Johnnie Tuitel (pronounced title like a book) was born with cerebral palsy, and has used a wheelchair his entire life. He attended East Grand Rapids Public Schools where he was the first disabled student legally mainstreamed in the State of Michigan. His disability has never kept him down.

Johnnie loves making college students laugh through his humorous and entertaining stories of life. He easily puts to rest any tensions that may arise because of the wheelchair and he makes his audience comfortable with his disability.

Students, staff, and faculty all over the country have said they were absolutely thrilled with Johnnie’s messages and they would recommend him for any campus dealing with issues of acceptance, self esteem, and motivation.

Don’t just bring in any motivational speaker for your students, fill the seats by brining Johnnie Tuitel, America’s Pioneer Handicapitalist ® to motivate and inspire your students. Johnnie has specific presentations that relate to the following areas, or he can work with you to customize a lecture, workshop, or in-service:

Freshman Orientation: The Transition from H.S. to College
Disability Awareness
Leadership Development
Greek Life
Community Service Learning

To find out more information on other topics like Sports Motivation, Staff Training, and Corporate Events check out Johnnie's Site.

   
 

Johnnie is a motivational speaker and has made presentations for conventions, colleges and universities, corporations and businesses, schools and sports teams throughout America. He was the State of Michigan United Way "Speaker of the Year" for 5 years in a row.

Johnnie’s leadership experience includes being the founder of Alternatives in Motion, a non-profit organization that purchases wheelchairs for people needing financial help with their mobility. Unique in the country, for the 2003-2004 school year, Alternatives in Motion was selected by the Michigan Association of Student Councils as their Charity of the Year. Hundreds of schools in Michigan raised money for wheelchairs. In 2003, the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation presented a Quality of Life Grant to Alternatives in Motion.

Johnnie has authored five books in the Gun Lake Adventure Series. The unique hero is a boy in a wheelchair. A 6th book, The Light in Bradford Manor, was published in June of 2004.

Johnnie, his wife Deb, and three boys reside in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is a graduate of Hope College in Holland, Michigan.

   
   Johnnie's Recent Accomplishments:
   

1995
Board of Directors - Alternatives in Motion
Executive Director, 1995 - 1999
Development Director, 2000 - present

1997
President Gerald R. Ford presented Johnnie with an Award for community service for his work with Alternatives in Motion.

1998
Appointed to the State of Michigan Commission on Disability Concerns by Governor John Engler. Re-appointed 2001

  
   

1998
Recipient of the National Easter Seals Society's prestigious EDI Award (Equality, Dignity, Independence) The EDI was awarded in New York for documentary "Johnnie Tuitel: In Motion" produced by WXMI Fox 17 in documents barriers Johnnie overcame and the founding of Alternatives in Motion.

2000
Selected to present a "National Showcase" lecture at the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA) National Convention in Boston.

2001
Appointed to Board of Directors - United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan

2003
Received the 2003 Distinguished Alumni Award from Hope College.

 
   
 
   
 
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