DAWNA CALLAHAN
Meet Dawna Callahan, who has dedicated much of her professional career to advancing the adapted sport movement to create more access and opportunities for people with disabilities to experience sport, either as an athlete or devoted fan. She is driven by the belief that sport has the power to change all aspects of a person’s life from physical and emotional health to employment opportunities and social integration. She has been professionally involved with adapted sport for more than 20 years.
In 2017, she founded ALL IN SPORT CONSULTING and has worked with numerous national and international clients including: the U.S. Center for SafeSport, Augusta Sports Council, Endeavor Games Series, Lakeshore Foundation and The World Games Inclusion Initiative, USA Boxing, USA Para Powerlifting, and US Rowing.
Her career also includes positions with the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), the United States Olympic Committee & Paralympic Committee, Disabled Sports USA, and Adaptive Sports USA.
WHEN PASSION BECAME PROFESSION
My involvement with adapted skiing years ago motivated me to shift careers from hi-tech human resources in Silicon Valley to adapted sport. Because of my experiences with the Tahoe Adaptive Ski School (now Achieve Tahoe), I went back to graduate school for the second time and pursued a career in disabled sport.
The career shift has provided me with some amazing experiences as a sport professional. And, with the career change, I met my husband who is an adapted ski instructor in Colorado. That connection never would have happened had I not pursued sport as a career.
“Representation matters...it’s important that leadership in the movement represents the community it serves. Who better to lead the movement than disabled leaders that have the lived experience. ”
REDEFINING LEADERSHIP IN DISABILITY SPORT
In disabled sport organisations across the country, I continued to report to leadership that didn’t have a disability. Over the years, I found it difficult as a disabled staff member to continue to ‘tow leadership’s line’, so I decided to launch All In Sport Consulting. Now I can advocate in a way that I wasn’t able to before. I had to always fit in the leadership's box. With starting my own business, I was able to break free from the confines of a nondisabled leader thinking they know what’s best for the community.
RECOGNITION ROOTED IN EXPERIENCE
I have two moments that I’m proud of in my sports career, the first is finishing 4 Boston Marathons (with a 5th place finish with one of them) racing against athletes 15-20 years younger than me and training while also working a full-time professional job.
The second took place in 2023, I was a recipient of the Sports Business Journal’s 2023 Game Changer Award – recognising 50 outstanding women in sport business across North America. During the award ceremony, the emcee shared a bit of my sport philosophy:
“Disability doesn’t discriminate. Dawna believes including disability in sport conversations is a MUST. Including and welcoming the disability community isn’t just a feel-good effort, it will have a positive impact on your bottom line.”
It was a proud moment as I was being recognised as a businesswoman in sport - not disabled athlete or disabled leader. I was recognised across the broader community of sport professionals.
DAWNA’S MESSAGE
There’s more to the feel-good narrative around the adapted sport movement. Sport is a big business and it’s time to shift the narrative to one focused on the business case of disability and sport inclusion….for both participants and disabled fans.
