Lead Advocate Certification: Module 2

Nicole Ver Kuilen is a disability rights advocate, cancer survivor, and social impact entrepreneur dedicated to using her talents for meaningful, systemic change. She founded the nonprofit advocacy organization, Forrest Stump, after facing insurance denials for nearly two decades, and completing a 1,500-mile ultra-triathlon on a prosthesis built only for walking. Her innovative advocacy and awareness campaigns have sparked national change, laying the foundation for her current role as Director of Impact Campaigns at the Amputee Coalition and Campaign Lead for So Every BODY Can Move, a landmark state-based policy initiative increasing access to prostheses and orthoses for physical activity as medically necessary healthcare.

Nicole brings over 10 years of experience in nonprofit management, social entrepreneurship, and disability justice. She is the producer and feature of the award-winning documentary film 1500 Miles and has seen her advocacy efforts featured by numerous media outlets and outdoor brands, including MPR News, Fox, VICE, REI, Strava, On, Merrell, Osprey, and Cotopaxi. Her work has earned her several accolades, including the Mohamed Amin Award for Humanitarian Service at the 2020 AAOP Academy Meeting, recognition as a Grand Prize Winner in Merrell and VICE’s “Future 40 Under 40” changemakers campaign in 2021, Dare2Tri’s 2022 One Impacts Many award, and the Amputee Coalition’s 2024 Values in Action award. Additionally, she received a signed poster from actor and filmmaker Tom Hanks in recognition of her efforts.

You can often find her running through the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, which she proudly calls home. Nicole is a 4x marathoner, 2x 50k ultramarathoner, Paratriathlon National Champion, and 2nd place finisher at the Boston Marathon in 2023 and 2024. Nicole is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

Olivia Keller recently joined the Government Relations team at the Amputee Coalition as the Public Policy Manager. Prior to joining the Amputee Coalition, Olivia was the Senior Public Policy Analyst at Disability Rights Florida where she worked with the rest of the Public Policy team to track and analyze the impact of relevant state and federal legislation on people with disabilities and helped set Disability Rights Florida’s legislative priorities. Being born with a physical disability herself, she previously assisted others with disabilities acquire independent living skills as the Peer Mentor at the Suncoast Center for Independent Living. Olivia also served on the Citizens with Disabilities advisory board for the City of Sarasota, FL and was a candidate for the Florida Senate in 2018. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Memphis where she graduated cum laude and is currently working towards her Master’s in Disability Studies through the City University of New York.