Saturday, October 18, 2025, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
north valley disability expo
October 18 | 9:00am-2:00pm
The North Valley Disability Expo is presented by the Highlands Special Needs Ministry and Joni & Friends of Arizona. It includes a free vendor fair featuring over 25 vendors providing resources from various aspects of the disability community.
The expo also features a conference providing education, training, resources and useful tools for parents, professionals, ministry leaders and anyone who loves and provide services to kids and adults with disabilities. The conference includes a keynote presentation as well as two breakout session times with six different session topics to choose from. Lunch is provided for conference attendees.
The conference fee is $25, and the vendor fair is free for anyone to attend.
Respite care will be available by registration only. Cost of respite is $10 per child.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
- 9:00am - Arrival and Vendor Resource Fair
- 10:00am - Welcome & Keynote by Daniel & Sue Stratman
- 10:45am - Breakout Session 1
- 11:30am - Lunch (box lunch included with conference fee)
- 12:30pm - Breakout Session 2
- 1:25pm - Closing & Next Steps
Keynote Speakers: Daniel & Sue Stratman
Daniel Stratman, born with an undetected congenital heart defect in 1984, would undergo three critical open heart surgeries during his first 11 years of life, also suffering a severe anoxic brain injury during one of the procedures. This left Daniel unable to see, speak normally, walk on his own, nor take care of his own physical needs for the rest of his life. But in spite of his disabilities, God equipped Daniel to do things no one thought humanly possible. He graduated from Emmaus University in 2011, co-authored a book with his parents entitled, When Losing is Winning, served on the Development Board of Joni and Friends Arizona, assists with his mother's basket ministry for families affected by disabilities, and often shares the stage with his mother, telling of God’s faithfulness and strength during trials.
Sue Stratman is Daniel's mother and a college professor at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa. She travels the country speaking about her family's experience with Daniel's disability. Her passion today is to proclaim a message of faith and hope in the midst of life’s difficulties - that Jesus Christ is truly love and faithfulness!
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Conference attendees can choose two sessions from the following:
- Understanding the Special Needs Family
Missy Farrington, Special Needs Minister at Highlands Church - Disability and Life Skills
Rachel Fiorentino, author and founder of Life Skills Unlocked - Positive Behavior Support
Brittany Olsen, Behavior Analyst and Director ADAPT Special Needs Ministry at Rock Point Church - Navigating Mental Health in Ministry
Deborah Geesling, Disability Advocate and founder of P82 Homes - Disability and Marriage
Matt & Glori Nuessle, founders of Hidden Gifts Ministry - Believing They Can: Assuming Competence
Jenna Anderson, MT-BC, NMT, founder of Therapy Foundations