As the director of chapter and hospital network engagement for United Spinal Association, Arielle Rausin is responsible for supporting the organization’s 38 chapters and sprawling hospital network, as well as ensuring that communications and resources flow freely between them. The job is a natural extension of the diverse personal and professional experiences that have shaped Rausin’s life since she sustained a T11 spinal cord injury in a 2003 car accident.

Paralyzed at age 10, Rausin found healing in wheelchair racing. Her middle school P.E. instructor challenged her to do a 5K in her manual wheelchair. She went on to join her middle school track and cross-country team. At 14, she received a Challenged Athletes Foundation grant for her first racing wheelchair.

She continued pursuing her passion for sports at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, one of the most accessible colleges in the country. She joined the National Paralympic Training Site at the university and raced competitively for seven years, competing in over 30 marathons.

Inspired by a 3D printing class she took during her undergraduate studies, Rausin started a new business to create wheelchair racing gloves. Since 2016, Ingenium Manufacturing has sold thousands of gloves in over 20 countries. The gloves are currently featured in an exhibit on innovation in Olympic and Paralympic sport at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

In 2020, Rausin moved to New York City to get a master’s in global public health with the goal of getting a job helping people with disabilities access affordable, accessible health care and the assistive technologies they need. A trip to Kenya opened her eyes to the lack of mobility devices for people worldwide and inspired her to be part of the solution.

With United Spinal, she’s putting the skills she learned to use. When she’s not meeting with chapter leaders or hospital executives, she makes time to get outside, and coaches wheelchair racing for kids with disabilities.

7 a.m. I start my day with a cup of coffee and a smoothie packed with fruit, vanilla protein powder, and greens. Then I either go for a walk or hit the gym for a quick 20-30 minute lift. Movement is a big part of my life — it helps me feel centered and ready to take on the day.

9 a.m. I connect with United Spinal chapters in Pennsylvania and Louisiana. These one-on-one check-ins are where we brainstorm new events like adaptive sports clinics, peer mentoring meetups or educational workshops on navigating life with a spinal cord injury.

I also make sure they know about national resources like our Pathways to Employment program, which offers resume workshops, mock interviews and job placement support for wheelchair users.

11 a.m. I join a call with our Resource Center team. We handle over 300 calls a month from people looking for help with everything from accessible housing and transportation to health care and peer support. I help ensure our chapters are aligned with the Resource Center so they can refer people to the right services quickly and effectively.

12 p.m. Around noon, I meet with our Communications and Individual Giving team to plan a movement-based fundraiser for Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month in September. Members will pledge to push a certain distance in their wheelchairs, racing wheelchairs or handcycles, and supporters can donate to their local chapters based on these pledges. It’s a fun, inclusive way to raise awareness and funds.

1 p.m. I take a short break for lunch and use this time to review notes or prep for upcoming meetings. Sometimes I’ll also check in on our chapters’ social media pages or newsletters to stay connected with what’s happening on the ground.

2 p.m. I have a call with a group in Hawaii that’s working to form a new chapter. These conversations are always exciting; there’s so much energy when people want to bring United Spinal’s mission to their own communities. I walk them through the process of becoming an official chapter and share tools to help them get started, like our chapter starter kit and mentorship opportunities.

3 p.m. This hour is usually dedicated to catching up on emails. I send out welcome messages to new members and connect them with their local chapters. I also share upcoming events and invite them to join our advocacy working groups. These groups are where members can share their lived experiences and help shape policy recommendations.

4 p.m. To wrap up the workday, I join a planning meeting for Roll on Capitol Hill, our flagship advocacy event. We’re finalizing logistics, prepping materials and making sure everyone feels confident and supported to share their stories with lawmakers and advocate for disability rights.

[Editor: Roll on Capitol Hill took place June 22-25 in Washington, D.C. Over 100 wheelchair users from 37 states took part in 150 congressional meetings.]

6 p.m. After work, I meet my partner at our favorite taco spot downtown for a quick dinner. Getting there isn’t always easy. Only 40% of NYC subway stations are accessible, so I have to pass two local stops that only have stairs and push to the third stop that has an elevator. From there, I hop on the 7 train from Long Island City to Midtown Manhattan.

8 p.m. After dinner, we often catch a Broadway show. I’m a huge Broadway nerd and love finding cheap tickets through Broadway lotteries online. It’s one of my favorite ways to unwind and get inspired.

11 p.m. After the show, we head home, and I crash after a fulfilling day.

Find a United Spinal chapter near you: unitedspinal.org/support/chapter-network/