Sciences and Technology as a speaker in project management and entrepreneurship. In his spare time Keith enjoys traveling, cooking, playing bass in a band and treats going out to dinner like an extreme sport.
Shoshanna joined the Board of Directors in 2021 and has a nonprofit background that will help shape and guide Uplifting Athletes moving forward. Her experience in college athletics governance will be an asset for the organization to lean on when it comes to our footprint in college athletics.
A former Academic All-American Gymnast, Shoshanna did her undergraduate work at Yale University and received her master’s degree from the University of North Carolina.
She recently joined the athletic department at Brown University as the Deputy Athletics Director for Governance and Student Services after eight years at Georgia Tech where she served in many roles including associate vice president for athletics governance and inclusion, senior associate athletics director for compliance and was the institute’s first deputy Title IX coordinator for athletics.
Shoshanna previously held positions at Yale University, North Carolina State University, The University of North Carolina and Tulane University. In addition to being on the Uplifting Athletes Board of Directors, she serves as the third vice president and board member of the National Association for Athletics Compliance.
Shoshanna and husband Marvin have a son - Callen.
As the father of a son who is impacted by a rare disease, Justin brings a wealth of personal and professional experience to the table when it comes to serving the rare disease community.
Justin and his wife Courtney, have three children—Garrett, Avery, and Grady. Garrett was diagnosed with acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (ASMD, also historically known as Niemann-Pick disease) around his first birthday. Over six years, the Hopkin family and friends hosted an annual Golf For Garrett tournament that raised $150,000 for ASMD research.
A standout athlete, Justin played two years of college basketball during his undergraduate studies at the University of Wyoming. He completed medical school at the University of Washington, was a resident at the University of Colorado, and ascended to the title of chief resident. During his eight years in Wyoming, Justin had the pleasure of teaching medical students, working in public health, and providing comprehensive medical care at a critical access hospital.
Though Justin returned home to Wyoming following medical school and residency to practice inpatient and outpatient medicine in a rural, medically underserved community, his quest to find a clinical trial for Garrett moved the Hopkin family from Wyoming to Rochester, New York.
Justin is currently the Chief, Division of Hospital Medicine at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester where he leads a distinguished group of hospitalists that are excelling in the areas of patient care, scholarship, and medical education. He is also thankful for the opportunity to work with the medical students and residents at the University of Rochester. Prior to joining the Uplifting Athletes board, he served as the Board Chair of the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation.
Scientific Advisory Council
Maureen McArthur Hart is a patient advocacy, public policy, and communications leader with experience in structuring biomedical research collaborations with engagement of multiple stakeholders, accelerating biomedical innovation, ensuring ethical conduct of research, and developing outreach materials to varied audiences. She is the Director, Patient Advocacy, Public Policy, and External Engagement at Creyon Bio, a member of the voluntary PRA/ICON Rare Disease Advisory Council, and a Board member for Cure VCP Disease, Inc. Previously, she was a strategic advisor with Global Genes, working with the Medical & Scientific Advisory Board on projects focused on science and technology issues related to rare disease research and therapy development, developing content for major patient advocacy meetings, and leading efforts to connect rare disease researchers and patient advocates. Prior to joining Global Genes, Dr. Hart served as a researcher with the Science and Technology Policy Institute on strategic planning projects for translational research, bioinformatics, and clinical trials, and on program evaluation for the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health. She also has led the development of policies to protect human research subjects and public outreach projects on biomedical research at the University of Kentucky. She earned a PhD in public policy from George Washington University, an MS in science and technology studies from Virginia Tech, and a BS in biology from UCLA.
Scott joined the Board of Directors in 2019 to provide leadership and guidance to grow the overall impact of Uplifting Athletes - particularly in the rare disease research space. The University of Colorado at Denver and University of Utah School of Medicine graduate has a strong and proven record of successful non-profit board service.
A resident of Seattle, Scott is the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for 2M Clincal. Prior to that he spent three years as Senior Vice President, Center for Rare Diseases at PRA Health Sciences, four years as Vice President, Scientific Affairs - Rare Diseases for PRA Health Sciences where he was instrumental in creating the Center For Rare Diseases, a multidisciplinary business unit focused on innovative approaches to overcome the challenges of research in rare disease populations.
Before joining 2M Clinical, Scott spent nearly a decade at PRA Health Sciences, four years with Cancer Research and Biostatistics (CRAB) as the Chief Operating Officer (COO), three years with MedSource as its Vice President, Strategic Business Development, two years as Director, Business Development for PRA International and from late 2000 until April of 2003 was the Clinical Operations Manager at Seattle Genetics, Inc.
Scott has previous non-profit Board of Directors experience with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Gage Academy of Art, Lawton Wood Community and Bike Works. He’s a member of DIA’s Rare Disease Program Committee and ISCTM’s Orphan Disease Working Group and has spoken at a plethora of professional conferences including World Orphan Drug Conference, National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and MassBio.