Inside Special Olympics Illinois’ New Athlete Leadership University

In this special encore episode of The Special Chronicles Podcast, host Daniel Smrokowski welcomes Michelle Mark, Director of Athlete Leadership and Family Initiatives, and Emily Sullivan, Assistant Director of Athlete Leadership and Family Initiatives at Special Olympics Illinois.

Together, they dive into the future of Athlete Leadership through the newly redesigned Athlete Leadership University (ALU) — a structured pathway empowering athletes to build skills, strengthen their voices, and lead the inclusion movement.

They discuss what it means to be an athlete leader today, why the new ALU structure was created, how it supports leadership development at every stage, and how athlete voices are shaping the future of Special Olympics Illinois.

Whether you’re an Athlete Leader or just beginning your journey, this conversation offers inspiring insight into how athletes are driving meaningful change.

This episode originally Aired on August 18, 2025

Learn more about Special Olympics Illinois Athlete Leadership

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Podcast Theme Music: “It Starts With A Voice” written by Amy Wright and performed by Ben Wright, co-founders of Bitty and Beau’s Coffee. Used with permission.

Daniel Smrokowski is an award-winning podcaster, columnist, and disability advocate, best known as the founder and host of Special Chronicles, a groundbreaking podcast platform featuring over 800 episodes produced across 17 years. Through storytelling and journalism, Daniel amplifies the voices of people with disabilities while promoting inclusion, awareness, and social change. In recognition of his impact, he is a recipient of the Matthew Freeman Award for Social Justice for his efforts through media to give people with disabilities a voice.

 Read more about Daniel |  Discover Daniel’s Story – Listen here