Board of Directors

Updated April 7, 2012

Andy Burton, Chairman of the Board, graduated from CPTPD (Computer Programmer Training for People with Disabilities) program at El Centro College in 1999. After graduating from the CPTPD program, he worked a full time job and volunteered for CPTPD until the program ended in 2002. In 2000, he received a Dallas Mayor’s Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities Star award for excellence in the work place. Andy is now a software developer for JPMorgan Chase. He has been involved with RISE since 2008, starting as a volunteer program manager and helping RISE launch the wheelchair Rugby program. Andy now also manages the fishing program and provides planning assistance for major RISE events. Andy’s goal is to ensure that RISE continues to serve our community at the highest level possible.

 

 

Bill Wyland, Board Treasurer, received his Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Accounting from the University of Alabama. Bill has lived in Texas since 1982. He worked for an oil company for four years and a major bank in the trust operations area for 16 years. Bill lost his left leg in 2005 due to an infection and complications from diabetes. He discovered RISE Adventures in early 2009 and enjoys participating in handcycling and water sports. Bill wants to continue to be an advocate for the disability community and will continue to help RISE develop, promote, and implement programs that will have a direct impact on participants getting to share in the  same opportunities of which he benefited.

 

Rick Brauer, Secretary of the Board, attended the University of Texas at Austin where he participated in many wheelchair sports. He left college to pursue a career with Xerox that spanned 20 years. Currently, Rick is employed full time with Pepsi Business Solutions Group based in Plano, TX. There he is a member of EnAble, a group within PepsiCo that is dedicated to creating a more inclusive environment for people with different abilities. Rick was born in Orange, TX in 1961. In 1977 he was in an auto accident which caused a complete paralysis at T12. He refers to this as the beginning of his second life. He took up SCUBA diving, fishing, martial arts, and even historical recreation for fun. By assisting RISE Adventures, he feels he can share his life experience with others, hoping to show that anyone can achieve their dreams when they try. “Life is for living, so experience it.”

Lea Stewart earned her Bachelor’s degree in Recreation Management and Youth Leadership with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation and a minor in Psychology from Brigham Young University in 2003. While in college, Lea served as an intern in the Recreation Department at Craig Hospital where she had once been a patient. At the age of 17, Lea was involved in a motor vehicle accident which left her with a C-7 spinal cord injury as a quadriplegic. While in rehabilitation she was introduced to Therapeutic Recreation as a treatment modality and decided to pursue a career as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). After graduating, she moved to Dallas to begin her career as a CTRS on a spinal cord injury team at Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation. Lea enjoys a variety of leisure activities herself, such as water skiing, handcycling, jet skiing, camping, and more! It is her hope to be involved in the community as a therapist to help improve the quality of life for individuals with spinal cord injuries and those with a variety of disabilities through adapted recreational activities.

Scott Golem received his degree in Multimedia/Graphic Design from the University of North Texas. It was during this time he met his wife Lisa, who has a spinal cord injury. Lisa was an advocate, volunteer, and licensed professional counselor who worked in the healthcare profession. During their 15 years of marriage, Scott gained a wealth of knowledge in the use of adaptive technologies; not only those used for work and activities of daly living, but also those used to have fun (photography, for example). Scott and Lisa worked with an engineering friend who built a wheelchair monopod so they could share their passion for taking photos. Scott is currently a full-time graphic design instructor at the Art Institute of Fort Worth. For the past three years he has shared digital photography techniques with RISE Adventures at the Dallas Arboretum.

 

Alli Jordan has her Associate’s Degree in Psychology and has served in the United States Army for the past 20 years. She is currently considering re-enlistment and does not want her wheelchair to slow her down! Alli’s injury occurred while serving her 2nd tour of duty in Afghanistan, leaving her as an incomplete quadriplegic. She also has Lupus, which attacks the central nervous system and has caused a tumor to develop on her spinal cord. Alli was very discouraged after becoming a wheelchair user, but a friend introduced her to RISE Adventures. Since that time, she says she has done things she would never have tried as an able-bodied person; sports such as quad rugby, kayaking and handcycling. Alli wants others to know that “RISE shows us that just because we have a disability, we can still do the same things an able-bodied person can do.”

 

Tawain Gilbert was born and raised in Daingerfield, a small town in East Texas.  He received his B.B.A degree in Management Information Systems from Texas A&M University – Commerce.  While in college he was voted homecoming king, was involved with campus organizations and also served as Student Body President.  Currently working for Oncor Electric Delivery as a Sr. Data Analyst, he has over 12 yrs. experience in Business Operations reporting, database development and analytics.  He volunteers his time with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, is a member of the Oncor Diversity Council, member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. and an Associate Minister at New Beginning United Outreach Ministry.  At the age of 6, Tawain was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.  Although it has hindered some of his physical abilities, it has not hindered his passion to live life and strive for success. By the grace of God, he still has many abilities and can make an impact in society.  He has a wife, Sharon, and six wonderful children.  In his youth, Tawain attended MDA summer camps annually.  This is where he began to gain confidence, independence and a true sense of self, despite of his circumstance.  Now as an adult, he wants to ensure the next generation of disabled youth can experience the same.

 

Susan Mahoney, graduated in 1996 from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska with both a bachelor’s degree in EMS administration and Criminal Justice. She worked the majority of her time as a Paramedic in both the ground and helicopter until her car accident in 2008 which left her paralyzed. She joined team RISE in March 2011 and regularly attends multiple programs and events. This is where she gained the confidence and resources to achieve valuable skills to make me financially, physically, and socially successful in life.  Susan was awarded female participant of th4e year for 2011 and in January 2012 went on the first annual RISE cruise.  Since joining team RISE, she also was awarded student of the year in 2011 by Goodwill foundation. She is currently employed by Fossil Corp. full-time. Working for Fossil was a huge career change. Susan is the current official RISE photographer and just recently voted as a new RISE board member. In her free time she likes to socialize with friends, take time to pamper herself to a massage, and really loves to watch car racing.