Meet the driving force of Lift Eachother Empowerment

The Board

Director Spotlights

Get to know the passionate individuals driving our mission. We're a grassroots team dedicated to fostering inclusion and empowerment for everyone. Learn about our backgrounds, values, and commitment to building a more supportive community. We're excited to share our story with you!

Written by Reptar Whelnis

Kay Heston Brings to Lift Eachother Empowerment a Powerful Combination of Professional Knowledge, Hands-on Experience, and Lived Perspective. With a Background in Clinical Exercise Physiology, They Are Passionate About Helping People With Disabilities Stay Active, Exercise Safely, and Remain Engaged in Their Communities.

Gresham, or- for Kay, This Work Is Also Deeply Personal. As a Wheelchair User and Someone With Hidden Disabilities, They Understand the Importance of Representation and Believe Inclusive Wellness Tools, Programs, and Spaces Must Be Shaped by the Voices of the Communities They Are Meant to Serve.

They Have Also Been One of the Earliest Contributors in Advising on Accessibility Within Adaptivlyfe, Helping Ensure That Inclusion Is Considered From the Ground up. They Bring Experience Supporting People With Disabilities Across Multiple Age Groups, and That Work Has Strengthened Values They Carry Into Leadership: Patience, Flexibility, and Self-Discipline, Especially in the Area of Emotional Regulation.

Their Background Also Includes Pediatric Adaptive Physical Education and Activity Programs at Ore. State University, As Well As Internship Experience at Gyms Designed Around People With Disabilities in the Denver Area. Kay’S Vision for the Future Is Rooted in Both Advocacy and Action.

They Hope to Help Expand the Reach and Visibility of Adaptivlyfe While Contributing to a Future Where People With Disabilities Have More Safe, Supportive Places to Move, Grow, and Thrive, and Where Every Contributor and Every Idea Counts.

At Lift Eachother Empowerment, leadership is shaped by lived experience as much as professional expertise.

For board secretary April Ghilibi, both threads are inseparable.

Ghilibi, a neurodivergent parent raising a four-year-old daughter on the autism spectrum, said her path to advocacy began at home and grew into a commitment to systemic change. Navigating support systems for herself and her child exposed gaps in understanding, access and compassion that she could not ignore.

“Joining Lift Eachother Empowerment felt like the perfect way to turn those deeply personal experiences into meaningful action for others,” Ghilibi said.

Mission with personal roots

What drew her in — and keeps her invested — is the organization’s focus on real, practical empowerment rather than symbolic support. The mission to ensure everyone has a voice and the resources they need to succeed, she said, feels intensely personal.

Having seen how isolating it can be when systems are not designed with neurodivergent people in mind, Ghilibi views Lift Eachother Empowerment as a necessary counterweight. The work is not abstract policy for her; it is about families like her own, and countless others, who rely on informed, inclusive support to thrive.

Leadership grounded in resilience

Outside the boardroom, Ghilibi has built a career centered on leadership and team training. She brings that experience into her role as secretary, helping create structures where communication is clear, expectations are high and people feel supported rather than scrutinized.

She credits her mother with instilling a deep resilience that underpins her approach. That resilience, combined with her coaching background, allows her to balance accountability with empathy — especially when advocating for communities that are often misunderstood or overlooked.

“I bring the critical, empathetic perspective of a neurodivergent parent navigating a world that isn’t always built for us,” she said.

Why community work matters

For Ghilibi, community work is not a side effort — it is a lifeline.

“Community work matters because no one should have to figure out life’s hardest hurdles completely alone,” she said.

She sees community as a safety net built from shared knowledge, compassion and practical help. Done well, she believes, it moves beyond temporary fixes and instead lays the groundwork for a safer, more inclusive future for the next generation.

A vision of lasting impact

Looking ahead, Ghilibi hopes Lift Eachother Empowerment will be known not only for the resources it provides, but for the sense of belonging it creates. She wants people who connect with the organization to feel seen, validated and equipped to advocate for themselves.

Her vision is a ripple effect: individuals who discover their own strengths and agency through the organization go on to lift up others in their families, workplaces and communities.

The person behind the role

Away from agendas and strategy sessions, Ghilibi describes herself as someone who values raw authenticity above all else. That value is reflected in the poetry and creative writing she pursues in her free time, where she channels the same vulnerability and courage she brings to her advocacy.

“I am fiercely passionate about protecting and empowering those I care about, whether that is my family, my team, or the people in this community,” she said.

She approaches challenges directly, but not rigidly.

“I believe in facing challenges head-on, but always with an open mind and a lot of heart,” Ghilibi said.

Through leaders like April Ghilibi, Lift Eachother Empowerment continues to grow as a community built on empathy, lived experience and a shared determination to make sure no one has to navigate their journey alone.

Once Lost, Now Founded.

We are more than just a team; we are young men who have faced our own unique disabilities and life experiences. This firsthand understanding fuels our unwavering commitment to creating a world where everyone feels valued and included. At Lift Eachother Empowerment, we are building from the ground up, driven by a shared vision of a more compassionate and accepting society.

The personal stories of our founders are at the core of our mission. Disability and neurodivergence are integral to their identities, yet they do not define the entirety of their purpose or potential.

Co-founder Zach, affectionately known as "Soba Steve," is AuDHD and has been on his sobriety journey since 2018. His nickname reflects his active commitment to the recovery community and the resilience he brings to every endeavor. He has also playfully earned the title "Sir, let me see" because when asked, "Do you know how to do this?" his typical response is, "Let me see" — and 15 to 30 minutes later, he returns with, "Yes, I can do that." This determination, curiosity, and problem-solving spirit are foundational to our work.

Co-founder Nick, also known as "Big Macc," lives with ADHD and was born with substance exposure, facing unique challenges from the start. After struggling with weight and judgment throughout his life, he became deeply dedicated to creating spaces where individuals feel genuinely accepted, seen, and supported without shame. In a powerful act of reclaiming his narrative, he transformed a nickname once used to bully him into a symbol of strength, resilience, and self-acceptance — a true rise-from-the-ashes story.

Together, we form a grassroots foundation shaped not only by our founders’ lived experiences but also by the insight, passion, and dedication of the board members who stand with us. Each individual contributes a unique voice, perspective, and purpose to this mission, helping us create something more inclusive, compassionate, and impactful. While this is our story as founders, the leadership behind this initiative extends beyond us. United by a singular belief, we are dedicated to fostering a world that embraces inclusion, and we are committed to being part of that change.

Driven by Core Values

At Lift Eachother Empowerment, our work is guided by four core values: Support, Inclusion, Motivation, and Determination. We champion the belief that everyone deserves to feel accepted and empowered, exactly as they are. We're here to motivate individuals to embrace their authentic selves and demonstrate to the world that they can achieve their dreams, regardless of their differences.

Creating a More Inclusive Community

Each of our team members brings a unique perspective and heartfelt motivation to the pursuit of inclusion. United by our shared understanding of what it means to feel different, we strive to create a community where everyone feels valued and accepted. We're dedicated to breaking down barriers and fostering a sense of belonging for all, proving that being yourself is perfectly fine.

"After a lifetime of feeling inadequate, not valued, and misunderstood, we persevered and overcame to be the versions of ourselves that we're proud to share with the world."

Co-founder Zach of Lift Eachother Empowerment