Contributors
Here is a little bit about the Altimate Medical Staff who writes on this blog.
Stacey Frank- Stacey Frank has worked at Altimate Medical since 1995. Her first 5 years were in customer service. Since then she has been working in a quality and management position as the Director of Operations.
Bryanne Freitag – Bryanne is the cheery Marketing Assistant at Altimate Medical that makes things happen. She has worked here since 2002.
Andrew Gardeen – Andrew is the International Sales Manager for EasyStand products. Andrew works with EasyStand distributors in over thirty countries has diverse knowledge of standing throughout the world.
Mark Haen – Mark has worked on the marketing team as Graphic Designer since 1998. He creates many of our marketing materials including videos and print.
Andy Hicks, ATP – Andy joined Altimate Medical as East Coast Regional Sales Manager in 2007. He travels the area and works with clinicians, reps, and suppliers to show them first-hand what the EasyStand is all about. Andy joined us after working for ROHO Group for many years.
Jackie Kaufenberg - Jackie has been the Marketing Manager at Altimate Medical since 1997. Jackie puts her ideas into everything that involves getting the word out about the EasyStand and the benefits of standing.
Nancy Perlich, COTA/ATP – Nancy has worked as Funding Specialist at Altimate Medical since 1999. She helps clinicians and consumers by walking them thru the funding process. Nancy’s background includes working with as both a DME supplier and clinician.
Mark Schmitt- Mark is a T-12 Paraplegic and has worked at Altimate Medical as Sales & Marketing Director since 1998. You may also recognize him as the host of the Life After Spinal Cord Injury videos. Mark’s stander of choice is an EasyStand Evolv Mobile with the Pow’r Up Lift.
Alan Tholkes- Alan is the Founder of Altimate Medical Inc, and the inventor of the EasyStand standing frame. He is a C6-7 quadriplegic. You may also recognize Alan from many Life After SCI videos on transferring tips.
Peter Wankelman- As Western Regional Sales Manager for Altimate Medical, for the past 15 years Peter has earned the reputation as the “Altimate” Road Warrior. Peter’s expertise: evaluating, fitting and in-servicing standing devices in the field, working with suppliers and therapists in early intervention centers, schools, model spinal cord hospitals, veteran’s hospitals and extended care facilities. He has lectured on the benefits of standing in over 150 cities in six countries.
We welcome contributors outside of Altimate Medical as well, and want to thank those who have shared their views and opinions. Here are our guest writers:
Tiffiny Carlson- Tiffiny is the founder of Beautyability and a freelance writer for many other websites and publications. Tiff is a C5-6 quadriplegic and owns one of the first EasyStand models.
Joan Celebi- Joan is the founder and president of Special Needs Parent Coach and the author of “Overwhelmed No More! The Complete System For Balanced Living for Parents of Children with Special Needs.” You can subscribe to the Free Newsletter, and Joan’s blog, at www.SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com (click on “Free Resources”).
Erin Breedlove- Erin is a college student with cerebral palsy. She is a strong disability advocate and special education major. Her dreams include becoming a director of disability services for a university and serving individuals with disabilities for a lifetime. For more about Erin, read her blog at http://www.empowerpeoplechangelives.blogspot.com
Rhonda Clark- Rhonda has an inspiring story, amazing attitude, and so much knowledge to share. Rhonda has Cerebral Palsy and owns an EasyStand 5000 Youth.
Jadian Foley- Jadian is a person T5 paraplegia who uses his EasyStand Evolv Mobile stander every day. Jadian stands while doing hobbies like woodworking and target shooting and shared his standing success story with us.
Heidi Kay @ PediaStaff- PediaStaff is niche firm specializing in the staffing and placement of pediatric therapists (including physical therapists and physical therapist assistants) into pediatric and school based settings. Positions are contract and permanent and nationwide. Additionally, the PediaStaff website is an online, virtual library for resources on topics in pediatric therapy.
Andrea Kennedy-Andy is Director of Operations at Access Anything, specializing in all aspects of disability travel for both sides of the industry in marketing, awareness, advocacy, and education. She also contributes regularly to Action and Venture Travel Magazines as a freelance travel writer & photographer, as well as several other adaptive sports magazines and newsletters.
Craig Kennedy- Craig is a published author, motivational speaker, and President of Access Anything, LLC, a nationally recognized leader in adaptive sports and adventure travel for people with disabilities. He has more than ten years of adaptive travel experience and more than 20 years of tourism and service industry expertise and has a unique insight into the world of living and traveling with a disability.
Susan Maus- Paralyzed from the shoulders down in a June 30, 2000 motor vehicle accident, Susan is co-founder and president of Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (U2FP), a primarily all-volunteer organization dedicated to advancing paralysis curative therapies. Susan and her husband, Colin, reside in Burnsville, MN.
Santina Muha- Santina is a journalist, model, public speaker and internet personality. She also holds the position of Communications Associate at the National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA). She lives in NJ and has a T-11 spinal cord injury from an auto accident.
George Passwater- George is a Special Needs Dad, writer and consultant. He writes about Special Needs, parenting and business on the Internet. He blogs about being a stay-at-home and Special Needs Dad at Dadwritings.com. You can also find him on Twitter at: @dadwritings.
Ginny Paleg, PT- Ginny is a pediatric Physical Therapist from Silver Spring, MD. She works in a 0-3 (Early Intervention) program for Montgomery County Public Schools.
Emily Seibert- Emily is an Occupational Therapist and active volunteer of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Buoniconti Fund, the fund raising arm of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. Emily is a T8-9 paraplegic and owns an EasyStand Glider.
Jenni Taylor- Jenni is a student, motivational speaker, and advocate for people with disabilities. She has a fantastic blog called The Site that Breathes and is C1-C2 quadriplegic who is vent dependent. Jenni stands twice a week in her EasyStand Evolv.
