Who We Are

Man in wheelchair fishing. He is behind a metal railing with a cutout for accessible fishing.
Woman with limb differences seated on a dock with arm around a girl with a trach and limb differences; kayaks in the background
A girl in bike helmet rides a recumbent three-wheeled cycle while a guy in an RAA shirt walks beside her, one hand guiding the handlebars

VISION
A society where recreation, sports, and tourism are fully accessible to and inclusive of people with and without disabilities, always.

How RAA started:

Our organization started in 2015 when a group of 26 community members gathered to find solutions to a recurring problem:

People with disabilities do not have the same access to participating in health and wellness activities as their peers without disabilities.

Families having a member with a disability often cannot sign up for the same community activities because those places and programs are not able to meet the needs of each of them.

People with disabilities and their families and friends need and want to be healthy together.

RAA has created a unique model of inclusion services—one that removes the barriers and empowers leaders in health and wellness arenas to become a part of the solution. 

RAA exists to reshape places where inclusion isn’t happening, to empower these spaces to operate with full inclusion of people with and without disabilities whenever their doors are open for business.

A figures in a row, some in wheelchairs, some with prosthetic limbs, one with dark glasses and a white cane, one in headphones, and one using crutches

Meet our team:​

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Anita O’Brien, MA, CTRS

RAA Founder and Executive Director

Anita O’Brien, M.A., is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist with 29 years of experience working with individuals with disabilities and helped found Rochester Accessible Adventures. 

Anita serves as a member of the Community Advisory Committee at the University of Rochester’s Center of Excellence for People with Disabilities, and the DEC/APA Accessibility Advisory Committee. She is a longtime member of Genesee Valley Parks and Recreation Society, New York State Recreation & Parks Society, and New York State Therapeutic Recreation Association. 

Anita has lived in Rochester since 2000, working to bring opportunities in sports and recreation to individuals and families with disabilities and medical conditions. She is passionate about building relationships within the community which serve to connect people with resources, remove systemic barriers to recreation and sports, and build communities that embrace inclusion. And she loves spending time reading, hiking and camping with her family and blue-eyed husky hound, Alice.

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Dee Mascari

Inclusion Specialist

Dee Mascari is a long-time RAA volunteer and community advocate. She is a Certified Inclusivity Assessor and has 20+ years of experience in dementia care, education, and recreation. 

Dee has both personal and professional connections to the critical need for physical accessibility and social inclusion in our communities. She is fully engaged as our team works towards RAA’s mission to ensure equitable access to recreation and sports for individuals living with a disability or medical condition. 

Dee joined the RAA team as an employee in 2021 after having volunteered for a number of years and serves as an inclusion specialist and as our volunteer coordinator. Dee’s recreational pursuits include being outdoors gardening, walking, cycling, swimming, and kickboxing. She enjoys reading, baking, entertaining, cooking, house projects and watching a good football game with her husband, two adult sons, and her bulldog.

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Peyton Sefick

Inclusion Specialist

Peyton Sefick has been involved with high level club and international adaptive sports for over 20 years. He has represented the US on the 2017 and 2023 US Power Soccer National Teams at FIPFA World Cups across the globe. Off the court, he is focused on fostering local partnerships to bring adaptive sports and inclusive recreation opportunities to his community.

Peyton is active in the nonprofit sector, serving on three boards across the country. He is Director of Sport for the United States Power Soccer Association, a role aimed to heighten the level of competition in the sport of power soccer in the US and abroad. Peyton also serves as a Director on CNY Adaptive Sports’ board, a group local to his hometown of Syracuse, New York. CNY Adaptive Sports provides adaptive recreation and sports equipment as well as education programming to the Central New York region. Peyton is also Vice President of the United Adaptive Soccer Association, a group growing all types of soccer around the country.

Peyton draws on his experience from world travels and international competition to collaborate with his teammates and neighbors to work together toward fair play and equitable communities.

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Liza Beardsley

Inclusion Specialist

 

Liza Beardsley has been volunteering with Rochester Accessible Adventures since 2015 and is passionate about bringing accessible and inclusive opportunities to the community!

Liza grew up in Rochester, attended The State University of New York at Fredonia for her Undergraduate Degree in Childhood Inclusive Education, and received her Master’s Degree in Adolescent Inclusive Education from Nazareth University.   

Liza values her experience as a special education teacher in various programs and across multiple age groups, and enjoys her position as an adjunct professor at Nazareth University where she supports students in the Interdisciplinary Specialty Program in Autism. She also draws upon her incredible teaching experiences in Belize, The Dominican Republic, and Honduras.

Liza is passionate about building relationships with people and making sure that everyone feels welcome and empowered. That passion has been evident in her years of volunteering with Best Buddies and RAA. In her free time, Liza enjoys staying active, fostering dogs, and spending time with her friends and family.

 

 

 

Board of Directors

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Julie Cataldo

Chair

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Dr. Susan Hetherington

Interim Vice Chair

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Dr. Season Bonino

Secretary

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Pamela Kennard

Treasurer

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Betty Dolce

Dr. Brittany Ferri

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David Grice

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Andrea Long

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Dr. Michael Seils

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Susan Shepard

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Gwen Van Laeken

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Jill Wiedrick

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Kathy Weber

Volunteers

Our many fabulous volunteers are a vital part of our organization.

Learn More
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