Who We Are

A2a was formed in 2004 by Brian Skeels, Jenny Catrambone and Erin Bean.

Brian Skeels, RET Founder, Executive Director
Brian is a Rehabilitation Engineer Technologist (RET) and is lead sales associate for a durable medical equipment dealer in Rhode Island. He sits on an advisory panel for a nationally-based Rehabilitation Engineering Research center for accessible exercise and recreation. Brian has over seven years of experience in working with adults, adolescents and children with neurological disabilities. Brian earned his RET degree from Vermont Technical College.

Brian is a dedicated and active volunteer with the White Mountain Adaptive Snow sports school at Loon Mountain in New Hampshire, and with the Shake-A-Leg adaptive sailing program in Newport, Rhode Island. Brian and his family live in Tiverton, RI. Brian's wife Sarah is a paraplegic as a result of a bicycle accident in 1990. The couple has traveled extensively, including Bonaire to snorkel and scuba dive, and the mountain west to ski and snowboard. Brian and Sarah were part of a first adaptive ascent of Tuckerman's Ravine, NH with another fellow hiker with a disability. In 2000 they coordinated a cross-country hand-cycling trip from Seattle to Newport. The trip, "Ride to Provide" made stops along the route to talk to schools and other groups to help raise awareness about the potential of people with disabilities. They are active sports enthusiasts.
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Jenny Catrambone, CTRS Founder, Program Director
Jenny Catrambone graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a B.S in Recreation Management and Policy with a specialization in Therapeutic Recreation. She is recognized by the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). Jenny has worked for various non-profit organizations across the country providing therapeutic recreation services and recreation programming for the last eight years. Jenny's experience includes co-leading groups of children, teenagers and adults with and without disabilities on hiking and camping trips, as well as white water rafting and canoeing trips. Jenny has planned programs for after-school day camps, summer camps, environmental education camps and sports adventure camps. Jenny is experienced in facilitating ropes courses around the country and internationally. In this line of work, she has developed her skills leading groups in team building activities and problem solving initiatives.
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Erin Bean, CTRS Founder, Program Director
Erin Bean holds a B.B.A. degree in Marketing from Georgia Southern University and a B.S. degree in Recreation Therapy from Georgia State University. Erin is recognized by the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). She has over six years of experience with implementing and managing sports, recreation and leisure programs specifically designed for adults and adolescents with physical disabilities.

For 5 years Erin was the Director of Recreation for summer programs at Shake-A-Leg in Newport, RI. Erin collaborated on a 3-year health promotion research project with Brown University and PARI Independent Living Center, where she composed the curriculum, implemented adaptive sport, strength and conditioning programs for adults with physical disabilities and assisted in the research for the Project.

Erin is an AFAA and FRA Certified Personal Trainer and a Johnny G. Spinning Instructor at East Bay Fitness in Warren, RI. She teaches group cycling and provides one-on-one personal training where she helps individuals achieve their fitness goals. Erin's volunteer activities include work at the Shepherd Center, Atlanta, GA where she provided one-on-one client therapy with the Aquatics Specialist, educated patients on the use of adaptive equipment during sports clinics and assisted the Rolling Thunder quadriplegic rugby team during their 1997 season.
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A2a is governed by a nine member board of directors.