Volunteers and Coaches

Ken Quinney

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Ken grew up in Quesnel, Canada. He brings a wealth of on-ice experience to SOI, both as a player and as a coach. After youth hockey, he played Major Junior hockey in the Western Hockey League. His professional career includes six years in the Quebec Nordiques organization, two years in the Detroit Red Wings organization, five years with the Las Vegas Thunder, and three years pro in Frankfurt, Germany. In addition, Ken has been coaching hockey for more than 20 years. Select players he has worked with over the years have gone on to play Major Juniors, Division I and III college hockey, and professional hockey. These days, he can be found working on skill development with his sons and a few other skaters during the off season. He can also be found on the ice every Friday night at SOI teaching children to skate. You'll know you've found him because he will be the one acting silly with his own posse of kids attached at his hip during the skating portion of the night. Some would say that Ken has a way with the kids quite like no other. He will tell you he really enjoys the kids. Today, Ken works as a firefighter for Clark County. Ken and Kerry are married and live on a mini farm in the middle of the desert with a blended family and many critters, many of which they have rescued. 

"You can find me with my kid-posse in tow. 

Kerry Quinney

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Kerry was born and raised in Southern California. She has also lived in many other states including Colorado, Oregon, Texas, and Maryland. Kerry was a figure skater growing up. She was also a competitive snowboarder as a teen and young adult. Like Ken, she has been on the ice since she was little. She earned medals at Regional, Sectional, and Adult National competitions. She has been coaching skating for about 25 years and holds various ratings and accomplishments. She has coached high level competitive figure skating, hockey power skating, and Special Olympics. One of her Special Olympian athletes attended the Special Olympic World Games. Kerry is also a special educator and is passionate about teaching the world that children with different abilities are capable of greatness and that the world should value their unique and valuable skills. She is on a personal journey to educate others and you will often find her on her soapbox (Ken will tell you that it is tough to get her down.) She started SOI for many reasons, too many to list here but she would be happy to tell you all about it in person. Kerry holds a Bachelors Degree in Biology, Masters Degree Special Education, and  Ph.D. in Special Education. Being able to provide an organization where families can come together and be a part of something so special is very important to Kerry. She believes everyone should be included and is always looking for ways to improve the SOI experience. She is so thankful to have so many volunteers believe in her vision and show up week after week and dedicate their time to this organization. She is deeply touched by the trust and and support that the families, volunteers, and community in general have shown. Kerry and Ken are married and live on a mini farm in the middle of the desert with a blended family and many critters, many of which they have rescued. Ken blames Kerry for all of the animals. 

"Together, we will educate others about our great abilities and create change, one step at a time, until we live in a world where inclusion is the norm."

Andy Butsavich

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Dana Fishman

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Christopher Rensch

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Career: Currently Special Education Support Staff for CCSD, but working towards becoming Special Education Teacher. I am currently employed with CCSD working at John F. Miller, which is a school for kids with special needs.I love my job and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

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Hobbies: Love to read and play video games. Play the card game Magic the Gathering and play Dungeons and Dragons with my friends every Saturday.  Huge Disney Freak

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Skating experience: 13+ years of competitive figure skating, and currently an Accountant for US Figure Skating, (We do all the paperwork for competitions).

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More:  Working with the kids of SOI is the joy of my week. Seeing the kids smile because they are enjoying what they are doing just makes me feel like I have purpose. My favorite part of SOI is getting to share my love of skating with the wonderful kids that I get to work with. 

"Working with the kids of SOI is the joy of my week. Seeing the kids smile because they are enjoying what they are doing just makes me feel like I have purpose. My favorite part of SOI is getting to share my love of skating with the wonderful kids that I get to work with". 

Landon Quinney

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Landon 

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Gage Quinney

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Heather King

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Thorin Stormo

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Hamilton Whyte

Karin Sirk

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My first ever paying job was selling baked potatoes in a restaurant in an amusement park when I was 16. Various other jobs along the way during high school and college. During college I worked in group homes for individuals with developmental disabilities as one of my many jobs to put myself through college. After graduating from college, I worked for a 150-bed residential program run by sisters for adult women with developmental disabilities ranging from mild to profound in Northern Illinois. My roles there were many. I taught classes ranging anywhere from self-help to politics depending on the abilities of the women in each of my groups. I also did case management duties for an assigned group of women who were entrusted to my care. Eventually I interviewed for the directorship of the new day program the sisters were opening and was hired for that position. As part of the process of getting that program up and running, I had to get it accredited by a national organization. When we finished with the process and went through our survey and were awarded our accreditation, we were the first facility in the state to be issued anything other than a one-year accreditation on their first application. We were granted a three-year accreditation. I worked for the sisters for 10 years. I have worked for CCSD since February 1998 and all my years have been at Helen J. Stewart School. I work with post-secondary age students with intellectual disabilities. 

Hobbies: I love to read. I was born in Japan. My favorite sports are baseball and hockey.

Family: I have a 26 year old son who is the light of my life. For many years we lived as an extended family and I helped to take care of my ailing mom and grandma (mom’s mom). Today it is myself, my dad, and my son.

Skating experience: Figure skating parent and highly involved in the Las Vegas Figure Skating Club, including president

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Etc.: I cannot say I know what it’s like to have a child with special needs, because I don’t. I can tell you what it’s like to have your own disability and how you don’t stop reaching for your goals no matter what. I do not let my disability define who I am, my disability is part of me, it is who I am.

I am a parent. I have my own biological child and consider many others my kids also. I have worked with individuals with special needs for many years, in many settings, and many ages elementary to senior citizen. They are all my kids, past and present. They will always be my kids. They are part of me, they make me who I am.

"I cannot say I know what it’s like to have a child with special needs, because I don’t. I can tell you what it’s like to have your own disability and how you don’t stop reaching for your goals no matter what. I do not let my disability define who I am, my disability is part of me, it is who I am.

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I am a parent. I have my own biological child and consider many others my kids also. I have worked with individuals with special needs for many years, in many settings, and many ages elementary to senior citizen. They are all my kids, past and present. They will always be my kids. They are part of me, they make me who I am."

Yves Tremblay-Barris

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I am a speech language pathologist and I work with children with special needs who have deficits in speech.

My hobbies include: reading, tennis and watching hockey.

My family info:I'm married to Joseph with 2 sons: Jared (20) and Quinn (17)

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What it means to me to work with SOI:  My favorite part is watching the parents' faces. They always look so proud of their kids. I also think it's awesome that parents get a bit of a "break" while their kids have sooooo much fun.   

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More about me:  I have bone cancer which in my scapula (shoulder bone) which makes skating a bit risky (can't risk breaking) and makes doing big physical things difficult at times.  I will try, but if I stop or not do something physical, it's not because I'm lazy. Just depends on the day. But I will definitely try! 

"My favorite part is watching the parents' faces. They always look so proud of their kids. I also think it's awesome that parents get a bit of a "break" while their kids have sooooo much fun."

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