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Leadership
The United States Volt Hockey Association board consists of volunteers who are involved with the association in different aspects of the sport. Coaches, players, disability non-profit leaders, university researchers, and more all serve on the board in order to provide a well-rounded view of how we can move forward as the country's central organizational body for volt hockey.

Marley Robinson, President
Marley discovered volt hockey during her final year at Northeastern University while establishing the university’s first disability advocacy club, Diversability. She quickly became involved with the sport, joining the Boston Whiplash as a founding player and later stepping into the role of President of the USVHA. As someone with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, she is driven to grow the sport here in the United States to provide people with similar disabilities an opportunity to participate in competitive sports. Her favorite aspect of the role is connecting with the disability community and growing awareness of the sport at events nationwide.

Avery Melam, Vice President
Avery is an undergraduate student at Northeastern University, where she first got involved with volt hockey through research at the Institute for Health Equity and Social Justice Research. In addition to working with volt hockey, she is a dedicated pre-medical student and an Emergency Medical Technician that works at Cataldo Ambulance Service, Inc. As a member of the deaf community, she has always been immersed in the disability community and strives to increase accessibility and awareness for all.

Amanda Bell, Treasurer
Amanda, a bioinformatician deeply committed to volunteering and activism, was introduced to volt hockey through a Northeastern University volunteering opportunity with the Boston Self Help Center (BSHC). After dedicating a year and a half to assisting the Boston Whiplash team, they stepped up to help coach and manage the team. Through their coaching and collaboration with the board, they aspire to make volt hockey and other adaptive sports universally accessible. Their overarching goal is to ensure that everyone has opportunities to explore and pursue their life passions.

Caeden Parisi, Clerk
Caeden is a Building Information Modeling (BIM) Technician at Advanced Data Risk Management (ADRM). He first discovered volt hockey in 2022 through his late friend, JB Harvey, whose passion for the sport left a lasting impact. Inspired by his experience, Caeden joined the Boston Whiplash and quickly became an active team member. In September 2024, Caeden was elected to the USVHA Board, where he works alongside other members to expand volt hockey across the United States and make adaptive sports more accessible to all.

Laura Calderón, Board Member
Laura is a software engineer that encountered volt hockey through a Diversability club event while a student at Northeastern University. Initially a dedicated volunteer, Laura has now transitioned to coaching the Boston Whiplash team. Laura is committed to supporting the development and growth of players and promoting inclusivity. A passionate "people person", her ultimate goal is to empower current and future volt hockey players both athletically and personally, helping them find community and reach their fullest potential.

Kim Damato, Board Member
Kim is an experienced sales professional who has dedicated 30 years of her career to selling medical equipment for her family's company, Rehabilitation Equipment Associates. Over the years, she has built a strong reputation in the industry and has developed a deep understanding of the unique needs and challenges faced by healthcare providers and their patients. In her free time, Kim volunteers for volt hockey and power soccer which highlights her compassion and dedication to making a positive difference in her community for individuals with disabilities.

Ryan Kennedy, Board Member
Ryan has spent a decade mastering the high-stakes worlds of finance and data and is currently a Senior Professional at a major data intelligence firm focusing on information security and compliance. Ryan was introduced to volt hockey through Marley and has enjoyed watching the sport, and the enthusiasm for it, grow. In his spare time, Ryan is a father of two amazing boys, and one amazing dog. He’s taken on his father’s love for photography and enjoys documenting his youngest son’s love for baseball, as well as attending and photographing concerts. He looks forward to bringing this same level of passion to volt hockey and the USVHA.

Doug McCullough, Board Member
Doug has spent nearly 30 years involved in adaptive sports and disability advocacy. Born with spinal muscular atrophy, he grew up active on his family’s dairy farm in Pennsylvania and has a long record of community service. He built a successful career in the dairy industry and later in supply chain at Johnson & Johnson, where he helped launch and grow their global disability employee group to 4,000 members. Since retiring in 2023, he focuses on disability empowerment and leadership. His first book, A Billion People in the Shadows, was published in 2024 and reached #1 in Amazon’s Business Diversity & Inclusion category.

Paula Swigert, Board Member
Paula is a supply chain and operations management professional who lives in Michigan with her husband. She was introduced to hockey through her sons, who both played youth ice and inline hockey in and around Michigan. Paula enjoys camping, hiking, horseback riding, and pretty much anything outdoors with her family. She is excited to contribute her efforts and skillset to growing Volt Hockey in the U.S.

Dave Yurik, Board Member
Dave, a dedicated board member of the USVHA, doubles as a coach for the Boston Whiplash volt hockey team of which his son is an active player. Dave's deep passion for hockey, evident in his staunch support for the Boston Bruins, now finds a profound outlet in volt hockey. Beyond the rink, he is an advocate for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a cause hitting close to home with his son's diagnosis. Through coaching, sharing the love for the game with his son, and relentless advocacy, Dave demonstrates a profound commitment to both the sport and raising awareness for genetic disorders like DMD.




