The Michigan Occupational Special Populations Association (MOSPA) is pleased to welcome K-12 educators, post-secondary faculty and staff, community partners, administrators, non-profit partners, government agencies, and other professionals to the in-person 2024 State MOSPA Conference! Each year the state conference committee puts together an event that meets both the expressed wishes and diverse needs of our attendees. That means we are trying to make sure each time slot offers speakers and topics of interest to both secondary and post-secondary conference attendees.
For more information, direct any questions regarding the 2025 MOSPA State Conference contact the following:
Registration is live for the 2025 Michigan Occupational Special Populations Association (MOSPA) Conference! Join us April 30-May 2, 2025, at Boyne Mountain Resort in Boyne, Michigan.
We welcome K-12 educators, post-secondary faculty and staff, community partners, administrators, non-profit partners, government agencies, and other professionals to this year’s conference. Hear cutting-edge ideas from experts in secondary and post-secondary education, learn from innovative speakers, network and socialize with fellow educators. We hope you can join us!
Please note the “Meal Only Guest” option is for guests who are ONLY attending just meals, a separate registration will need to be completed for those who are attending the full conference.
"Dr. Oluwaferanmi Okanlami is the Director of Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services at the University of Michigan, where he oversees the office of Services for Students with Disabilities, two Testing Accommodation Centers, Academic Support and Access Partnerships, and is the founding director of the Adaptive Sports & Fitness Program. He is also an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Urology, and Orthopaedic Surgery and the Associate Director of the Health Policy and Economics Path of Excellence at Michigan Medicine; and holds an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery appointment at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in an effort to develop a robust adaptive sports medicine program in anticipation of the upcoming Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028.
“Dr. O” was born in Nigeria before immigrating to the US at a young age. He attended High School at Deerfield Academy and college at Stanford University where he also ran Track & Field, serving as captain his last two seasons and achieving Academic All-American recognition.
He then earned his MD from the University of Michigan before matching into Orthopedic Surgery at Yale. At the beginning of his 3rd year he experienced a spinal cord injury, paralyzing him from the chest down. After two surgeries and intense rehabilitation, he was blessed with some return of motor function, and navigates the world as a proud wheelchair user, managing the other long-term sequelae of an incomplete cervical spinal cord injury.
He went on to earn a master’s in engineering, Science, and Technology Entrepreneurship from The University of Notre Dame, and completed his Family Medicine Residency at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana. He served on the St. Joseph County Board of Health, appointed by then Mayor, turned Secretary of the Department of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, was featured on Robin Robert’s Good Morning America Series “Thriver Thursday,” and has a catch phrase, “Disabusing DisabilityⓇ,” hoping to demonstrate that DISability doesn’t mean INability. He is a member of U of M’s Institute on Health Policy and Innovation, sits on the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honors Society Board of Directors, received Michigan Medicine’s Distinguished Early Career Alumni Award in 2020, was given the “A Teacher’s Teacher Award'' by the Academy of Medical Educators, and currently serves as the President of the Michigan Medicine Alumni Society Board.
Nationally, he served as the Disability Issues representative on the Steering Committee for the Group on Diversity and Inclusion at the Association of American Medical Colleges, sits on the National Medical Association’s Council on Medical Legislation, and was selected by the White House Office of Public Engagement to participate in the Health Equity Leaders Roundtable Series dedicated to exploring perspectives around Access to Care. He was appointed to the America250 Foundation Health and Wellness Advisory Council and President Biden’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. He speaks around the country on topics related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, including, but not limited to creating a health system that is accessible to and inclusive of both patients and providers with disabilities, and providing reasonable and appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities in higher education. He has been featured on CBS News, PBS News Hour, and MSNBC’s Morning Joe, and is passionate about adaptive sports and fitness, striving to provide access to physical fitness and inclusive recreational and competitive sports for all."
The Michigan Occupational Special Populations Association (MOSPA) invites practitioners, educators, and professionals committed to enhancing Career and Technical Education (CTE) for students with diverse needs to submit proposals for the 50th Annual MOSPA Conference. This landmark event will provide a platform to share your expertise, innovative approaches, and effective strategies with a dedicated community, continuing Michigan’s legacy in supporting special populations through CTE.
We are seeking proposals for breakout sessions that will provide attendees with practical insights and actionable strategies to support student success in the following focus areas:
Please submit your proposal by February 21, 2025, including the following:
Submit proposals to https://forms.gle/b1khnhgrk2MxkkJ5A . Any questions can be emailed to MaturinArielT@jccmi.edu with the subject line “MOSPA 50th Conference Proposal Submission.” MOSPA is offering a 10% discount to all 2025 approved speakers.
This conference offers a unique opportunity to join a legacy of educators and innovators impacting CTE for special populations. We look forward to your participation in helping our community continue to support Michigan’s students on their CTE journey.
For questions or additional information, please contact the conference co-chairs:
Ariel Maturine
Co-Chair, 2025 MOSPA Conference
Tracey Taylor
Co-Chair, 2025 MOSPA Conference
Are you interested in volunteering at this year's conference? If so, sign up here.
Together, let’s inspire and empower the next generation of CTE professionals and learners!
Chef James Simmons, Check-in/Welcome Subcommittee, Volunteers Subcommittee, Awards Subcommitte and Past President 2021-23
Link to 2024 MOSPA State Conference presenter materials
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1F78h1pF-2o7hmsT3gFuLzQJ_or4opNEr