About Me.

Hi there world! My name is Caitlyn Connelly and I am committed to changing people’s perspectives with my own unique experience. I have cerebral palsy and dystonia and use a power wheelchair, but refuse to let those define me. From an early age, I have been an avid reader and have always loved books. My all time favorite book is My Perfect Imperfections by Jalpa Williby. My favorite non-fiction books are Inside My Outside by Sara Pyszka and Ghost Boy by Martin Pistorius. My favorite audiobook is Good Kings Bad Kings by Susan Nussbaum. I love how words can transport you somewhere else and create more understanding as well as openness. I find communication fascinating and like my favorite authors I am passionate about bringing people together to connect, share, learn and just have fun. Before graduating high school, I organized the first ever Stomp Out Dystonia 5K walk to educate my community with a fun day. While pursuing my communications degree at Holy Family University, I overcame stigma and isolation by starting the campus organization IDEA - Interdisciplinary Disability Education and Acceptance. In my free time, I enjoy swimming, binging shows, spending time with my parents and five younger siblings - a set of twins and a set of triplets, mentoring others with disabilities and eating a lot of water ice and Reese’s peanut butter cups.
EDUCATION

Holy Family University, Philadelphia, PA                                                                          
​Bachelor of Arts in Communications December 2019
Summa Cumm Laude
•    Founder and President of Interdisciplinary Disability Education and Acceptance (IDEA)
•    Dean’s List from Freshman to Senior Year
•    Lambda Pi Eta Honors Society

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EXPERIENCE / SKILLS

Stomp Out Dystonia 5K Walk, Bensalem, PA                                                                                       May 2015
Event Planner
  • Organized, planned and hosted the first Stomp Out Dystonia Event
  • Created and branded the name “Stomp Out Dystonia”
  • Promoted, obtained sponsors and waivers, coordination of schedules and merchandise distribution
  • Obtained 20 sponsors, 400 participants that walked and raised over $16,000 

IDEA at Holy Family University, Philadelphia, PA
February 2016 - December 2019 
Founder and President 
  • Supported and encouraged students to voice opinions on how to make Holy Family University a more accepting and positive place to learn, in a holistic fashion
  • Increase socialization between students of all abilities, eradicating stereotypes and assumptions that lead to discomfort within the Holy Family Community
  • Creator of club’s constitution, coordinate, arrange and manage club events, responsibilities and initiatives, namely guest speaking, book discussions and social gatherings and hosting

Christine’s Garden, Bensalem, PA
May 2018-June 2018
Intern
  • Wrote blog posts for the company’s website, appealing to all clientele
  • Created Instagram posts to promote business goods and services
  • Assisted in the implementation of Instagram to monitor guests requests and feedback

Afton Elementary School, Yardley, PA
October 2018
Guest speaker to second graders
  • ​Educated students about cerebral palsy, answered questions and encouraged students to include and accept another student with cerebral palsy


Woodside Presbyterian Church, Yardley, PA
June 2017, June 2018 and August 2019
Assisted in leading "A Special Way" Vacation Bible School 
  • Offered a unique perspective to make activities more inclusive to children of varying abilities 

Temple University’s ACES’ Talking with Doctors Strand, Philadelphia, PA
​October 2020 - December 2020
Participant and consultant
  • Engaged and communicated with other young adults who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) as well as experts to discuss and find ways to  improve communication with the medical community, especially treating physicians
  • Created multimedia tools to educate each other, our communities and our doctors
  • Provided feedback on how medical advocacy could be better taught to AAC users 

Belmont Hills Elementary School, Bensalem, PA
October 2021
Guest speaker to fifth graders
  • ​Educated students about cerebral palsy, answered questions and encouraged students to include and accept another student with cerebral palsy

Temple University Tech OWL, Philadelphia, PA
September 2022 - 
AAC User Consultant
  • Reviewed and expanded existing materials alongside the Tech OWL Team and other AAC user consultants
  • Assisted in planning the ACES 2023 program
  • Presenter at ACES 2023 as part of the AAC Speaker Series, "My AAC Experience & How to be a Respectful Communication Partner"



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AWARDS, PUBLICATIONS & RECOGNITION
 
Assisted assessments for the Bucks County Intermediate Unit’s website for accessibility in May and June 2019
Certificate of Appreciation from the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation for Stomp Out Dystonia 5K
Certificate of Appreciation for the IDEA Speaker Events
Dystonia Dialogue Spring 2022 edition, "Worth a Thousand Words: How to be a Respectful Communication Partner to AAC Users"
Guest speaker to special education classes at Holy Family University 
Involved in Communication First's Assuring Better Communication for Deciding Together (ABCD) Initiative in the spring of 2021
Holy Family University Core Value Award Recipient, “Family”
Holy Family University Passive Program of the Year Award, IDEA’s Kindness Wall
Holy Family University Registered Student Organization Mission and Core Value Award for IDEA
Holy Family University 2018 Folio, Best Pose Award “Cope, Control, Concentrate”
Holy Family University 2019 Folio, “Today Is a Day” and “Simply Being”  
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