Wednesday, March 14, 2012

AAPD Board Member and Paralympic Athlete John Register to be Obama Re-election Campaign Co-chair

Press Releases

AAPD Praises Selection of John Register, AAPD Board Member and Paralympic Athlete to be Obama Re-election Campaign Co-chair

February 23, 2012 | AAPD Press Team


Washington, DC, February 22, 2012. John Register is a veteran of the Gulf War, a silver-medalist in the Paralympic Games, and a former Olympic Trials athlete. While he was training for the 1996 Olympics, Register landed incorrectly after clearing a hurdle and severed a major artery in his left leg. As a result, his leg was amputated. Since then, Register has been a strong disability rights advocate who believes that participation in sports can enrich the lives of people with disabilities and change public attitudes towards the disability community.

As Associate Director of Development and Outreach for the U.S Paralympics, Register was instrumental in the launch of the U.S. Paralympic Academy in 2003, which exposes youth and young adults to a variety of Paralympic sports. The interaction with other physically disabled peers challenges the students to learn as much from each other as from the sports they play. Register also conceived of the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Paralympic Military Program, which shows military personnel the powerful role that sports could play in rehabilitation. He directs the USOC’s Paralympic Military Programs (a program for service-members who return from conflict with physical disabilities).

In 2007, Register won AAPD’s Paul G. Hearne Leadership Award for his contributions to the disability community. He now serves on AAPD’s board of directors, working closely with the organization to advance civil rights and share positive, powerful images of people with disabilities.

John Register is a powerful and passionate voice for disability rights who will be an asset to the campaign,” said AAPD President and CEO Mark Perriello. “14.7 million Americans with disabilities voted in the 2008 election. We are a key constituency whose priorities, including employment opportunity, must play a role in this election. John Register is a dedicated member of the disability rights community who will be a powerful voice for equal opportunity,” he added.


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The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the country's largest cross-disability membership association, organizes the disability community to be a powerful force for change – politically, economically, and socially. AAPD was founded in 1995 to help unite the diverse community of people with disabilities, including their family, friends and supporters, and to be a national voice for change in implementing the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 
To learn more, visit the AAPD Web site: www.aapd.com

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