Los Angeles Speakers

Nicholas Delenikos

Western Regional Sales Manager, Stealth Products, Quantum Rehab

Nick Delenikos has been in the complex rehab industry for over 13 years working for multiple manufacturers of power wheelchairs. Currently he is the Stealth Products Western Regional Sales Manager for Quantum Rehab, providing support to customers in many of the western United States. His experience includes technical training and product development, specializing in electronics and programming. In his free time, he enjoys the outdoors with his family, camping and biking as often as possible.

Workshop: Maximizing Function in Joystick Driving

Jonathan Delshad

Attorney, Law Offices of Jonathan J. Delshad, PC, JD/MBA

Jonathan Delshad, known for his expertise in California employment law, received a JD/MBA from UCLA.  He is recognized for his years of work by Super Lawyers, a rating service provided by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. In 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, Delshad's achievements in the legal profession for California employment law allowed him to be recognized as a top California employment law attorney. He has worked with hundreds of clients who experienced employment discrimination in the forms of wrongful termination, disability discrimination, and hostile workplace environment harassment.

Workshop: Accommodating your Abilities: California Workplace Protections

Kelly L. Green

Executive Director, Help Hope Live

Kelly has been executive director of Help Hope Live since November 2017. The daughter of a transplant recipient, Kelly not only believes in the mission of Help Hope Live, but she once used the service and it "completely changed her life." She feels honored and proud to lead an organization that provided hope and help to her family during her mother's journey to transplant in 2007. Kelly describes herself as a mother, a daughter of her hero, a battle-tested unifier, and a thought leader. She has more than 20 years' experience working in and leading nonprofit organizations and has dedicated her life to civic engagement. Kelly has proudly served as the CEO of Variety – The Children's Charity; director of Montgomery County, PA Voters Services; and deputy director for the Institute for the Study of Civic Values in Philadelphia. In 2018, Kelly was recognized with Main Line Today's Women on the Move Award for redefining success around Philadelphia, PA's Main Line region and western suburbs. Kelly is a connector, a person who needs to infuse each day with a lesson and inspire others to be the one makes someone else's day just a little brighter. She places value in small acts of kindness. She is a self-proclaimed activist, but most people just see her as someone who believes everyone deserves dignity and respect. She knows firsthand how broken our healthcare system is and is determined to help place medical needs in reach to those in need!

Workshop: Discover How to Pay for Everything You See Today

Jay Gupta, RPh, 340B ACE, MTM Consultant, C-IAYT

Jay Gupta is the Director of Pharmacy & Integrative Health at a health center in New Hampshire. He is also the President of YogaCaps, Inc. and RXRelax. Jay is a pharmacist, medication expert, DePrescription leader and international speaker. He has been recognized by Cardinal Health, by the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA) and by Next Generation Pharmacists/Pharmacy Times for excellence in integrative therapies. His clinical trial in 2020 studied the effects of therapeutic telehealth yoga for healthcare professionals during a pandemic and indicated significant reduction in anxiety, depression, insomnia, and PTSD symptoms.

Workshop: Finding Solutions for Multiple Medication Overload

David Kipper, MD

Bedside Matters Podcast

Dr. David Kipper is a Beverly Hills internist with a highly personalized boutique practice and an international clientele. He provides individualized and preventative care for his patients, with a sub-specialization in addictive disorders.

Dr. Kipper has published numerous articles on health and healthcare advocacy, produced segments for The Today Show, and has appeared as a medical expert on several major networks. With good friend Peter Tilden, he co-hosted a national call-in radio talk show, providing medical advice and support for patients that otherwise had difficulty accessing care.

He is the author of the best selling book The Addiction Solution (2010), and Override (2022) which hits the shelves this October. Dr. Kipper also currently offers weekly medical expertise on the Spotify podcast series Medical Murders.

Workshop: Bedside Matters

Kristy Lacroix, Certified Accessible Travel Specialist

Founder, Wheelchair Escapes

With 29 years of hands-on travel experience for wheelchair users, Kristy helps hundreds of people achieve their accessible travel dreams. She created Wheelchair Escapes over 20 years ago to help others to travel without the obstacles that she and her husband encountered when they first started traveling with a power wheelchair back in 1993. Kristy is a proud member of the Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Accessible Travel Agent Advisory Board! She holds many certifications including Certified Accessible Travel Specialist, Certified Travel Associate, and Elite Cruise Counsellor. Visit her website WheelchairEscapes.com to discover destinations, tips for planning, and how to get started planning the accessible travel of your dreams.

Workshop: Travel with a Disability? Yes, You Can!

Sonny Mullen

Director of Outreach, Help Hope Live

Sonny Mullen is from the Philadelphia area and spent the first part of her career in New York City working in television. She joined Help Hope Live in 2016, first working in the Finance Department and now proudly serves as the Outreach Manager. In this role she has helped build the Outreach department with the goal of bringing Help Hope Live's mission to a wider audience. Growing up with a younger brother living with GRIN1 Disorder, Sonny has a personal connection to Help Hope Live's mission. She is happy to use her experiences, both at home and with Help Hope Live, to connect and speak with individuals in the disability community all over the country, with the goal of helping them safely fundraise for their medical and related expenses.

Workshop: Discover How to Pay for Everything You See Today

Ruth Rathblott, MSW, DEI Certified, TEDx Speaker, Author

TEDx and Inspirational Speaker, Ruth Rathblott, MSW is an award-winning CEO who is committed to creating inclusion for all. Ruth was born with a limb difference and currently speaks on issues of inclusion and diversity, the gifts of being unique, the freedom of accepting your differences, and rising above life's challenges. She is a leader who has spent her entire career focused on providing opportunities for those who face obstacles. Ruth has been a leader in nonprofit organizations for more than 25 years. Ruth holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Goucher College and a Master of Social Work degree from Boston University. Visit her website, RuthRathblott.com, to learn more about her new book, Single Handedly: Learning to Unhide and Embrace Connection.

Workshop: The "CURE" to Inclusion

Mskindness Ramirez, MA Ed, Founder and Executive Director, Club Kindness

Mskindness B. Ramirez leads with both her given name and a calling. She is the CEO of Club Kindness TV, the founder of EBK Apothecary, and the author of a series of children's books written to inspire multigenerational conversations around Cannabis. Fueled with over 20+ years of pedagogical practice and passion, Mskindness lends her skills to the Cannabis community and wellness spaces beyond. She is a trusted organizer with The Social Impact Center.

Workshop: Cannabis for Well-Being

Jeremiah Raxter, Esq

Principal Attorney, Raxter Law

Jeremiah Raxter is the founder and principal attorney of Raxter Law. Admitted to both the California State Bar and the United States District Court of the Central and Southern Districts, and a Certified Veterans Attorney with the Veterans Administration, Mr. Raxter has been chosen as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers in 2019, 2020, and 2021. The Super Lawyers list recognizes no more than 5 percent of attorneys in each state. Mr. Raxter has served as a Special Master and is a Law Professor in the subjects of Real Property, Ethics, and Wills/Trusts. Mr. Raxter represents the Riverside County Public Administrator and serves as Court appointed counsel in conservatorship and probate matters. Mr. Raxter is proud to present regular legal education and estate planning classes in conjunction with the Alzheimer's Association.

Workshop: Planning for Special Needs Children

Lauren "Lolo" Spencer

Actress, Model, Public Speaker, and Social Media Content Creator

Lolo is a Film Independent Spirit Award nominated actress, model, public speaker, and social media content creator. She currently stars as Jocelyn in HBO Max's Sex Lives of College Girls, executive-produced by Mindy Kaling, has a YouTube channel titled Sitting Pretty, and hosts an Instagram TV talk show titled "The New Narrative" where she interviews guests with varying disabilities who are creating a new narrative for the disability community through their work and how they show up in society. Learn more at www.lolospencer.com.

Workshop: Sitting Pretty: Strong, Disabled, and Independent

Mark Thompson, AIA

Senior Director of Architecture, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA)

Mark R. Thompson, AIA, is PVA's Senior Associate Director of Architecture Services. He joined PVA in 2016 after thirty years of private sector architectural design and construction experience as a lead project designer, business owner and real estate developer. Mr. Thompson developed his architectural expertise delivering public and private projects in the commercial, health care and educational markets valued more than $800 million. Since being with PVA, Mr. Thompson has successfully advocated to maximize accessibility on multi-family housing, commercial, government and healthcare projects serving veterans throughout the United States. He has also provided technical assistance to veterans and civilians who are planning renovations to their homes specifically focused on improving accessibility.

Workshop: Accessible Home Design: The Basics

Peter Tilden

Bedside Matters Podcast

Peter Tilden was the president and creative director of an award winning boutique advertising agency and is an Emmy nominated writer and producer and an award-winning music video producer and director. Peter is also a respected talk radio host, a beloved longtime Los Angeles radio personality, and the co-creator and co-host of the Really, no Really podcast with Jason Alexander.

Longtime friends, Peter and Dr. Kipper donated their time every Saturday, for over eight years, offering free medical advice and help to thousands of callers to their Los Angeles radio show.

Workshop: Bedside Matters

Anna Vocino

Bedside Matters Podcast

Anna Vocino is a stand up comic and voice actor who's known for her performances in Kipo And The Age of Wonderbeasts, Batman: The Killing Joke, Free Radio, Spirit Riding Free, Ben 10, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!, among other shows. She has voiced hundreds of commercials, video games, and cartoons, plus she has been the female promo voice of NBC since 2019.

Anna has also published two bestselling low carb cookbooks called Eat Happy and Eat Happy, Too, and she's scaled up her delicious recipes into sauces and spice mixes, available at EatHappyKitchen.com and at select retailers nationwide.

Anna not only brings a woman's perspective to Bedside Matters, but her infectious brand of humor helps make each episode that much more fun!

Workshop: Bedside Matters