COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – The National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) Athletes’ Advisory Council (AAC) and Governance Committee are excited to announce the winners of the election filling four open Athlete Representative positions. These four athletes have been elected by their peers to represent the athlete voice at the highest level of the organization with the NWBA Board of Directors and Committees and actively participate in strategic initiatives of the organization.

Newly elected Athlete Representatives, Curtis Bell, Mark Shepherd, Steve Serio and Rose Hollermann will join previously elected Gail Gaeng, Andrea Woodson-Smith, Eric Barber, Harsh Thakkar and Josie Aslakson on the NWBA AAC. In addition, Shepherd, Serio and Hollermann will assume a position with the NWBA Board of Directors. Serio and Hollermann will also serve, in order, as the Athlete Representative and Alternate Athlete Representative representing the NWBA with the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) AAC. 

Bell, Shepherd and Hollermann will be serving their first term in an elected leadership role while Serio will serve his second term as the USOPC AAC Representative – his first term was 2016 – 2020. In 2020, Serio was elected as the USOPC AAC Alternate Athlete Representative and will now fill the USOPC AAC Representative position. The NWBA’s USOPC AAC Representative role was currently vacant after Darlene Hunter resigned from the role having been elected as the NWBA Board of Directors President in March 2022. 

Representing the athlete voice, all of these elected athletes will foster two-way dialogue and also represent the athlete perspective with various groups within the NWBA.

“We are thrilled to formally increase the athlete voice in the leadership of the NWBA,” said Darlene Hunter, NWBA Board of Directors President. “It is critical that athlete representatives be included in our focus and strategies in order to expand the NWBA to be a stronger and more sustainable organization. Personally, I am thrilled to work more closely with each of these talented individuals off the court to influence the direction of the NWBA.”

• NWBA Athletes’ Advisory Council (NWBA AAC) Member: Curtis Bell
  -Filling the unexpired term of two years 2022-2024
   
• NWBA Board of Directors Athlete Director: Mark Shepherd
  -Will also assume a member position with the NWBA AAC
  -Filling the unexpired term of three years 2022-2025
   
• USOPC AAC Representative: Steve Serio
  -Will also assume an Athlete Director position with the NWBA Board of Directors and a member position with the NWBA AAC 
  -Filling the unexpired term of two years 2022-2024
   
• USOPC AAC Alternate Representative: Rose Hollermann
  -Will also assume an Athlete Director position with the NWBA Board of Directors and a member position with the NWBA AAC 
  -Filling the unexpired term of two years 2022-2024

For bios and more information on the responsibilities and contact information for members of the NWBA AAC and Board of Directors please visit: https://www.nwba.org/managementleadership.