The Ramp. It. Up! Podcast

On this episode of the Ramp. It. Up! Podcast we are observing Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month.   MS is a chronic neurological disease where the immune system attacks the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves), causing symptoms like fatigue, vision loss, pain, and mobility issues. The month of March is set aside to raise awareness, promote early diagnosis, and support...

Love is in the air on this episode of the Ramp. It. Up! Podcast. We are just a few days away from Valentine's Day… are you ready to take that special someone out? Dating as a wheelchair user isn't always easy, especially if you've been out of the game for a while. On this episode of the podcast, I'm getting you ready for your next big date. I share some tips to help you get bac...

We are back with a brand new season of the Ramp. It. Up! Podcast! We are kicking off Season 7 on a high note. Singer, wife, fellow quad, and all-around ray of sunshine, Cherelle "CJ" Jackson, joins me on the show to share her story. We talk about her passion for music, finding strength in her faith, and how he put a ring on it.  Tune in to the episode for all the details. Ramp. It. Up! G...

On today's episode of the Ramp. It. Up! Podcast, we are joined by singer, songwriter, composer, director, actress, and advocate Anita Hollander.   Get to Know Our Guest Anita Hollander has worked throughout Europe, Asia, Russia and America as an actress, singer, composer, lyricist, director, producer, and teacher.  She has premiered new works of composers and playwrights at Carnegie Hall, Pla...

On The Ramp. It. Up! Podcast, we are celebrating Thanksgiving! It has been a year, and life has been LIFING! But we want to give thanks that we are still thriving despite what life throws at us! I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving! Our guests on today's episode are an amazing married couple and dedicated advocates. Cole and Charisma Sydnor or as you may know them from their popular YouTu...

On today's episode of The Ramp. It. Up! Podcast, we are closing out Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month by speaking with Elizabeth Vander Kamp and Suzanne Costello about the Write to Heal study, a program Elizabeth facilitated during the pandemic for individuals with spinal cord injuries as part of a nationwide telehealth research study. Click here for more about the study . As a participant o...

On this episode of The Ramp. It. Up! Podcast we are talking about love and relationships with documentary filmmaker, Benjamin Duffy. Take a Look at this Heart is an open and honest conversation with people living with disabilities about their love lives and their searches for love. We go in depth about his experiences with the subjects of the film and discuss perceptions about disability, sex and...

On this episode of The Ramp. It. Up! Podcast, I have some good news. Your favorite podcast host Rhonel, is officially a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC). Check out the IAAP Website for my information on the certification. Also, joining me for the episode is Natalia Mendez, Founder and Executive Director of Women on Wheels. She shares how she turned her experiences...

On this episode of The Ramp. It. Up! Podcast, avid traveler, and certified travel agent, Spencer Blomquist joins me to talk about traveling and his recovery journey. Planning a vacation can be a hassle and exponentially more so when traveling as a wheelchair user. Spencer specializes in coordinating travel for people with disabilities and shares a few tips during the interview. Ramp. It. Up!   Get...

On this episode of The Ramp. It. Up! Podcast we are highlighting fathers. Carlton Brown, podcaster, dedicated husband, loving father, and C5-C7 quadriplegic, joins me on the podcast to share his injury story and life as a dad after acquiring a spinal cord injury. We discuss mental health, parenting, and his "Wheelchair Chronicles" podcast.    Ramp. It. Up! Get to know our guest YouTube:...

On this episode of the Ramp. It. Up! Podcast, husband, father and motivational speaker Felton Brown joins me to talk about his recovery journey and fatherhood. Ramp. It. Up! Get to know our guest Felton Brown is a dynamic, ambitious, and faith-driven individual from the great city of Opa-Locka, Florida. he is an  inspiring motivational speaker and a thriving small business entrepreneur, and most i...

On today's episode of the Ramp. It. Up! Podcast I am recapping my recent trip to Las Vegas to attend the United Spinal Association's Strong Wheeled Together Conference.  Ramp. It. Up! Stay Connected to the Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ramp.it.up.podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZoeOnWheelz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZAnH8I6sGEf7SJ9OKw8dEA Email...

On this episode of the Ramp. It. Up! Podcast we are chatting with Lesly St. Louis.  October is Disability Employment Awareness Month, and Lesly, a fellow wheelchair user, is the Director of the Pathways to Employment program at the United Spinal Association. Ramp. It. Up!   Get To Know Our Guest   Lesly St. Louis is grateful to have the opportunity to facilitate people with disabilities obtaining...

On this episode of the Ramp. It. Up! Podcast, Ian Ruder joins the show for SCI Awareness Month. Ramp. It. Up! Get To Know Our Guests Ian Ruder is the Editor-in-Chief of New Mobility, the longest-running, most-trusted magazine and web site for active wheelchair users (newmobility.com). A quadriplegic himself, Ruder joined the New Mobility team in 2011 when the magazine was purchased by United Spina...

Welcome back for another episode of the Ramp. It. Up! Podcast. In the month of September we are observing Spinal Cord Injury Awareness month. My guest for this episode is attorney, advocate, and father, Joshua Basile. He shares how he dedicated his life to advocacy after acquiring his SCI. Ramp. It. Up! Get To Know Our Guests Meet Josh Basile a C4-5 quadriplegic, power wheelchair user, disability...

Welcome back for another episode of the Ramp. It. Up! Podcast. In the month of June we celebrate Father’s Day and men’s mental health, so today’s episode is dedicated to the gentleman! Author, podcast host, educator and motivational speaker, Coach David Cooks joins us to share about his life experiences. At the age of 15, a spinal aneurysm rudely interrupted his high school basketball aspirations....

On today's episode of the Ramp. It. Up! Podcast, Dr. David W. McMillan joins me again. On his last visit we talked about nutrition and eating right during the holidays ( Season 1 Episode 13: What's on your plate? ). This time around we talk about Hurricane season and emergency preparedness. Dr. David is a part of the Subtropical Climate & Health Hub (STiCHH), a collective of research...

We are back with another episode of The Ramp. It. Up! Podcast. On today's episode we are closing out the month of May with some updates and good news for the wheelchair user community. Ramp. It. Up! GAAD May 18,2023 https://unitedspinal.org/adaptive-technology-equals-independence-for-the-disability-community/ https://unitedspinal.org/five-ways-you-can-promote-global-accessibility-awareness-da...

Welcome back for another episode of the Ramp. It. Up! Podcast. On this episode I am joined by Fouzan Alam and Bliss Chapman from Neuralink, a neurotechnology company founded by Elon Musk. Neuralink is currently developing implantable brain–computer interfaces: building devices now that have the potential to help people with paralysis. Fouzan is a project manager on their clinical team and Bliss is...

On today's episode of The Ramp. It. Up! Podcast we are wrapping up Women’s History Month with a good friend of mine, Erin Taylor. Get To Know Our Guest For more than 15 years, Erin Taylor has dedicated herself to advocating for health equity and promoting wellness by helping eliminate barriers and health disparities for disabled people throughout Oregon. She does this by interweaving equity,...

On this episode of The Ramp. It. Up! Podcast, in honor of Women's History Month, I am joined by Jean L. Minkel, PT, ATP. We chat about her early years as a Physical Therapist, her influence on early assistive technology, and her crusade to effect insurance policy change. Ramp. It. Up!   Get To Know Our Guest   Ms. Minkel is a physical therapist and master clinician well recognized for her wor...

Welcome back for another episode of the Ramp. It. Up! Podcast. It's that time of year again, Valentines Day! But before you go out and buy flowers and chocolates, you have to find yourself a date! Ryan DeRoche, peer mentor, United Spinal Association member and the host of After Dark: for men with SCI, joins me on the podcast to talk about dating after SCI from the male perspective.  Ramp. It....

Welcome back for another episode of The Ramp. It. Up! Podcast. Accessibility is an important and frequent topic of concern for wheelchair users and people with disabilities as a whole. This episode we cover some of the pain points of "accessible" transportation and what can be done to improve them. Ramp. It. Up! Question of the day: What was your worst/best experience with accessible tra...

And we are back with a brand new season of  The Ramp. It. Up! Podcast! It's been amazing sharing my story and the stories of others with you all these past three seasons. Season four, there will be many more stories, we will talk about advocacy and accessibility, and I will share some of my adventures along the way! On this episode join me as I recap some of my favorite moments from the first...

Only two days left 'til Christmas, and since you all have been so nice this year, Santa has brought you another episode of The Ramp. It. Up! Podcast! Its been about two weeks since the end of the Artemis 1 Mission and my visit to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. It was an overall amazing experience and I was blessed to be a part of it. On this trip I recall the experience...