Staff


 

EDDIE FAISON (GLOVER)

Courier

Eddie is the courier for Special Olympics PA – Philadelphia as well as a Special Olympics athlete. Eddie travels many different places throughout Pennsylvania primarily between the state office in Norristown and the local office located in Philadelphia – the far northeast.  Eddie is an expert in the use of public transportation and has travelled across Southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.  He has also mastered public transportation to get to New York City.  He has been with Special Olympics training and competing in several sports such as Bocce, Soccer, Athletics (Track & Field), Volleyball, Basketball, Skiing, Bowling, Floor Hockey, Softball, Ice Skating and Rowing over a span of 30+ years.  He is most proud of his participation in the 1987 World Games (the Seventh International Special Olympics Summer Games held in  South Bend, Indiana) where he won a bronze medal and ribbon running long jump and shot-put respectively.  In his second World Games experience in 2001 (Winter Games held in Anchorage, Alaska), Eddie competed with the Floor Hockey Team and brought home the gold with his team. Currently, Eddie credits Special Olympics for giving him a life in which he is free from many societal ills. Eddie says, “in Special Olympics, I am with people who care”.


MICHELLE CORDELL

Regional Sports Director

Michelle, the SOPA Philly seasoned veteran,  joined Special Olympics Philadelphia in 1993 in the role of Administrative Assistant. In 1997, she was promoted to Competition Coordinator to manage all area competitions in Philadelphia County. In October 2003, she was once again promoted to Sports Director to manage all Athlete training and competitions for the local Philadelphia program. Michelle helped to define the overall growth strategy and works with the City of Philadelphia Recreation Department to expand and launch new training sites throughout the city. Michelle has hosted hundreds of Invitational Tournaments, has served as Head of Delegation for over 300 Invitational invites, State Sectional and State Games and currently manages 25 training sites throughout Philadelphia. She attended World Games in Alaska in 2001 to cheer on TEAM USA and the local Floor Hockey Team who brought home the Gold medal. “I absolutely love my job,” she said. “I love seeing the joy and excitement on the athletes’ faces. They work so hard. I have never met more dedicated athletes. They go the distance – and when they don’t think they can go anymore – they just keep on.”

If you are interested in registering an athlete or becoming a coach, please contact Michelle! 

mcordell@specialolympicspa.org


LIZBETH Espiritusanto

Greater Philadelphia Region UCCS Director 

Prior to joining the Special Olympics PA team,  Liz served as a Team Leader and After School Program Coordinator managing a team of Americorps members providing academic and social supports at Roxborough High School (a UCCS school!). Liz brings valuable experience working with students, teachers and administrators to this role.   Liz works closely with the School District of Philadelphia as well as some of the surrounding schools in the Greater Philadelphia Region to continue growing our collaboration in support of socially inclusive schools across the city and region by supporting Unified Championship City Schools programs. 

lespiritusanto@specialolympicspa.org