Introducing our Keynote Speaker, Kari Miller-Ortiz

Kari Miller-Ortiz is a three-time Paralympian, retired U.S. Army Sergeant, and Director of People & Culture at Move United, the national leader in community-based adaptive sports and recreation, serving 245+ member organizations across 45 states.

A member of the U.S. Sitting Volleyball team, Kari earned silver medals at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Paralympic Games and gold at the 2016 Rio Games, and was named 2009 Paralympian of the Year. She went on to serve as an NBC Paralympic analyst for the Tokyo 2020 Games.

In 1999, while on leave from military duty, Kari lost both legs when a drunk driver struck the vehicle she was riding in. Adaptive sports became central to her recovery — first wheelchair basketball, then sitting volleyball. She later founded the U.S. Paralympic Military Program, building adaptive sports programming for newly injured service members at Walter Reed, Bethesda Naval, and Fort Belvoir, and created the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program.

At Move United, Kari leads HR strategy, staff development, organizational policy, and workplace culture — work she describes as an extension of her mission: "Every policy I write, every system I build, and every person I invest in is an opportunity to make this ecosystem stronger for the next athlete who needs it." She is a frequent speaker on resilience, adaptive sports, and leadership.

Join us for great food, connection, and celebration!

Join us for the NRPA Annual Conference — the largest gathering of park and recreation professionals in the world! 

Don’t Miss Out!
When registering for the 2026 NRPA Conference, be sure to add your ticket for the Ethnic Minority Society Luncheon. This event sells out every year!

To sign up for the ticketed events, please make your selection during the conference registration process. If you already have registered for the conference, you can add the event to your current order by logging in to the registration site and modifying your registration. To purchase tickets to NRPA Annual Conference, click here.

Ethnic Minority Society (EMS) Luncheon
Thursday, October 1 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The Ethnic Minority Society Awards Luncheon is an annual luncheon that recognizes the different experiences of the recreation profession and provides an opportunity to network and learn more about the organization.

Email info@nrpems.org for more information or to sponsor an ad in the 2026 NRPEMS Sourvenir Book - space is limited so act now!