Media Alert
MEDIA CONTACTS
Special Olympics New York
Renee Snyder, Vice President of Development & Public Awareness, 518-203-8348 (cell)
Kelley Ligozio, Senior Director of Development, Genesee and Western Region, 585-586-7400

Golisano Foundation
Dalmath Associates
(585) 586-6650 |  Jean Dalmath |  Amanda Antinore
Special Olympics New York to Present Dr. Stephen Sulkes with Top Health Honor, the Golisano Health Leadership Award on Thursday October 13,  for Advancing Inclusive Health for People with  Intellectual Disabilities
S pecial Olympics Intl new CEO to attend
UR to overview how its work in inclusive health is global model

What:       

Dr. Stephen Sulkes of Rochester, NY will be presented with the 2016-17 Golisano Health Leadership Award, Special Olympics top health honor. The award was established in 2016 in partnership with Special Olympics International and the Golisano Foundation. It will recognize 32 individuals or organizations around the world who are improving the health of people with intellectual disabilities and advancing the health work of Special Olympics.

Special Olympics International newly named CEO Mary Davis, in her first visit to New York, will be on hand to present the award and update media on the expansion of the Special Olympics global health program.

Dr. Mark Taubman and Dr. John Foxe will provide an overview of how the University of Rochester is making inclusive health a part of its strategic plan, becoming a global model of activating the Special Olympics health vision.

Who: 

Guest of Honor: T om Golisano 

Speakers: (In order of agenda)    
  • Joel Seligman, President and CEO, University of Rochester
  • Ann Costello, Executive Director of the Golisano Foundation
  • Mary Davis, CEO of Special Olympics International
  • Mark Taubman, MD, CEO of the University of Rochester Medical, Dean of the UR School of Medicine and Dentistry, and UR's Senior Vice President for Health Sciences
  • John Foxe, PHD, Chair of the Department of Neuroscience and Director of the Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience
  • Neal Johnson, President & CEO of Special Olympics NY.
  • Michael Worboys, Special Olympics NY Athlete
  • Stephen Sulkes, MD, Pediatrician and Director, Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Clinical Director.          
When:       
Thursday, October 13, 2016
1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
 
Where: 
Saunders Research Building
University of Rochester Medical Center
265 Crittenden Boulevard
Rochester, NY 14642
Valet Parking Available

About Special Olympics
Special Olympics is a global movement that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sports, every day around the world. We empower people with intellectual disabilities to become accepted and valued members of their communities, which leads to a more respectful and inclusive society for all. Using sports as the catalyst and programming around health and education, Special Olympics is fighting inactivity, injustice and intolerance. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown to more than 5.3 million athletes and Unified partners in 169 countries. With the support of more than 1 million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics delivers 32 Olympic-type sports and over 108,000 games and competitions throughout the year. Special Olympics is supported by many individuals, foundations and partners.  T o see a full list of partners, click here  . Engage with us on: Twitter@specialolympics , fb.com/specialolympics , youtube.com/specialolympicshq , Instagram.com/specialolympics and specialolympicsblog.wordpress.com .

About Tom Golisano and the Golisano Foundation
Tom Golisano - entrepreneur, philanthropist, and civic leader - is the founder and chairman of the board of Paychex, Inc., headquartered in Rochester. With more than 12,000 employees and 100 office locations nationwide, Paychex is a leading national provider of payroll, human resource, and benefit outsourcing solutions for more than a half-million small and medium-sized businesses. Tom's vision, perseverance and action have left an indelible mark on a broad spectrum of issues that touch our lives - in business, healthcare, education, voter policies, politics, and tax reform.  A fierce advocate for dignity and inclusion, Tom Golisano applied his pioneering spirit to establish the Golisano Foundation to help make the world a better place for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In addition to his personal philanthropic contributions to hospitals, educational institutions and other organizations exceeding $260 million, the Golisano Foundation is now one of the largest private foundations in the United States devoted exclusively to supporting programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Founded in 1985, the Foundation recently celebrated its 30th year of "Imagining the Possibilities." With $33 million in gross assets it has awarded more than $21 million in grants, about $2 million annually, to non-profit organizations that serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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