Topeka, KS. – March 2, 2026 – Special Olympics Kansas is proud to announce that Josh Alters, a resident of Topeka, has been selected to represent Kansas at the first-ever Special Olympics North America (SONA) Regional Athlete Congress. The event will bring together 26 athlete leaders from across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean for an engaging and interactive time of leadership training, collaboration, and skill-building focused on personal development, professional growth, and problem-solving. The event will take place March 8–13 at Special Olympics Michigan headquarters in Grand Rapids.
The Regional Athlete Conference is part of SONA’s broader Athlete Leadership programming, which partners with people with intellectual disabilities (Special Olympics athlete leaders) to ensure they are prepared to succeed in meaningful leadership roles. Through training, individuals are empowered to use their voices to develop inclusive environments.
Josh Alters, along with their mentor, was selected to participate through an application process and/or through their service on their sub-Regional Athlete Leadership Council.
“I’m so honored,” said Alters. “I get to represent athlete voices on topics that concern them every single day. This is just a new level.”
The event will also provide athlete leaders with the opportunity to share perspectives on issues affecting local programming, while strengthening their influence as leaders within the Special Olympics movement. Outcomes of this event will inform priorities and recommendations for the 2027 Special Olympics Global Athlete Congress, to be held in Chile.
“Josh is the perfect person for this,” said John Lair, CEO and President of Special Olympics Kansas. “He’s also on staff as the Athlete Leadership Coordinator, because he is a true leader in every sense of the word.”
Members of the media interested in an interview, please contact Ashley Pippin at pippina@soks.org.
