SPECIAL STRONG CHAMPIONS FOUNDATION - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- President
- Founder, CEO, Special Strong and
Daniel has always had a heart for the special needs population. In 2016, Daniel and his wife Trinity felt God's calling to launch Special Strong, one of the only fitness organizations in the country for individuals with mental, physical, and cognitive challenges. Today, Special Strong continues to specialize in adaptive and inclusive fitness training and is making a difference in the lives of children, adolescents, and adults all over the world. After starting Special Strong, they realized that there are families who cannot afford to pay for specialized fitness services, so Special Strong Champions Foundation was formed to help support these families.
Daniel and Trinity are parents to daughter Mercy, age 3 and son Judah, age 2, along with two Morkies, Teddy and Bear. Daniel's favorite hobby is weightlifting, and he is an avid speed reader. He is most passionate about children's charities and mental health causes. Daniel became a Christian in 2009 and he continues to grow in his faith and service to the Lord. His favorite verse is Matthew 6:33.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Treasurer
Melanie is a native Texan, born in Baytown and now residing in McKinney. She and her husband Brent have been married for 31 years and have two sons, Zachary, 28 and Luke, 25 as well as their dog Callie. Melanie was introduced to Special Strong with her son Luke being one of the first Special Strong participants.
Melanie has a BBA in Accounting from Stephen F. Austin. She began her career as an auditor with Price Waterhouse and has continued to use her accounting knowledge in volunteer capacities while being a stay-at-home mom. Melanie is an avid sports fan, especially for any sport related to Baylor University, as well as the NBA Phoenix Suns. When she is not cheering for her favorite teams, she can be found teaching preschoolers at Bible Study Fellowship. She also loves games and puzzles. Melanie is ardent in her relationship with Jesus and is an advocate for people with different needs being given the opportunity to have these needs met.
Fun fact about Melanie is she loves organizing and cleaning. Melanie's favorite bible passage is Matthew 22:37-40.
Officer Terry has been in law enforcement for over 31 years, serving in a variety of capacities and is currently a City of McKinney Crisis Intervention Officer. While Terry has received recognition for his work in law enforcement, he is equally as proud of his involvement with Special Olympics for the past 25 years. He also trains police officers on how to respond to calls regarding people with special needs.
Terry's passion and experience comes from being the parent of Alexandria (Alex). Terry was introduced to Special Strong when Alex started fitness training there. He personally observed the joy Alex felt when given the opportunity to work out and watched her personal growth.
Terry and his wife Christine live in McKinney along with Alex and their 2 dogs, Lorelei and Kai. He enjoys fishing and is on a quest to visit every Major League baseball stadium. His hidden talent is creating floral arrangements, which he learned to do when he was a delivery driver for a florist in high school.
Terry has a strong personal relationship with Jesus Christ and credits him with guiding him to where he is today. His favorite verse is Isaiah 41:10.