Dear Friends, Partners, and the Special Olympics Washington Community,
This January marks one year since I stepped into the role of President & CEO of Special Olympics Washington.
As I reflect on my first year, what stands out most isn’t a single milestone or headline moment — although we had plenty. It’s the people. The athletes who lead with courage and joy. The families who place their trust in us. The volunteers, staff, and partners who show up with consistency, even when the work is tough and the days are long.
Over the past year, we made deliberate choices to stabilize the organization — prioritizing financial discipline, operational clarity, and mission continuity. Even amid constraints, and through extraordinary effort, we expanded access to more than 14,000 participants, representing a 17% increase in participation over the prior year, strengthened partnerships across Washington, and elevated athlete voice in how we lead and decide. These choices laid the groundwork for what comes next.
One moment from this past year continues to stay with me.
When we made the difficult decision to cancel the State Fall Games due to financial constraints, I knew it was the right decision, but that didn’t make it easy. I traveled across the state holding listening sessions with volunteers, families, and partners. As anyone would feel, my heart was heavy, but my head was clear: we needed to make hard choices to return Special Olympics Washington to solid footing.
Of all those conversations, the one that weighed on me most was meeting with our statewide Athlete Input Council. These are athletes who care deeply about this movement and who feel its impact personally. When I shared the decision, they responded with warmth, understanding, and grace. They didn’t ask why we couldn’t do more. They asked how they could help. They wanted to know how they could support fundraising and be part of the solution.
Today, one of those athletes, Candace Madison, serves on our Board of Directors.
That moment reinforced something I believe deeply: our athletes are not just participants in this movement. They are leaders. Their resilience, perspective, and generosity of spirit continue to shape how we lead and why this work matters so deeply.
Special Olympics is not just what we do.
It is who we are.
It is a promise that every person deserves dignity, opportunity, and belonging. Not someday. Not conditionally, and not for a select few. Always, and for everyone.
Across Washington, hundreds of thousands of people experience disability, including tens of thousands with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Today, Special Olympics Washington reaches only a small fraction of those who could benefit from sport, health, and leadership opportunities along with the sense of community, friendship, and joy that come with them.
That gap is not a reflection of need or potential.
It is a reflection of access.
And access is something we can change.
That is why we are publicly sharing Vision 2030, a clear, disciplined commitment to the future of this movement.
By 2030, Special Olympics Washington will double our reach and significantly increase our revenue, ensuring that more individuals have lifelong access to sport, health, leadership, community, and joy — wherever they are, whenever they’re ready.
Vision 2030 is anchored in three guiding principles that shape every decision we make:
EVERYONE BELONGS
Participation, Pathways, Leadership
We are expanding year-round sports, health, and leadership opportunities that are inclusive, culturally responsive, and designed to support people across every stage of life.
BUILT TO LAST
Culture, Systems, Sustainability
We are strengthening the foundation of this organization from financial discipline, staff capacity, technology, and local program readiness so our mission is resilient, not reactive.
GROWING TOGETHER
Partnerships, Volunteers, Visibility
We are listening more deeply, partnering more thoughtfully, and showing up more consistently across Washington, earning trust through reliability, transparency, and care.
Vision 2030 calls us to lead with intention, and to make thoughtful, disciplined choices today so this movement is stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive for decades to come. That means investing in the people, systems, and relationships that make lasting impact possible.
One year into this role, I am clear-eyed, hopeful, and deeply grateful. As an organization, our focus in 2026 is to build on a strong foundation and reinvesting where it matters most and moving forward with confidence and purpose.
This movement works because it is fueled by people who believe that belonging should never be a barrier; it should be a guarantee.
Thank you for standing with us.
Thank you for believing in our athletes.
And thank you for helping build the future of inclusion in Washington.
With gratitude,
Mary
President & CEO, Special Olympics Washington
