Ali Ingersoll
Ali’s life took an unexpected turn when a tragic accident left her paralyzed at 27 leaving her paralyzed from the chest down. While she grappled with feelings of hopelessness through 7 years of life altering diagnoses, she was convinced her life had reached its end. Through her journey of self-discovery, she learned how to shift her thinking through harnessing the power of persistence to overcome incredible adversity.
Ali’s courage to embrace her paralysis as a catalyst for transformation paved the way for becoming a professional speaker, disability consultant, fierce advocate, and Ms. Wheelchair America.
Ali’s powerfully authentic story serves as a testament to the power of resilience in order to empower others in adapting to the unknown and advocating for inclusivity.
Ali Focuses On
Embracing Change to empower others help themselves exceed.
Working to help others to cease seize defining opportunities in their life, both personally and professionally.
Teaching people how to take action on sparking meaningful transformation to improve outcomes.
The beginining of the fight of her life.
Ali was injured in a 2010 shallow water diving accident at 27 years old in her home in the Bahamas leaving her a C6 quadriplegic paralyzed from the chest down and a full-time wheelchair user.
When Ali was in the ICU, her father and mentor told her something that resonates with her each day: “Darling, you may no longer have full use of your body, but your mind is your most powerful asset.” This inspires Ali each and every day to focus on helping others and finding a purpose larger than herself – Human empathy, kindness, and compassion.
Ali spent nearly 7 years in hospitals from a myriad of secondary complications arising from her spinal cord injury. Ali became a disability advocate helping individuals navigate the health insurance appeals process in the United States. Ali embraces a firm philosophy of being able to thrive in life, not just survive, despite living with a significant disability.
Seizing control of her life again.
In 2016, Ali seized control of her life and now works with individuals, nonprofits and corporations to advance disability inclusion in corporate DEI, organizational strategy, digital accessibility, inclusive design, disability legislation, and strives to normalize disability in our society. Her award-winning entrepreneurial business degree from the University of Miami continues to pay dividends in all of her work.
What is the spark in your life or in your organization that will ignite change? This is precisely what Ali focuses on to advance inclusion through working personally with individuals and professionally with companies to increase their success in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and, most importantly, in the Belonging landscape.
Most importantly, Ali believes it’s not just what you do, but also about why you do it. Ali radiates inspiration and intense drive by offering perspective shifts in changing people’s personal and professional lives.
Using the lens of her own disability story, Ali gets up on stage to change one life at a time. “It’s not about me, it’s about authentically helping others to find their own path in life,” especially for those with disabilities.
Turning her passions into a meaningful plan
Ali has been appointed by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper to the State Wide Independent Living Council and she is Chairwoman of the Board for Alliance of Disability Advocates, as well as Board member of Mobility Trust Group, Board member of Billion Strong, Board member of the United Spinal Association, and on the Board of advisors for the Next Step Foundation. She is also the Titleholder for Ms. Wheelchair America 2023 advocacy competition and Ambassador for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. Ali graduated from the University of Miami Herbert Business School in 2006 with a BBA degree in Entrepreneurship and one not Business Schools Rothschild Prize.
A documentary of Ali’s life will be released worldwide in the winter of 2024, which she hopes will inspire others to learn how to turn their own passions into a meaningful plan within their own lives.
