The Alec Project

Alec has spent his life breaking barriers—not just for himself, but for the entire disability community. Born on May 8, 2002, Alec was diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), commonly known as brittle bone disease. Despite facing significant health challenges, Alec’s spirit remains unbroken, and he has become a beacon of hope and resilience for countless individuals. 

Alec’s association with Shriners Children’s began at a young age, where he received specialized care for his condition. Over the years, he has become a prominent volunteer and advocate for the hospital, appearing in numerous promotional campaigns and sharing his story with millions. His charismatic personality and unwavering positivity have made him an effective spokesperson, raising millions of dollars and awareness about OI and the vital work of Shriners Children’s. 

At just 22 years old, and over 20 orthopedic surgeries in the hospital, Alec has already built a career centered on amplifying voices that too often go unheard. He graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in journalism and has worked at some of the most prestigious media organizations, including NBC Sports during the Olympics and Paralympics, the Indiana Pacers, and even as a White House intern in the Office of Communications. His work has taken him to national platforms such as FOX, CBS, ESPN, and NBA on TNT, where he continues to advocate for inclusion in sports, media, and beyond.  

Alec has always understood the challenges of navigating a world that is not built for everyone. He is currently working with Northwestern University to make it more wheelchair accessible in the future and wants to develop many more plans for other colleges and universities to become more wheelchair accessible as well.  He started The Alec Project to make sure no one with a disability feels isolated, unheard, or left behind. Through this initiative, he is working to identify accessible public spaces, amplify disabled voices in the media, and provide custom-fit wheelchairs to those who need them. His goal is to create a world where mobility, opportunity, and dignity are available to everyone—because no one should feel like they are alone. 

Zach Dickey is a dedicated advocate for adaptive athletics and accessibility in higher education. He serves full-time at Auburn University as the Assistant Coach for the Wheelchair Basketball team and the Head Coach for the Power Soccer team. In these roles, Zach combines his coaching expertise with a commitment to fostering inclusive sports environments.

Holding a Master of Education in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling from Auburn University, Zach possesses a comprehensive understanding of mental health, disabilities, and the laws affecting students with disabilities. This academic foundation enhances his ability to support student-athletes both on and off the court.

Zach has been instrumental in establishing Auburn’s first collegiate power soccer team, making it the only university in the nation to offer such a program. His vision extends beyond Auburn, as he actively works to expand collegiate power wheelchair soccer programs to other universities across the country.

Beyond his coaching responsibilities, Zach is committed to enhancing accessibility at Auburn University, particularly for students with disabilities and student-athletes. His efforts aim to create a more inclusive campus environment that supports the success and well-being of all students.

Debbie is a nonprofit leader with more than 28 years of experience driving social change through strategic advocacy, grassroots organizing, and victim-centered initiatives. As Senior Managing Director of Organizing and Engagement at Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, she spearheads national and state-level strategies to combat gun violence, mobilizing nearly six million supporters and thousands of volunteers. Her efforts focus on critical areas such as safe gun storage, firearm suicide prevention, and forging partnerships with corporations and medical communities to build safer environments. Prior to this, Weir spent a decade at Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), rising from Vice President of Victim Services to Chief Executive Officer, where she oversaw a network of more than 200 affiliates. Under her leadership, MADD doubled its victim services to reach one individual every 15 minutes, contributing to a 50 percent reduction in drunk driving deaths and saving nearly 380,000 lives nationwide.

Inspired by the resilience of survivors and victims, Weir remains deeply committed to prevention and empowerment. She extends her impact through board service on the National Board of Directors for Safe Kids Worldwide, an organization dedicated to curbing unintentional childhood injuries, the leading cause of death for children in the United States, and the National Advisory Board for the One Love Foundation, which educates youth on healthy relationships to end relationship abuse. Her expertise in fund development, marketing, and stakeholder engagement has amplified mission-driven organizations, fostering inclusive movements that prioritize lived experiences and systemic reform. Joining the Alec Project board, Weir brings her proven track record in building capacity and visibility to advance accessibility, representation, and independence for people with disabilities, ensuring that no one is sidelined by barriers to full participation.

Patrick is the founder and CEO of Inclusion Connections (formerly Natural Ties) and Inclusion Solutions, two organizations created from his conviction that people with disabilities belong at the center of community life, not on the sidelines. While studying at the University of Kansas, a close friendship with a community member who is autistic inspired him to launch Natural Ties right out of college. The nonprofit is dedicated to building authentic, lasting relationships between college students and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through shared living, activities, and friendship. That same belief in belonging led him to start Inclusion Solutions, a social enterprise that designs practical, affordable products and consulting services to help small businesses, schools, places of worship, and public spaces become genuinely welcoming and accessible to everyone.

Based in his lifelong hometown of Evanston, Illinois, Patrick has spent more than two decades turning barriers into bridges. His work has earned local and national recognition for both innovation and impact, yet he measures success in moments of real connection, when a person with a disability walks into a space for the first time and is expected, included, and celebrated. Patrick joins the Alec Project board bringing hands-on experience in creating inclusive communities, scalable accessibility solutions, and a deep understanding that true inclusion is not an add-on; it is the foundation of a society that works for all of us. He remains driven by the simple joy of watching people connect, belong, and flourish.