Christina Draper
-Mentorship Committee Chair
 Age:
25
Location: Fieldale, Virginia
Disability: Cerebral Palsy
School/Job: Graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Services Counseling from Old Dominion University. Currently working at Piedmont Independent Living Center
as an Independant Living Skills Outreach Coordinator.
Disability areas of interest: Transportation, Funding for
PA's, Accessible housing
Leadership/Advocacy affiliations: Virginia Partners in Policy Making graduate of 2005, Member of the
Henry County and the Martinsville Chapter Handicap Association,
Member of New Voices Committee for persons with disabilities.
Recognition/Awards: Ms. Wheelchair Virginia 2003.
Past time: shopping, dating, word search puzzles, and riding
horses.
Paul Fogle Disability: Congenital Central-Hypoventilation Syndrome 
Age: 22 School: Penn State Harrisburg
Advocacy/Leadership: Penn State Harrisburg College Republicans Chair, Penn State Harrisburg Student Government Association, Penn State University Faculty Senate, Pennsylvania Youth Leadership Network Governing Board, Pennsylvania Independent Living Council Youth Initiative, Children with Special Healthcare Needs Stakeholder Group
Areas of Interest: Education, health, disability law
Free time: traveling
Tommy Horejes
Kristen Jones
- Network Strategis Planning Officer
 Disability:
Quadriplegic Spinal Cord Injury
Age: 24
Location: Houston, Texas
School/Job: University of Houston
pursuing a M.Ed. in Special Education; Work on a e-mentoring
grant called “Career
Journey’s” in Texas.
Advocate/Leadership work: Coordinator,
Disability Mentoring Day Houston 2000 2003, Member of University
of St. Thomas’ Student
Safety Advisory Board, Project Advisory Committee Texas Youth
Leadership Forum 2001 2003, 1999 2003 Commissioner Houston
Commission on Disabilities, Partners in Policymaking graduate,
Career & Education Day Speaker Houston Hispanic Forum 2001
2003 and speaker at various other conferences and workshops
with a focus in education and employment.
Disability Areas of Interest: Youth, Employment, Transition,
Higher Education, and Accessibility
Awards/Recognition: Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Award 2001
Free Time: Reading, watching movies and enjoying the outdoors
Shanickey Kirkwood
Disability: Paralysis (Transverse Myelitis) 
Age: 24
Location: Clarksdale, Mississippi
School/Job: Northwest Mississippi Community College pursing a degree in Computer Information Systems.
Advocate/Leadership work: Mississippi Annual Youth with Disabilities Conference 2000-2002, Mississippi Transverse Myelitis Association, Mississippi Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities, Northwest Mississippi Community College Disabled Student Council, Vice-Chairman of the NWCC Student Executive Council
Disability Areas of Interest: American with Disabilities Act, Social Security, Transportation, Employee, and Life Transition (School-toWork, IDEA)
Free Time: Working on the computer, singing, crocheting, hanging with friends, studying.
Stacey Milbern
Disability: unknown form of Muscular Dystrophy
Age: 19
Location: Fayetteville, North Carolina
School/Job: Pursuing a degree in Political Science at Methodist College
Advocacy/Leadership work: Statewide Independent Living Council (executive member, 04-07), NC Youth Leadership Network (founder, 05-), Commission for the Blind (05-), NC Office of Disability & Health Advisory Council (05-), Red Cross Youth Corps (co-advisor, 02-), Methodist College Model United Nations (president, 04-07), National Think Tank on Youth Transition (05-10), High school Student Body Vice President (04-05), High school Honor Society (Vice President, 03-05), Academy of Scholars (03-05)
Disability Area of Interest: Youth Transition in fields of Education, Healthcare and other Adult Roles, Disability Culture & History, building a diverse, cross-disability community, MiCASSA, Public Policy.
Awards/Recognitions: Red Cross Youth Volunteer of the Year 2004-2005, graduated Magna Cum Laude from high school.
Free Time: Photo Manipulation & Design, Painting, International Travel, Volunteering, and Shopping.
Alexandria Powell
Disability: Learning Disability in the area 
writing and reading Comprehension/process.
Age: 23
Location: West Allis, Wisconsin
School/Job: (graduating on May 13, 2006) University of Wisconsin Whitewater with a major in Public Policy and Administration with a minor in Special Education
Advocate/Leadership Work: I have been apart of the Wisconsin Youth Leadership Forum since 2001. I have serviced as a mentor and a counselor for the YLF. Along with that, I was a member of the Youth Advisory Committee for Wisconsin Healthy Ready to Work Project. For the past few years, I have been a youth planner for the Gathering of Youth conference that meets with adult conference called The Circles of Life conference. In addition to those activities I was a member on the campus club called Students for an accessible society were we did community and campus out reach on respect for disability. Are other main activity is we plan for the chancellor award banquet that honors university staff for there commit to helping support people with disabilities. I also served as the youth represent for the University of Wisconsin Whitewater Chancellor Advisory Committee board that look at issues and concern that effect people with disabilities on University of Wisconsin Whitewater
Awards/Recognition: Accepted into the Washington Center Internship and Academic Seminars for the spring 2005 semester. I interned in the US Department of Labor in the Office of Disability and Employment Policy. A Receipt Awarded of the AMCHP family scholar 2005 in addition to that I was a speaker on the our state healthy and ready to work grant project. I have also been a recognized speaker in my home state of Wisconsin in the area of youth transition and disability awareness.
Disability Areas of Interest: Transition and educational opportune for youth, Self Advocacy, Disability Awareness, Disability Policies.
Free Time: Being Outdoors, Speaking, Volunteering and Mentoring.
Kara Sheridan
Peter Squire
-
Network Chair
Disability: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and a specific Learning Disability in Visual Motor Integration, and Reading Comprehension.
Age: 25 
Location: Alexandria, VA
School/Job: George Mason University, Human Factors and Applied Cogition, Graduate Research Assistant/Student, P.hD, and the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division. Scientist, working on research related to unmanned vehicles.
Advocacy/Leadership work: Chair of the National Youth Leadership Network
Disability Area of Interest: Strong interest is technology and research related areas.
Free Time: Spending time with family and friends, Outdoor activities
Betsy Valnes
-
Network Executive Director
 Disability:
Traumatic Brain Injury; Anomia
Age: 25
Location: Pierre, South Dakota
School/Job: Transition Liaison for the central region of South
Dakota
Advocacy/Leadership Activities: Ex Official Mentor role with
the National Council on Disability Youth Advisory Council.
On an international level, she serves on the Roundtable Consortium
for the National Clearinghouse for Disability and Exchange
and the sole U.S. youth ambassador for the International Duke
of Edinburgh Award Scheme, representing Inclusion for youth
with disabilities and youth at-risk worldwide. Serves state
programs such as the State Independent Living Council, the
Traumatic Brain Injury Council, and the Youth Leadership Forum.
Disability area of interest: educational and employment transition
services, cultural diversity in regards to outreach, correctional
facilities (awareness prior to entering, services within, and
re-introduction to community life), self-advocacy training,
and, conceptually speaking, setting and attaining goals, organization,
and continued education.
Free time: Volunteering, drawing and painting, singing and
piano-playing, cultural/religious activities--specifically
those associated with the state penitentiary, cooking, cleaning,
and mowing!
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