Ladies of Special Olympics BC, please mark your calendars for a unique new opportunity to connect and support each other! We are hosting a new SOBC Women in Sport virtual forum on Sunday, May 31, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This will be a Zoom workshop with a lot of insights and opportunities to encourage and inspire each other!

There will be four fantastic speakers leading engaging sessions to support Special Olympics BC women to achieve wellness and sport goals. The speakers and topics will be:

• Amanda Jones, UBC’s only full-time female strength and conditioning coach, will discuss Physical Activity.
• Lois McNary, Special Olympics BC’s Vice President, Sport, and member of the Coquitlam Sports Hall of Fame, will discuss Leadership.
• Kimberly Rutledge is a psychology and biology UBCO student, an advocate for mental wellness, science, and inclusion, and the sister of Special Olympics BC – Kelowna athlete Kassidy. She will discuss Sexual Health.
• Shelbi Snodgrass, a counselling psychology master’s student and mental performance consultant, will discuss Mental Wellness.

This virtual event is open to all the women in the Special Olympics BC family. Join us for a fun opportunity to connect, learn, help your health, and share inspiration to succeed in sport and life!

If you have any questions, please contact SOBC Sport Coordinator Marlow de Paul by email or on cell at 604-737-3081.

We want the participants to have opportunities to empower each other and feel a sense of unity and connection province-wide! In order to do so, all participants are encouraged to make themselves a crown in advance of the event, so everyone can wear theirs during the workshop. You can paint, colour, glue, tape, anything you want onto your crown – do anything that makes you feel proud, confident, strong, and beautiful! We look forward to seeing everyone’s beautifully decorated crowns virtually during the forum!

Note: A similar forum for the men in the Special Olympics BC family will be hosted at a later date. 

Speakers

Amanda Jones – Physical Activity

Amanda Jones is an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of British Columbia, and she is the only full-time female staff member in the strength and conditioning department. She has worked in the strength and conditioning field in a range of roles for UBC, Fortius Sport & Health, and McMaster University. Amanda holds a master’s degree in kinesiology and coaching science from UBC, and a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and exercise science from McMaster.

Lois McNary – Leadership 

Lois McNary is Special Olympics BC’s Vice President, Sport, and has played a critical part in the organization’s development as a staff member and volunteer for more than 30 years. She has provided essential leadership, expertise, dedication, and caring in a vast range of roles. She has worked tirelessly to create top-quality sport programs, empowering leadership opportunities, and life-changing health initiatives for Special Olympics athletes throughout the province, country, and planet.

Lois has been a longtime champion of Special Olympics Athlete Leadership opportunities, and takes joy in seeing athletes exercise their voices and abilities to lead.

Kimberly Rutledge – Sexual Health

Kimberly Rutledge brings a wealth of experience and passion for mental health advocacy, education, and the sciences – plus a great family history of involvement in Special Olympics, as her sister is an accomplished athlete and her father coaches! Kimberly is currently working towards her double bachelor’s degree of science in psychology and biology at UBC Okanagan, and works as a research assistant in community health. 

Kimberly was drawn to the field of psychology because of her passion for psychological health and wellness, and promoting resiliency within communities. She plans to pursue her master’s degree in clinical neuroscience, and to use the knowledge she gains to transform the way we provide support within health care. Kimberly is passionate about creating opportunities for all children to succeed, and volunteers her time as a STEM educator for classrooms in B.C. She is also a public speaker and mental health advocate through Jack.org, and is currently working on a project to promote inclusive education. 

Shelbi Snodgrass – Mental Wellness

Shelbi Snodgrass is completing her master’s degree in counselling psychology at Athabasca University. She has spent the last 5 years working as a mental health and addictions counsellor for a private national organization. Additionally, she is a 200-hour registered yoga teacher and has developed yoga programs for her mental health organization. 

Shelbi is currently a mental performance consultant intern with Douglas College athletes, where she combines her passion for mental health, mindfulness, and performance. In her spare time, Shelbi enjoys hiking and laughing with friends. She looks forward to collaborating and connecting with the SOBC community.