About
Jen's passion and personal mission lies in educating the community about and celebrating the capabilities and abilities of those who have cerebral palsy while promoting their health, acceptance, inclusion and meaningful participation in any and all desired endeavors across the lifespan.
She is the parent of a young adult son Bower, who has complex, quadriplegic CP including visual and communication impairments. He is a healthy, happy New Orleanean who loves festivals, working out, eating sushi, swimming, school, and so much more.
Jen Lyman is the Content Manager for CPResource.org, the cerebral palsy health education website for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. CPResource.org is the largest CP-focused digital information resource for families and people with cerebral palsy. Jen is the central recruiter for multiple CPF supported research studies and clinical trials giving her the opportunity to speak directly with families providing information and resources
A little background: Sometimes things are meant to be, prior to the birth of her son, Jen’s academic training and career path were focused on breaking down barriers to participation for those with disabilities. Her career began as a therapeutic recreation specialist serving adults and children with developmental and psychiatric disabilities in the group home and inpatient setting to promote social and leisure activity participation. Later, she transitioned to case management for children and adolescents with significant disabilities in therapeutic foster care. In that role, she created Adventure Respite, a therapeutic respite program that took her clients on weekend camping and outdoor adventures. The program was recognized nationally for its innovative approach to respite care and Jen was awarded Social Service Worker of the year for the State of Georgia for its creation.
Jen is volunteer coordinator of the Cerebral Palsy Collaborative, to advocate for cerebral palsy research funding at national level. She is the past Chair of the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine Community Council and she serves on the advocacy board of Numotion.
Jen holds an M.S. from University of Florida’s College of Health and Human Performance. She is a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, has a certification in Conductive Education, and is a certified yoga instructor with a specialty in yoga for brain injury. She lives in New Orleans with her husband, Chris, Bower and their golden retriever Everest.