Cerebral Palsy Grows Up: The Podcast

That's a wrap on season 1 of Cerebral Palsy Grows Up: The Podcast!

This is a little peek behind the curtain into the CPGU crew. Who we are, what we've learned, and what we're looking forward to.

Cerebral Palsy Foundation on Instagram: @yourcpf
CPGU on Instagram: @cerebralpalsygrowsup
Follow Emily on Instagram: @emilyladau
Follow Lawrence on Instagram: @lcarterlong

Credits
Host: Alexa Orban
Executive Producers: Ashley Harris Whaley, Rachel Byrne
Producers: Katy Gaastra, Kyle Khachadurian
Graphics: Briana Raucci

Activists Lawrence Carter-Long and Emily Ladau sit down with the CPGU crew and talk advocacy, ableism, and internalized ableism.

Cerebral Palsy Foundation on Instagram: @yourcpf
CPGU on Instagram: @cerebralpalsygrowsup
Follow Emily on Instagram: @emilyladau
Follow Lawrence on Instagram: @lcarterlong

Credits
Host: Alexa Orban
Executive Producers: Ashley Harris Whaley, Rachel Byrne
Producers: Katy Gaastra, Kyle Khachadurian
Graphics: Briana Raucci

Cerebral Palsy Foundation on Instagram: @yourcpf
CPGU on Instagram: @cerebralpalsygrowsup

Credits
Host: Alexa Orban
Executive Producers: Ashley Harris Whaley, Rachel Byrne
Producers: Katy Gaastra, Kyle Khachadurian
Graphics: Briana Raucci

Cerebral Palsy Foundation on Instagram: @yourcpf
CPGU on Instagram: @cerebralpalsygrowsup
Follow Ashley: @disabilityreframed
Follow Dom: @the_tattooedjew

Credits
Host: Alexa Orban
Executive Producers: Ashley Harris Whaley, Rachel Byrne
Producers: Katy Gaastra, Kyle Khachadurian
Graphics: Briana Raucci

Éabha Wall is an engineer and ExoSym user from Ireland who we sat down with to talk about the differences between the Irish and US healthcare system, being a disabled woman in STEM, and more.

Cerebral Palsy Foundation on Instagram: @yourcpf
CPGU on Instagram: @cerebralpalsygrowsup
Follow Éabha: @eabhas_exosyms

Credits Host: Alexa Orban
Executive Producers: Ashley Harris Whaley, Rachel Byrne
Producers: Katy Gaastra, Kyle Khachadurian
Graphics: Briana Raucci

Chelsea Bear is a social media influencer who shares Cerebral Palsy through her lens. Chelsea was born and raised in South Florida. When she was eight months old, her mom began to realize she wasn’t sitting up like the other babies in her mommy and me class, which led to years of doctor visits, MRI’s, cat scans, X-Rays and more. At the age of three, Chelsea was officially diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.

After graduating high school in 2011, Chelsea attended Florida Gulf Coast University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and public relations. She led a thriving career in public relations for 7+ years, and in late 2021 she took the leap to pursue content creation and disability advocacy full-time.

Today, Chelsea uses social media to share her first-hand story of living with Cerebral Palsy.

Cerebral Palsy Foundation on Instagram: @yourcpf
CPGU on Instagram: @cerebralpalsygrowsup
Follow Chelsea: @realchelseabear

Credits
Host: Alexa Orban
Producers: Katy Gaastra, Kyle Khachadurian
Executive Producers: Ashley Harris Whaley, Rachel Byrne
Graphics: Briana Raucci

Jae Kim is a social worker from Washington State. She has cerebral palsy, and believes deeply in disability justice and disability rights. She also uses an AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) device in order to answer questions.

Cerebral Palsy Foundation on Instagram: @yourcpf
CPGU on Instagram: @cerebralpalsygrowsup

Credits
Host: Alexa Orban
Producers: Katy Gaastra, Kyle Khachadurian
Executive Producers: Ashley Harris Whaley, Rachel Byrne
Graphics: Briana Raucci

Charlie is a masters student in the Motor Learning and Motor Control program at Teachers College, Columbia University. He received a B.S. in Exercise Science from Colby-Sawyer College. During his undergraduate experience, Charlie was a member of the Men’s Tennis team and the Exercise Science research team. This research consisted of comparing muscular activation patterns with various strength training modalities. Before joining the lab at TC, Charlie worked as a personal trainer for clients with neurological conditions in Brunswick, Maine. After being born with Cerebral Palsy himself, Charlie has used an evidence based approach to manage and improve his own symptoms. His current research interests include improving movement function and decreasing spasticity for patients with Cerebral Palsy.  In his spare time, he enjoys reading, hiking, and playing sports.

Cerebral Palsy Foundation on Instagram: @yourcpf
CPGU on Instagram: @cerebralpalsygrowsup
Follow Charlie: @charlie.graffius
Charlie's podcast: The Movement Fluidity Podcast

Credits
Host: Alexa Orban
Producers: Katy Gaastra, Kyle Khachadurian
Executive Producers: Ashley Harris Whaley, Rachel Byrne
Graphics: Briana Raucci

Follow

Cerebral Palsy Foundation on Instagram: @yourcpf
CPGU on Instagram: @cerebralpalsygrowsup
Email Dr. Peterson: [email protected]
Email Dr. Ryan: [email protected]

Credits

Host: Alexa Orban
Producers: Katy Gaastra, Kyle Khachadurian
Executive Producer: Ashley Harris Whaley, Rachel Byrne
Graphics: Briana Raucci

Zach Anner is an award-winning comedian, author, and disability advocate known for his infectious humor, quick wit, and positive outlook on life. His unique blend of comedy and candid discussions about disability has earned him a dedicated following and helped challenge societal perceptions of disability.

Zach gained national recognition in 2010 when he appeared on the reality show Your OWN Show: Oprah's Search for the Next TV Star. With his hilarious audition video that quickly went viral, he captivated audiences and eventually won a show on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) called Rollin' with Zach, where he traveled across the United States, showcasing his adventures from a wheelchair user's perspective.

In addition to his work on television, Zach is a prolific content creator. He has a popular YouTube channel where he shares comedy sketches, travelogues, and inspirational videos, many of which humorously and honestly explore his experiences as a person with a disability. His comedic web series, Have a Little Faith, featured interviews with people from different religious and spiritual backgrounds.

Zach's talents extend beyond the screen. In 2016, he published his memoir If at Birth You Don’t Succeed: My Adventures with Disaster and Destiny, a critically acclaimed and hilarious account of his life, filled with humorous anecdotes and reflections on overcoming challenges.

An outspoken advocate for disability rights, Zach uses his platform to promote accessibility, inclusion, and the importance of humor in addressing life's obstacles. His work has earned him a devoted fan base and numerous accolades, including a Daytime Emmy Award for his contributions to online media.

Today, Zach Anner continues to inspire and entertain audiences with his sharp comedic style and advocacy, demonstrating that a sense of humor can break barriers and foster greater understanding and acceptance for people with disabilities.

Follow

Cerebral Palsy Foundation on Instagram: @yourcpf
CPGU on Instagram: @cerebralpalsygrowsup
Alexa Orban on Instagram @lexi_orban
Zach Anner on Instagram @zach.anner

Credits

Host: Alexa Orban
Producers: Katy Gaastra, Kyle Khachadurian
Executive Producer: Ashley Harris Whaley, Rachel Byrne
Graphics: Briana Raucci