Our Team

ELLIE, PRODUCT REVIEW TEAM

A white woman wearing a helmet and riding a recumbent bike on a sunny day.

Hi! My name is Ellie. I recently graduated from Southern Illinois University where I studied Communications with a minor in Rehabilitation Services. I have had Cerebellar Ataxia since birth. My favorite product that I use is a walking stick. I use it almost daily. It is very helpful when I walk on uneven surfaces or walk in the snow. I enjoy photography, art, swimming, hiking, and going biking. I go tandem biking with my mom and just got a recumbent bike so I can bike on my own. I am starting to take classes in Photography and Art. I participated in Special Olympics for swimming, track, basketball and rhythmic gymnastics. I am excited to join this team to help people with disabilities find products that make life easier!

 _____

ERICKA, PRODUCT REVIEW TEAM

A young white woman with brown hair, stylish glasses, and bright lipstick smiling. She is wearing a green shirt.

Ericka is a very proud disabled queer woman. She works as an independent living specialist in Kansas and has been a longtime member of ADAPT. Previously, she has worked at independent living centers in New York and Vermont. She has two certificates in Web Design & Motion Graphics and Pet Grooming. Ericka is a wheelchair user with the disability Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain). In her spare time, she loves to visit new places on day trips, do puzzles and organize with other activists. She loves trying out new products that might make not only her life but others' lives easier. Right now her favorite product is a toothpaste dispenser she found on Amazon. She lives in Rochester, NY with her two adult cats but hopes to soon live with her fiancé!

 _____

HANNAH, PRODUCT REVIEW TEAM

A woman with short, dark hair is laughing and smiling. She has her hand up to her face and is sitting on the top of the Space Needle in Seattle with an expansive view behind her. She is wearing a black top and a purse that is sitting on her lap.

I am Hannah, I am a member of Day Undefined. At Day Undefined, we are committed to offering products that can help anyone who needs daily living aids to cope with their environment and make their life easier and more convenient. As an Ataxia patient (Ataxia is a rare neurological disease. It is progressive and affecting a person's ability to walk, talk and use fine motor skills…), my biggest dream is to be independent one day: to reach things I want and no longer spill water & food unintentionally. My dream inspired me to be part of Day Undefined, because in Day Undefined every item is tested by someone with a physical disability to make sure they are of great assistance and support. During my free time, I enjoy spending time with my husband and my son, to play board games or watch a family movie. We live in San Francisco Bay Area. 

 _____

JESSICA, PRODUCT REVIEW TEAM

A white, younger woman with brown hair that is pulled back is smiling. She is wearing a pink shirt.

My name is Jessica. I am in a wheelchair, I have a degenerative disease called Ataxia. There are are many different categories and types of Ataxia, but I have an unknown type of Spinocerebellar Ataxia. I really enjoy being creative and making things with yarn for friends, family, or anyone who seems like they could use a smile! I enjoy watching TV and movies with my boyfriend and cat. Recently I got a product called the Fur-Zoff on Amazon. It is amazing. It has helped me removed so much cat hair around my apartment.

 

 _____

JONI, PRODUCT REVIEW TEAM

A white woman is wearing a helmet and sunglasses and riding a trike bicycle. She is looking back at the camera and smiling. It is a bright sunny day and she is on green grass with trees in the background.

Hi! I’m Joni. I strive to be the epitome of “Midwest Nice.” I love to create and to have outdoor adventures. Whether my next project is animation, photography, sewing, or writing—and whether my next adventure is from a manual wheelchair, a recumbent tricycle, or an all-terrain wheelchair—I refuse to let my disability control me. I have Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 3, which is a neurological disorder that primarily impacts my balance, coordination, vision (I see double), fine motor skills, speech, and swallowing. Despite my many limitations, I try to live a limitless life with my partner, our dog, and our cat. I’m a bit of a technophile, so I am always looking for new assistive technology to make our home life a little more comfortable. This is why my favorite products are Philips Hue lighting and Kasa smart plugs. Both of these products have proven to be invaluable over the years and can be easily controlled using a smartphone.

_____

KATE, CO-FOUNDER

A young white woman with shoulder-length blonde hair is smiling and wearing a yellow shirt with a checkered blazer.

Kate’s older sister, Jen, has a rare disease called spinocerebellar ataxia (type unknown), and while helping her shop for household products, they discovered that many of the ones that best met Jen's needs were not necessarily the ones sold as "adaptive." It was clear that a lot could (and should) be done to re-think how products are curated, focusing on their use, and user experiences, rather than their label. Most recently, Kate was a German Chancellor Fellow. Prior to that, she helped launch Perry World House at the University of Pennsylvania and was a Fulbright Public Policy Fellow in Haiti. She has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MPhil from the University of Oxford. 

 _____

LIAM, CO-FOUNDER

A white male with brown hair smiles. He is sitting in front of a computer and wearing a checkered shirt.

Liam is completely immersed in the disability community. He is a board member of both Disabled in Action and the supports coordination agency Liberty Community Connections, and a longtime member of ADAPT. He currently works with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health as the Access and Functional Needs Coordinator. He previously worked as a Project Coordinator at the disability advocacy nonprofit and Center for Independent Living (CIL) Liberty Resources. He received his BA in Liberal Arts at St. John’s College and his Masters in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania. Liam has a rare genetic disability called Friedreich’s ataxia and uses a wheelchair and many other adaptive products. He has personally felt the indignity and discomfort in buying the things that he hopes will make his life easier and wants to make a change to bring the disability community into the 21st century. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and daughter.

 _____

LISA, PRODUCT REVIEW TEAM

A white woman with short brown hair is smiling at the camera. She is wearing glasses with a black eye patch over one eye, and a pink shirt.
My name is Lisa, I am 56 years old. I was born on the east coast of Canada and grew up most of my life, even until now, not too far outside Toronto in different locations. I'm a proud Canadian!🇨🇦 I have spinocerebellar ataxia. There are a number of different symptoms with this progressive genetic neuromuscular condition. But by far the most pervasive symptom is gradually losing my balance. I've been using a wheelchair for almost 2 years full time now. And that helps a lot. I can still stand and use my legs but only if I am holding on to something stable or being supported by preferably 2 people. If I try and take one or two steps on my own, I'm on the floor. I am married to my wonderful husband for almost 33 years, who helps me with tasks without a word or a sigh. He's wonderful. Our 30 year old daughter is married and has a seven month old daughter. That makes me a grandmother! Our youngest daughter, 28, lives quite close to us. Her little dog is often here four of seven days per week. My favorite product that I have is the vinyl coated wire dish rack. It holds all of our plates, big and small, and bowls in one corner of the bottom shelf of our kitchen cupboard and is wonderfully accessible to me. I have always loved to read, but in recent years I tend to listen to audiobooks and podcasts. I actually spent 3 years in Australia from age 10 to 13. My dad got a job transfer. What a job transfer, eh? And so our family of five moved to the suburbs of Sydney, Australia for 3 years. I would love to go back because Australia is so beautiful.

_____

SARAH, PRODUCT REVIEW TEAM

A woman sits outside with her back to the camera but is turning her face to the side. She is white with brown hair and wearing a blue baseball hat and a red shirt with a bike on the back.

Sarah is a journalist based in Minnesota. She writes stories and produces radio programs about everything from wildfires and wildlife to public schools, sickle cell disease, climate change, and housing. Previously, she worked in medical and public health research on the East Coast, and at a nonprofit in Cambodia. She has cerebral palsy, which affects her mobility and balance. She travels often and appreciates the practical solutions that make it easier to cross ice and snow-covered walkways, or to carry her camera, heavy recording gear, notebook and computer to reporting assignments.

_____

TONY, PRODUCT REVIEW TEAM

Tony, a black man with short pink/purple hair and a trimmed beard, smiles at the camera. It is nighttime and the moon shines in the background. He is wearing a jacket that is black with yellow sleeves and says West Side of Philly.
Guy Anthony Brooks, from Ghana.
Lived in the Middle East, London, Kuwait, Germany, travelled a lot.
Profession: Auto Mechanic, Disabled, Advocate For Accessibility, in Homes, in Communities, in Health, Young To Aged, living in West Philadelphia.