Paralympic Games and the Business of Adapted Sport Take Center Stage at Adapted Sport Leadership & Business Symposium Oct. 29 & 30

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Industry-Wide Economic Impact Study Results Announced at LABS 2025

All In Sport Consulting today unveiled the full agenda and speaker lineup for the 6th Annual Adapted Sport Leadership & Business Symposium (LABS), taking place virtually on Oct. 29 and 30. LABS is the premier event at the intersection of disability, sport, and business, convening hundreds of leaders, influencers, and innovators for critical discussions about the movement’s economic and social power. The conference will run each day from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. MT via Zoom. Registration is now open at adaptedsportlabs.com, with an early bird rate of $225 for general attendees through Sept. 30. Special discounted rates are available for students and groups.

Now in its sixth year, LABS 2025 presents another dynamic lineup of thought-provoking sessions and collaborative discussions designed to advance the movement and galvanize real-world change, including:

DAY ONE – WEDNESDAY, OCT. 29

THE MOVEMENT’S MOVERS AND SHAKERS

9-10 AM: Road to LA28 and SLC34: Advancing Paralympic Sport in the U.S.

Speaker:  
Kyle McKinnis – Director, Paralympic Performance, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee

10:15-11:15 AM: Pioneering Innovation: Advancing Sport Experiences Through Disability Inclusion

Speakers:       
Rory Cooper, PhD, PLY – National Medal Laureate and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Pittsburgh

Steven Dowd – Board Chair, Para Rowing Foundation

Anna Johannes, PLY – Founder, On the One Hand Consulting

Josh Schneider – Co-Founder/Chief Operating Officer, The Dented Puck

11:30 AM-12:30 PM: Expanding Sport Opportunities Within the Movement – Reaching Intersectional Participants and Athletes

Speakers:
Akilah Carter-Francique, PhD – Dean of Education, Health, and Human Services, Benedict College

Dr. Michael Cottingham – Associate Professor Sports and Fitness Administration and Director of Adaptive Athletics, University of Houston

Ryan Martin – Director, Adaptive Sports Program, City University of New York

12:45-1:45 PM: Sport as a Launching Pad to Disability Employment: Unique Perspectives on Sport Career Pathways

Speakers:
Chanel Keenan – Blogger and Brand Advisor, CMoreThanSports

Stephane Leblois – Global Disability Inclusion and Accessibility Strategic Consultant

David Ortiz – Executive Director, Ignite Adaptive Sports

Emily Seelenfreund – Executive Director, BORP Adaptive Sports and Recreation

DAY TWO – THURSDAY, OCT. 30

THE ECONOMIC POWER OF ENGAGING THE DISABILITY MARKET IN SPORTS

9-10 AM: The Economic Impact and Community Transformation of Hosting Large Adapted Sport Events (Sponsored by Turnstone and Visit Fort Wayne)

Speakers:  
James Adler – Director of Sport Sales, Buffalo Niagara Sports Commission

Cole McKeel – Vice President of Partnerships, Huddle Up Group

Gerald Taylor – Sports Sales and Events Manager, Richmond Region Tourism

Jazmin Zavala – Sports Sales Manager, Visit Fort Wayne

10:15-11:15 AM: Mega Sporting Events and Leaving a National Disability Legacy (Sponsored by ADA Lift Rentals of America)

Speakers:           
Ann Cody, PLY – Global Sports and Events Expert

Cat Raney Norman, OLY, CFRE – VP, Development and Athlete Relations,
Salt Lake City 2034

Natalie Sparrow – Chief Accessibility Officer, City of Los Angeles

Majd Steitieh – Director, Growth Strategy, U.S. Soccer Federation

11:30 AM-12:30 PM: Expanding the Business Case of Disability Fandom

Speakers:

Ken Early – Director, Community Relations, St. Louis CITY SC

Matthew Gardner – Senior Director of Customer Insights, Portland Trail Blazers

Sharon Holmes – Manager, Disability Services, Arizona Diamondbacks

Jonathan Kaufman – Founder, J Kaufman Consulting and Coaching

Kleo King, Esq. – Senior Director of Accessibility Operations and Counsel, United Spinal Association

Jordan Rutner – Director of Analytics, Sports Innovation Lab

12:45-1:45 PM: Fan Technology – Advancing Gameday Experiences for Disabled Fans (Sponsored by UpLift by Lexia.Solutions)

Speakers:

Jason Altmann – Chief Operating Officer, P-X-P

Josh Barney – Chief Executive Officer, SEAT Conference

Antyush Bollini – Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder, OneCourt

Linda Mastandrea, PLY – Senior Manager of Accessibility and Safeguarding, FIFA World Cup 2026

Jeff Runnels – UpLift Created By Lexia.Solutions

“With two Paralympic Games coming to the United States over the next nine years, the sport business community must understand and engage in what is being called ‘the next great sport investment’ – disability sport,” said Dawna Callahan, founder and CEO of All In Sport Consulting and LABS. “Whether through facility design and renovation, grassroots and youth sport development, hosting accessible sporting events, fan engagement, cutting-edge technology, or product and apparel design, disability is a driving force in shaping the future of sport. LABS is the place to learn and tap into this amazing community of sport leaders and innovators.”

Since 2020, findings from the adapted sport industry’s only economic impact study, conducted by All In Sport Consulting in partnership with Stitch Marketing Research and Huddle Up Group (HUG), have been announced at LABS. This year, the findings will be shared during “The Economic Impact and Community Transformation of Hosting Large Adapted Sports Events” session, which kicks off the second day of LABS from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30.  

LABS 2025 is presented by Florida’s Sports Coast and sponsored by ADA Lift Rentals of America, Lakeshore Foundation, Turnstone, UpLift by Lexia.Solutions, and Visit Fort Wayne. For more information, including session and speaker details, visit adaptedsportlabs.com.

About All In Sport Consulting

All In Sport Consulting, presenter of the Adapted Sport Leadership & Business Symposium (LABS), is a Denver-based consulting firm that leads organizations in creating life-changing opportunities through sport for people with physical disabilities. We work with organizations of all kinds to design and create fully inclusive programs, experiences, and environments for people with disabilities. For more information, visit allinsportconsulting.com.

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