COURSE INSTRUCTORS
Judy Alvarez, PGA/LPGA Golf Professional
Judy Alvarez, PGA/LPGA Golf Professional. Judy Alvarez, a resident of Palm City, Florida, is a Class "A" member of both The PGA of America (PGA) and the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). She is a PGA National Military Golf Trainer for the Wounded Warrior Project, a trainer for PGA/LPGA Golf Professionals, Golf Course operations on Military Bases, Wounded Warriors, Veterans, and the Medical Community. She was nominated as “teacher of the year” by the SE Section of the LPGA, serves on the Safety Standards Committee for Accessible Golf Carts, and is author of “Broken Tees and Mended Hearts: A Life’s Journey Serving Wounded Warriors and Injured Spirits.” She currently teaches golf at Mariner Sands Country Club in Stuart, Florida and is an Adjunct Faculty Member for The PGA of America's Professional Golf Management Program. She was honored by the Department of Defense, with the Seven Seals Award for her outstanding support of Florida's National Guard and Reserve forces.
Jim Estes, PGA Golf Professional, Founder of Salute Military Golf Association
Jim Estes, Founder, SMGA, is currently the PGA Director of Golf Instruction at Olney Golf Park in Olney, MD. He has taught and played professionally since 1988. Jim earned his PGA Class A membership in 1993, and he has worked with some of the most accomplished instructors in the game of golf, including: Mike Adams, Jim Flick, David Leadbetter, and Jim Suttie. Jim's playing achievements include: being named as the PGA’s National Club Pro Player of the Year in 1996; earning exempt status on the PGA TOUR and recording two top 15 finishes in 1998; playing in 5 major championships (4 U.S. Opens and 1 PGA Championship); and a win on the Nationwide Tour. Jim's most rewarding teaching accomplishment has been the founding of the Salute Military Golf Association (SMGA) and teaching unilateral amputee Sean Lewis how to break a score of 100 in just 3 months. Jim was chosen as one of the top 50 instructors in America by Golf Range Magazine (GR Cover.pdf) (GolfRangeMag.pdf). Jim was also one of 12 individuals honored with a 2007 GOLF Magazine Innovator Award. Jim was the recipient of the PGA of America’s 2010 Patriot Award in recognition of his work with wounded warriors through SMGA.
Patricia Kleban, Penn State Instructor, Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist
Patricia Kleban, M.S., CTRS is an Instructor and a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management at The Pennsylvania State University. Ms. Kleban has advised and taught Recreation courses for the past 15 years and brings to Penn State a background in leadership, teambuilding, group dynamics, and recreation programming. Prior to joining the Penn State faculty, Ms. Kleban held direct care, supervisory and senior administration positions in the area of therapeutic recreation service delivery in an in-patient psychiatric hospital. Ms. Kleban clinical work was directed toward survivors of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other trauma-related problems. Ms. Kleban has provided professional trainings locally, regionally and nationally based on her professional expertise. For the MWR Academy, she has conducted “Inclusive Recreation and Leadership” training and also conducted a professional training session to the International Military Community Executive Association (IMCEA) at Fort Carson on “Motivation for MWR and for the American Logistics Association Conference for Marine Corps Community Services on “Marketing and Planning Events for the Young Marine.” Ms. Kleban has an M.S. in Leisure Studies and a B.S. in Recreation and Parks, both from The Pennsylvania
Gary Robb, Past Director of the National Center on Accessibility, Board Member to the National Alliance for Accessible Golf
Gary Robb, Past Director of the National Center on Accessibility, Board Member to the National Alliance for Accessible Golf.As Executive Director of the National Center on Accessibility at Indiana University, Gary headed up the Center’s national research, education and training agendas related to the game of golf. He served on the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Board’s committee to develop accessibility standards for golf courses. He was the Coordinator of the National Forum on Accessible Golf, a program designed to facilitate integration of persons with disabilities into the game of golf. The Forum included representatives from all of the major golf industry organizations (PGA, LPGA, NGF, GCSAA, USGA, NGCOA, etc.) as well as organizations serving golfers with disabilities. The Forum received the Association of Disabled American Golfers Pioneer Award in 1997. As a result of these Forums, the National Alliance for Accessible Golf was formed. Gary was the first President of the Alliance, holding that position for 4 years. In 1999 Mr. Robb completed a study funded by a USGA Foundation grant to determine the status of golf course practices and policies related to golfers with disabilities and to determine the extent of golfers with disabilities participation in the game. An Executive Summary and Final report were produced as well as a booklet entitled From Bag Drop to 19th Hole-Tips on Accommodating Golfers with disabilities at your golf course or facility. This booklet has been distributed to over 15,000 golf courses throughout the country. The National Alliance for Accessible Golf is now the recipient of over $225,000 in grants from the USGA Foundation, the PGA Tour and other golf industry organizations. The major project of the Alliance, Project GAIN: Golf Accessible and Inclusive Networks were initiated under the leadership of Mr. Robb. Mr. Robb now serves as the primary consultant to the Alliance for the development and coordination of new GAIN programs in the USA. He is also the Alliance-USGA Grants Coordinator, a program funded by the USGA that provides grants to agencies that serve people with disabilities throughout the USA.
Tammy Smith, Penn State Instructor, Director - Global Accessibility Initiative
Tammy Smith. Director, Global Accessibility Initiative. Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, Instructor and Project Director, “Inclusive Recreation for Wounded Warriors” and “Including Customers with Disabilities in Marine Programs & Services.” Tammy Smith, M.S., is Coordinator of Outreach in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management at The Pennsylvania State University. Ms. Smith has been a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist for 25 years and has taught in the areas of inclusive recreation programming, therapeutic recreation and professional preparation for the past 21 years. Since 2007, she has served as the Project Director and Instructor for a three-year training project instructing military recreation managers on “Inclusive Recreation for Wounded Warriors.” She is also the project director for “Including Customers with Disabilities in Marine Programs & Services, ”a one year training project providing a 2-day training program at Marine Bases across the United States and abroad. Ms. Smith also contributed to three editions of the book, “Inclusive and Special Recreation: Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, has taught “Recreation Opportunities for People with Disabilities” at Penn State, and several courses in Therapeutic Recreation. Additionally, she has developed an Inclusive Recreation Assessment Tool based on Inclusion Quality Indicators and has provided consultation, presentations and publications in the areas of inclusive recreation and therapeutic recreation throughout her career. Prior to Penn State, Ms. Smith was a Clinical Supervisor in Therapeutic Recreation at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, D.C. She worked in the areas of Stroke, Brain Injury, Amputation and Spinal Cord Injury and was instrumental in developing spinal cord injury protocols for therapeutic recreation service delivery in medical rehabilitation. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Workforce Education and Development.