November Premier: Active Inclusion: Adaptations and Supports

Andrea Griffin is Superintendent of Recreation at Northwest Special Recreation Association (NWSRA). She has been with NWSRA for 16 years. She oversees the Collaborative Department, focusing on collaborative programs and the Community Adult Day Program, PURSUIT, as well as the Inclusion Department, working with NWSRA Member Park Districts, to provide inclusive recreation opportunities. . She is the recipient for the 2020 American Therapeutic Recreation Association Certificate of Recognition for her support of recreational therapy.

Griffin earned a Bachelor of Science degree with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation from Aurora University. She is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP), a Certified Play Expert (CPE) and a Certified Inclusivity Assessor (CIA).

She is involved in professional organizations through Illinois Park and Recreation Association (IPRA) Recreation Section and the Therapeutic Recreation Section. Within each of these sections at some point in her career she has taken on a leadership role. Griffin is a member of American Therapeutic Recreation Associations (ATRA) Community, Management and Diversity on line communities and the Leadership Committee. She is a member of the Kent State University Inclusion Advisory Board and is the National Delegate for the Chicago Chapter of Woman in Leisure Services (WILS). She is also a member of the Mt. Prospect Woman’s Club and the City of Rolling Meadows Events Foundation.

Griffin has presented at the national, regional, state and local level on Recreational Therapy, the ADA, inclusion, behavior management, disability awareness, sensory rooms and sensory therapy and collaborative programs and has co-authored a chapter, Best Practices in Administrative Inclusion for the book Inclusive Leisure: A Strengths-Based Approach

Victoria Gonzalez, Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP), Certified Play Expert (CPE) and Certified Inclusivity Assessor (CIA) attended Illinois State University where she studied Therapeutic Recreation and minored in Psychology.  Victoria has been with Northwest Special Recreation Association (NWSRA) of 8 year.   She is currently the Manager of Inclusion Services where she oversees four full-time Inclusion Coordinators that work directly with NWSRA 17 Member Park Districts. Gonzalez is the lead CTRS on the NWSRA Snoezelen Sensory Team.  

Gonzalez, is involved in professional organizations through Illinois Park and Recreation Association (IPRA) Recreation Section and the Therapeutic Recreation Section, currently the At Large Representative of Therapeutic Recreation Section of IPRA. .  Within each of these sections at some point in her career she has taken on a leadership role.  In 2018 Gonzalez was awarded the Rising Star Award from the Illinois Therapeutic Recreation Section.  

Gonzalez has presented on the state and local level training on Inclusion/ADA, ability awareness, effective communication, behavior management, sensory rooms, Snoezelen Therapy and recreation program adaptions.