Ritaann Schultz, a proud Pittsburgh, PA native, served our nation with distinction in the United States Navy from 1974 to 1978 as an Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Second Class (ABH2). After completing boot camp, she attended Aviation Boatswain’s Mate School and was stationed with Patrol Squadron 30 at NAS Pax River, Maryland, and NAS Jacksonville, Florida, where she worked with the P-3 aircraft, a critical asset in the Navy’s submarine-hunting missions.
In 1975, she broke barriers as the first Navy enlisted woman to become NATOPS qualified as a P-3 Utility Aircrewman, earning her Navy Aircrew Wings. In this role, she handled pre- and post-flight procedures, in-flight observation, emergency duties, and aircraft refueling, once again setting a historic precedent as the first woman in this position.
An avid cyclist, Ritaann has logged over 125,000 miles on her bike and competed in four Ironman competitions, even winning her age group as part of a four-person team in the 3,000-mile 2012 Race Across America. However, on February 3, 2015, while riding in a group, she was thrown off her bike at 30 mph and, despite wearing a helmet, suffered a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). It took five years for her injury to be properly diagnosed, during which she faced neuro-fatigue, vision, and cognitive challenges. Through her own research and persistence, Ritaann helped doctors recognize her condition and now advocates for functional therapy approaches that help brain injury survivors regain mobility, strength, and independence.
Donate to Rita’s Ride at: donorbox.org/ritaann-s-ride
Denny Armington serves as President of the Youth Opportunity Foundation, Inc. It was in this role that he became aware of the need for, and involved in the development of, a new brain injury advocacy group, Brain Injury Florida. A hospital administrator by training, he has been active in professional advocacy roles. Denny has experience serving as a volunteer field surveyor for CARF International, a board member for state brain injury associations in West Virginia, Indiana, and now Florida, and a supporter of community-based charitable activities including the American Stroke Association and Special Olympics. Denny is a brain injury survivor, and we are so fortunate to have his lived experience to guide our newly developing advocacy organization. More at: braininjuryfl.org