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Kari Miller-Ortiz

Kari Miller-Ortiz

Former US Army Sergeant Kari Miller lost both her legs when a car she was in was hit by a drunk driver while she was on leave from military duty in 1999. She discovered sitting volleyball after playing other wheelchair based sports including her favorite, wheelchair basketball. Through dedicated training and coaching, she made the US Paralympic Team. She started competing for the Paralympic Games in 2007 where she won a Silver Medal for her participation at the Sitting Volleyball Invitational. In 2008, she participated at the World Organization Volleyball for Disabled where she won a Bronze Medal and the same year got another Silver Medal for her participation at 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China.

During this time Kari began working for the US Paralympic Military program and was responsible for setting up the program for newly injured service members at Walter Reed, Bethesda naval, and Ft Belvoir facilities, with an emphasis on positive profile utilization (what the service member can do vs cant). In 2009, Miller was awarded as Paralympian of the Year. In 2010, she won a Silver Medal at the Parapan American Championship which was held in Colorado and the same year got a Gold Medal for another WOVD Championship. In 2011 and 2012 respectively she won three Gold Medals at ECVD Continental Cup, Parapan American Zonal Championship, and Volleyball Masters. She also got a 4th Silver Medal for her participation at 2012 Paralympic Games in London and ultimately a Gold Medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio.

Throughout her Paralympic career Kari has also worked with multiple services to create adaptive programing and events. Kari also created and ran the community programs US Air Force wounded ill and injured program. Kari has served as sitting volleyball coaches for both Army and Air Force sitting volleyball teams for the Wounded Ill and injured.

As Move United’s Director of People and Culture. Kari leads the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and programs of Move United by overseeing a variety of internal and external DEI programs, including leading the organization’s DEI Leadership Committee, of which she previously served as a member. The committee provides strategic insight, direction, and recommendations to the Executive Director as to how the organization should commit financial, operational and human resources. The committee includes leaders in the adaptive sports movement with diverse perspectives and experiences and meets regularly to assess how Move United can better serve persons with disabilities, particularly those of diverse backgrounds. Committee members help identify the gaps and barriers in the adaptive sports field and act as champions of necessary change.

Position

  • Director of People & Culture

The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leadership Team includes a diverse representation of voices from the disability community and will regularly meet to assess and create best practices through policy and programs. The group’s focus is on how Move United may better serve each person with a disability. Members are tasked with identifying the gaps and barriers in the Adaptive Sports community and are champions of necessary change. To learn more or contact members of the team, please email equity@moveunitedsport.org.