Our story
WE ARE ADAPTIVE IMPACT
When Dana was diagnosed with a motor neuron disease, life started to change—abilities faded, but the fire to live life hard burned brighter than ever. Cofounders Dana and Iva leaned into their shared love of adrenaline sports and travel to find new ways to keep living fully, not despite the challenges, but through them.
From paragliding to purpose—Bobby, who first flew with Dana when her symptoms began, helped engineer adaptive ways to keep her launching and landing strong. That same spirit of resilience and reinvention is what sparked ADAPTIVE IMPACT.
With Iva’s deep nonprofit experience and a mission to make freedom and adventure accessible to all, Adaptive Impact was born: a movement redefining what’s possible through adaptation, courage, and community.
This isn’t about limits. It’s about living fully—differently, fiercely, and together.
Founders
Dana is a passionate adaptive athlete, storyteller, and co-founder of Adaptive Impact. Diagnosed with a motor neuron disease in 2023, she chose to live louder, freer, and bolder than ever. Her journey from subtle symptoms to full-time mobility challenges hasn’t grounded her — it’s lifted her.
Through paragliding, skiing, and other adaptive adventures, Dana discovered something powerful: freedom from her diagnosis. In those moments, she felt strong, alive, and limitless — and that freedom sparked a mission to help others feel it too.
Her message is simple but fierce: “When you can no longer walk, learn to fly.”
With courage, humor, and an unyielding drive to live life to the fullest, Dana co-created Adaptive Impact to help others with mobility limitations reclaim movement, adventure, and joy — not despite the obstacles, but through them.
Iva Velkovska is a passionate advocate with over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector. She founded Generation Impact, a nonprofit with a mission to uplift underserved communities and champion inclusivity. Over the years, she has led successful fundraising campaigns, developed impactful programs, and fostered meaningful community connections. Her ability to create positive, inclusive volunteer experiences has helped build strong, lasting support around her initiatives.
Iva met Dana three years ago, and just a year into knowing her, she witnessed Dana receive a life-altering neurodegenerative diagnosis. As Dana’s physical abilities began to shift, her adventurous spirit never faded. That resilience became the spark for Iva to evolve her mission—transforming Generation Impact into Adaptive Impact, a new chapter co-founded with Dana.
Motivated by Dana’s journey, Iva turned her focus toward creating transformative experiences for individuals living with mobility challenges. Today, she brings her expertise and heart to helping provide adaptive experiences and raise awareness of these options that foster empowerment, connection, and joy. By combining a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by the adaptive community with a lifelong commitment to social impact, Iva is dedicated to helping turn the “impossible” into possible.
Bobby Brown
Board Member, Adaptive Impact
Bobby is an adventurer, paragliding pilot, and a key force behind Adaptive Impact. As Dana’s best friend, he’s stood by her from the first signs of her motor neuron disease through her diagnosis and the birth of their shared mission.
The two learned to paraglide together, chasing freedom in the sky. When Dana could no longer launch or land solo, Bobby adapted their process with love and creativity, becoming her liftoff and landing gear.
Now an Advanced Tandem Instructor, Bobby enables Dana and others in the adaptive community to experience the joy of flight. With steady presence and deep empathy, he’s helped lift Adaptive Impact off the ground — and keeps it soaring.
Diana Catalina Beltran Gonzalez
Secretary, Adaptive Impact
Catalina is a sustainability strategist and educator with a background in global hospitality, consulting, and inclusive design. Her work is rooted in helping organizations serve with intention and care.
Since her time in hospitality, Catalina has been drawn to service beyond the workplace — volunteering in orphanages, supporting those in need, and spending time in homeless shelters. These experiences deepened her understanding of dignity, inclusion, and what it means to truly show up for others.
Meeting Iva and Dana added a new perspective — a reminder of the quiet strength in resilience and the importance of human connection.
When Adaptive Impact began to take shape, Catalina saw it as a natural extension of her values. She contributes with strategy, presence, and compassion. She believes that when we design for movement with compassion, we create pathways not just to places, but to connection, community, and belonging.
