Dr. Junella Chin is an integrative cannabinoid medicine physician, having received her Medical Degree from Touro University and her BS- Nutrition & Food Science, Biochemistry from Cornell University. She is a Board Member of American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine, Association for Cannabis Health Equity and Medicine (ACHEM), Co-founder & Medical Director at Medical Cannabis Mentor, ​Chief Medical Advisor at CannabisMD.com, Miraculo, and Chief Medical Advisor at Artemis CBD Shop. 

For over a decade, Dr. Chin lived and practiced medicine in California, a state with legalized medical cannabis since 1996. Her integrative medical practice focuses on children and adults with intractable epilepsy, autism, cancer, and chronic pain. She has seen firsthand just how much medical cannabis can benefit patients. 

Dr. Chin is a chronic pain survivor. Doctors suggested opiate pain medications, steroids, epidurals, and ultimately surgery to fuse the spine. As a result of her experience, Dr. Chin decided to dedicate her medical career to finding effective, integrative and holistic approaches to patient care. She has been an advocate for better understanding of the science and medicine of cannabis and has been profiled for her work in St. Jude’s Medical Center, Huffington Post, Cornell University, Good Housekeeping, USA Today, and NBC TODAY. 

Dr. Chin and her team of doctors are now bicoastal, servicing patients of California and New York. They have been integrating medical cannabis since 2001. She is a frequent keynote speaker on the science and medicine of cannabis and has spoken at hospitals, conferences, and events all over the world.

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Dr. Chin discusses her experience with chronic pain, the intricacies of cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD), and how important it is that patients form a relationship with their doctor while being treated. She also talks about how tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) can be used to support our sleep. In the interview, viewers will see how Dr. Chin is a powerhouse of knowledge in medical and consumer perspectives about CBD applications in modern medicine and culture.

Victoria Arlen's life drastically changed in 2006 at the tender age of eleven when she developed two rare conditions known as Transverse Myelitis and Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis. This was an incredibly rare scenario and Victoria quickly lost the ability to speak, eat, walk and move. She slipped into a vegetative state in which doctors had written her off as a lost cause. Victoria spent nearly four years “locked” inside her own body completely aware of what was going on, just unable to move or communicate. Doctors believed there was little hope of survival and recovery was unlikely. Victoria, however, was not ready to give up. In 2010 after almost four years, she began the nearly impossible fight back to life. Learning how to speak, eat and move all over again. 

Victoria went on to exceedingly defy the odds and not only recovered but has since become an accomplished Motivational Speaker, Television Host and Swimmer. Her swimming resume includes three Silvers and a Gold medal from the London 2012 Paralympic Games as well as multiple World, American and Pan American Records. 

In April 2015, Victoria made the transition from professional athlete to sportscaster and joined ESPN as one of the youngest on air talents hired by the company and reports and hosts across all platforms. In the Spring of 2016 Victoria defied yet another odd and after spending nearly a decade in a wheelchair paralyzed from the waist down was able to learn how take one step after another and eventually not only did she learn how to walk but within a year and a half in the Fall of 2017 she learned to dance as a contestant on Season 25 of Dancing with the Stars. Victoria and her dance partner Val Chmerkovskiy quickly became fan favorites. 

Victoria is also carrying out her dream of helping others, serving as the Founder and Co-Chair of Victoria's Victory Foundation, a nonprofit that assists those with mobility challenges to achieve their own personal victory. 

Victoria’s book, titled Locked In, hit stores worldwide in August of 2018. In July of 2019 in addition to her ESPN duties, Victoria was announced as the new host of American Ninja Warrior Jr, Season 2 which launched in February 2020. In the last year Victoria has branched into more creative spaces in both acting, producing, fashion and hosting with a variety of projects currently in the works. 

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Victoria opens up about the importance of creating a bucket list, the smartest ways to stay physically strong, and her tactics for facing and embracing challenges. In the interview, viewers can clearly see that Victoria continues to push the boundaries of what others see as impossible. Victoria has become world famous, not only for her story and accomplishments, but for her message: “Face It, Embrace It, Defy It, Conquer It.”

Jared Hillman is a New York -raised and Los Angeles -based actor and filmmaker.  He studied at New York University and Ithaca College, before being accepted to Brown University. He earned a scholarship to University of South Carolina School of Cinematic Arts, where he graduated magna cum laude from the production program.  As an actor, he has guest-starred on television series like Psych, iCarly, NCIS: LA, Castle, Major Crimes, Without a Trace, and others, and has a supporting role in The Social Network. 

Jared was first diagnosed with Crohn's disease over two decades ago. Crohn's disease causes inflammation of the digestive tract, which can lead to abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, and malnutrition. Jared has gone through the many phases of Crohn's disease, both physical and emotionally. He is continuously in the process of adaptation and learning what his body needs.

Behind the camera, Jared has written and directed commercials, narrative short films, and digital series.  As part of creative duo Hillman/Helfgott, he co-produced/directed the award-winning short films, Tandem, The Listing Agent, and The Fake (and co-wrote the first two). Jared’s other directing ventures include The Jennies, the pilot The Pick-Up Sticks for New Form Digital, and The Escort, starring Doris Roberts.  

He is also the co-creator and director of the AwesomenessTV series a Teen Survival Guide, which was expanded into a longer format for Verizon, and the director of L.O.L Surprise Unboxed!, a branded series with over 250 million views. Jared also recently served as live-action director of the Amazon Originals holiday film, L.O.L. Surprise Winter Disco.

​Jared currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Natalie Lander,

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Jared speaks about his experience being diagnosed with Crohn's disease and living every day with an invisible illness. He discusses the hardest aspects of working in the entertainment industry while living with Crohn's Disease. Jared also shares resources and advice to others who are living with the disease. Jared hopes that this interview will help others out there who suffer from Crohn’s or battles with similar conditions.

The Honorable Chantal Petitclerc is an internationally renowned athlete, an advocate for people with a difference, a spokesperson for Défi Sportif in Montréal, an ambassador for the international Right to Play organization and a Member of the Senate of Canada. At the age of thirteen, Chantal was paralyzed from the waist down when a barn door fell on her while she was playing with friends on a farm near her hometown. Convincing her to take up swimming in order to develop her strength and stamina, her high school physical education teacher, Gaston Jacques, would have a decisive impact on her life. For Senator Petitclerc , that was her first contact with sport and training. Four years later, she would discover wheelchair athletics, paving the way for a long and very successful career which would take her to the Barcelona Games in 1992, and ultimately, to the Beijing Games in 2008.

Chantal returned from the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games with 5 gold medals, for a total of 21 Paralympic medals, including 4 gold medals, making her the most celebrated female track athlete in history, the most medaled Canadian Paralympic athlete, as well as the only Canadian athlete to have won gold medals at the Olympics, the Paralympics and the Commonwealth Games. 

Her career in numbers:

• Five Paralympic Games (Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing)
• 21 Paralympic medals (including 14 gold medals)
• 2 world records (200m, 400m)
• 3 Paralympic records (200m, 400m, and 1500m)
• 1 Olympic gold medal in the 800m (demonstration sport)
• 24 world records broken in her career

Chantal has received several recognitions for her sporting career, including being appointed Companion of the Order of Canada, being named Personality of the Year by La Presse newspaper (2004) and receiving the Laureus international award (2005).

Other recognition:

• Chevalier de l’Ordre du Québec (2005)
• Companion of the Order of Canada
• Lou Marsh Trophy as Canadian athlete of the year
• Star on Canada's Walk of Fame
• International Paralympic Committee Female athlete of the year
• La Presse Sports personality of the year
• Honorary Doctorate, University of Ottawa, University of Montréal, and University of Edmonton
• 2010 United States Sports Academy’s (USSA) Juan Antonio Samaranch IOC Disabled Athlete Award.
• Listed 7 times as one of the Most Influential Women in Sport ( CAAWS)

While the Beijing Games would be the last time she would be participating in track competitions, Chantal is still committed to giving back to the sport. In 2012, she was recruited as coach and mentor of the United Kingdom's track and field team at the London Paralympic Games. After her return to Canada, Chantal was named Chef de Mission for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. This was the first time in history that a Paralympic athlete led a team of combined Olympic and Paralympic athletes. 

Chantal Petitclerc is a highly sought-after speaker, and shares her story with dozens of groups each year, both throughout Canada and abroad. She participates in projects by various Paralympic athletics and sports organizations. In April 2016, Chantal Petitclerc became a Member of the Senate of Canada for Quebec. As a Senator, her goal is to improve the health for all Canadians, especially our youth, as well as the rights of persons with disabilities. 

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Senator Petitclerc shares her story of how she overcame adversity and many obstacles to become a proven leader in the sports world. Petitclerc also discusses, as a Member of the Senate of Canada, that she is a voice for inclusion for people with a difference, including Indigenous people with disabilities, as they often face barriers to employment, discrimination and accessibility issues. With grace and tenacity in all that she accomplishes, Senator Petitclerc states, “Excellence doesn’t happen accidently. It’s true; we can’t choose what happens to us in life. However, as an individual or a country, we can always choose the attitude we will have to face life’s challenges.” 

Alexandra Nicklas is a native New Yorker who lives with her mini goldendoodle, Sadie. Alexandra was born with an in utero stroke that was diagnosed at eight months. As a result, she had physical, learning, speech, and emotional deficits to overcome. Her right arm is weak and with her poor fine and gross motor skills it has affected her ability to perform two handed activities. In addition, her speech and language were also delayed. In the fourth grade, she started experiencing difficulties with attention, executive functioning, and reading comprehension. With treatment, Alexandra has learned to compensate for her difficulties. 

During her younger years Alexandra struggled, but no one expected that Alexandra would be diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 22. Her epilepsy is now under control  and she is now an advocate for all those affected with epilepsy. 

Interviewed by our Interview Series Director at Different & Able, Cameron Kalajian, Alexandra shares her epilepsy journey and her involvement with the epilepsy community.

Alexandra Nicklas was gracious enough to share her story as a patient speaker for freshFACES, below is a link to the speech she gave. 

FACES FALL E-NEWSLETTER 2018.pdf (nyu.edu)

Based in Delhi, India, Dr. Singh is best described as a healer, a teacher, a disability rights crusader, and an advocate for disability employment in the medical and health care industries. Acquiring a physical disability in his legs due to polio when he was nine months old, Dr. Singh went on to become a medical doctor and a professor at the University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi. A firm believer in diversity and inclusion, he fought discrimination to bring policy reforms that unlocked 1,674 faculty posts for doctors with disabilities. His tireless work also helped raise the bar for web accessibility standards in hospitals under the Government of Delhi.

As a professor, Dr. Singh strongly believes that education has the power to break down barriers in communication, attitudes, and opportunities for medical students with disabilities. Outside of the healthcare industry, Dr. Singh played an integral role in making India’s 2014 General Elections in Delhi accessible to people with disabilities. In recognition of his accomplishments, he received the State Award from the Government of Delhi. In 2017, Dr. Singh became the first Indian to win the Henry Viscardi Achievement Award. This prestigious award is given to extraordinary leaders in global disability activism. Today, he continues to work toward improved accessibility— including medical institutions, banks, and post offices — across India.

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Dr. Singh discusses how his locomotor disability was one of the factors that defined his characteristic traits of perseverance and resilience. Dr. Singh also tells of his work in advocating for equal access in medical education. In addition, he talks of his success with ensuring competencies around the care of patients with disabilities. As Dr. Singh states, ‘Don’t identify a person based on their disability. Just talk to them and respect them as human beings.” 

Born with no arms as a result of the drug Thalidomide, Alvin was adopted by a family who taught him that he could be whatever he wanted to be, and that anything was possible with hard work and a proper attitude. Using his feet for hands, Alvin found a sense of freedom. Alvin learned to perform routine activities including eating, dressing, playing sports, and becoming a musician. He also learned to play the drums, piano, and trombone. Alvin is a trained broadcaster, fundraiser, motivational speaker, award-winning musician, and bestselling author of the book, Alvin's Laws of Life: 5 Steps to Successfully Overcome Anything.

Alvin has shared his story and his mission to spark a worldwide “Attitude Revolution” since 1981. Alvin uses his story to challenge and inspire people to rewrite the negative stories they tell themselves about themselves. Over 7,500 corporations, organizations and groups on five continents have used Alvin to ignite, engage, and transform their groups. He has earned the designation of Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), an honour possessed by less than ten percent of professional speakers worldwide. In 2009, Alvin was inducted into the Canadian Association of Speakers (CAPS) Hall of Fame.

Prior to his career as a professional speaker, Alvin worked for non-profit groups, in advertising and public relations, the civil service, and has even run for public office. He has appeared on countless telethons and media features, and has been the subject of two award-winning television documentaries. In addition, Alvin has played a direct role in raising over $175,000,000 for charity.

Interviewed by our Different & Able President and Founder, Alexandra Nicklas, Alvin talks about his failures and triumphs throughout his life. He also discusses in detail his 5 Steps to Successfully Overcome Anything;  which Alvin believes are the secrets to meeting and conquering life's many challenges. Alvin proves that life may not be easy, but with the proper “road map” everyone with or without a difference can be victorious. “We all have obstacles in life. It is ultimately our attitude that determines whether they block our path to success, or strengthen us on our journey,” Alvin states.