2008 Health & Fitness Expo Celebrities

Shonda Schilling, presented by Partners HealthCare

Saturday, June 21 10:30am @ the Performance Place, Hall A, 126

Shonda Schilling, skin cancer prevention advocate and wife of Red Sox pitching ace Curt Schilling.

A lifelong sunbather, Shonda was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, in 2001. After undergoing five surgeries and educating herself about the disease, Shonda went public with her story. Her battle against cancer appeared in several national magazines such as "People," "Family Circle" and "Glamour" as well as on ABC's "The View" and "Good Morning America."

An overwhelming response from fellow melanoma survivors inspired Shonda to establish The SHADE Foundation of America in 2002 to promote sun-safety awareness and educate children about responsible behavior in the sun.  More than 30,000 kids in New England have learned about SunSafety through the SHADE Foundation's sunwise poster contest Shonda created.

Organizations such as National Amusements are providing free sunsafe activities for kids in the summer as an alternative to being in the hot mid-day sun.

Shonda has taken her life back, running 4 Boston Marathons to help raise money for The SHADE Foundation and has won numerous awards for her efforts.  For more information, please visit www.shadefoundation.org/.

Dominique Dawes - Olympic Medalist - Gymnastics, presented by Partners HealthCare

Saturday, June 21 11:30am @ the Demo Stage, Hall B, 1325

From Olympic Gold Medalist to President-Elect of the Women's Sports Foundation, Dominique Dawes continues on a path to inspire, motivate and lead.

Dawes's start in gymnastics began at the age six and by the age 10, she began to compete. Bursting into the international spotlight at the Olympics in Barcelona, she was the first African American gymnast to ever qualify and compete in an Olympic Games.  She and her teammates captured a bronze medal.  To date, Dawes has won more National Championship medals than any other athlete, male or female, as well as four World Championship medals, along with the All Around title at the 1994 National Championships. 

A renowned public speaker, she focuses on health issues, sports participation, equality for women and African Americans, and self-esteem.  For the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, she has focused on youth and female health issues, as well as female participation in sports.  She has spoken at presidential inaugural events, Women's National Sports Day, school graduations, military functions, corporate events, Girls Scouts of America functions, and gymnastics meets. Dawes has worked with the American Heart Association as the spokesperson for the "Choose to Move" program, advancing their goal of informing everyone on how to combat cardiovascular disease. In this capacity, she speaks on issues that pertain to women's health, as well as preventive measures to avoid the number one killer of women: cardiovascular disease.  For more information please visit http://www.apbspeakers.com/.

Kristen McCosh - Ms. Wheelchair America, 2008, presented by Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Saturday, June 21 1:00pm @ the Demo Stage, Hall B, 1325

Kristen McCosh is the reigning as Ms. Wheelchair America, 2008. She uses a wheelchair because of a spinal cord injury (SCI) sustained in a diving accident. Ms. McCosh will spend the next year travelling across the country doing outreach and advocacy work on her platform, "Physical Fitness for People with Disabilities."

"I try to encourage people in wheelchairs to remain as active and healthy as possible," Ms. McCosh said, adding that she exercises regularly at a local YMCA.

Ms. McCosh is employed full time as the Editor of "Solutions" e-Magazine, a publication of Hire Disability Solutions, LLC, in New York City. She works part time at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston as an Early Intervention Peer Mentor, helping newly-injured people adjust to life in a wheelchair. Her previous career experience includes Strategic Planning and Program Development, Fundraising and Volunteer Coordination for multiple non-profit Human Service agencies; Public Health research and intervention; and Service Provision for persons with disabilities in city governments.

A gifted speaker and writer, Ms. McCosh graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Baccalaureate of Arts (BA) in English and Political Science from the University of Massachusetts at Boston, and has studied toward her Master of Public Health Degree (MPH) at Boston University School of Public Health. She is currently writing a Women's Fiction novel series featuring women with disabilities as heroines.

Ms. McCosh lives in Boston and Falmouth, Cape Cod, with her husband.

Keith Lockhart - Conductor, The Boston Pops, presented by Partners HealthCare

Saturday, June 21 2:00pm @ the Demo Stage, Hall B, 1325

World-renowned Conductor of the Boston Pops, Keith Lockhart has been making his mark on the area's arts scene since he arrived in 1995. Now beginning his 13th season as the leader of one of the world's most distinguished collections of musicians, Lockhart has conducted more than 900 concerts with 63 more adapted for television, including 38 new programs for PBS' "Evening at Pops." Only the third conductor to lead the Pops since 1930, Lockhart has worked extensively on the Boston Pops' annual July Fourth spectacular, which is televised across the nation for America's enjoyment.

Ali Vincent - Winner, NBC's "Biggest Loser Couples"

Sunday, June 22 12:30pm @ the Demo Stage, Hall B, 1325

Ali will also be appearing with Mark and Jay Kruger Sunday, June 22nd, at 2:30PM on the Demo Stage.

Meet Ali Vincent, a 32yr old hair stylist and former synchronized swimming champion, who is the newest Biggest Loser Winner.

Ali Vincent made history on the The Biggest Loser, as she became the first female ever to win the grand prize. She started off on the show (along with her mother Bette-Sue) weighing in at 234 pounds. Both Ali and Bette-Sue were eliminated in the fourth week, but they were both brought back on the show in week 11. Ali ultimately got a second chance to remain on the show and ended up becoming the Biggest Loser, taking home the grand prize of $250,000. She lost a total of 112 pounds, with her final weigh in of 122 pounds. Total percentage lost was 47.86%.

Maureen McKinnon-Tucker - 2008 Paralympics Sailing Team, presented by Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Sunday, June 22 1:30pm @ the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Hall B, 1203

Maureen McKinnon-Tucker has never known the meaning of the word limits. Though she suffered a serious spinal injury in 1995 she has proved that no barriers can't be broken. She is a tireless advocate for women with spinal cord injuries as a peer mentor at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston and as a Board Member of the Greater Boston Chapter of the National Spinal Cord Association.

And now she is also a pioneer as the first woman to qualify for the US Disabled Sailing team. Introduced to sailing by her husband and some time coach Dan Tucker, she and her teammate Nick Scandone suffering from ALS and the 2005 US Sailing Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, are now the world's top ranked 2 person team (SKUD 18) and the favorite to win the gold medal in Beijing this summer at the 2008 Paralympics. A gold medal is always historic but true to form Maureen would break yet another barrier by becoming the first women to ever medal in the sport.