Delta Delta Delta - University of Missouri

KELSEY'S FAVORITE DESTINATIONS page 2 Crescent Ne A t Mizzou, Kelsey Ibach '07 found her community in Tri Delta. "The conversations came easily, the time flew by, and I found myself looking forward to my visit to the house each day, as I knew I could be my authentic self there." In Delta Xi, "I found a solid group of girls who became like family—we laughed a lot and supported each other through good times and bad. It made life way more fun." A SUPPORTIVE SISTERHOOD Kelsey's sisters have continued to support her in many ways since. A passenger in a drunk driving accident in 2014, Kelsey woke up from emergency surgery to find Melanie Collier Eschen '07 and Christie Kniesche Peifer '07 walking in behind her parents. "They made the trip from St. Louis to Chicago immediately after hearing the news, which was really special. I couldn't speak at the time, but I threw up a Delta Love sign to let them know how much I appreciated them being there." Kelsey's Tri Delta sisters continued to be there for her, visiting her in the hospital, sending letters of well wishes, and making financial donations. "I finally came home from the hospital around Christmas time, and my Delta sisters had decorated my apartment and sent Christmas ornaments to fill my tree with memories of our good times together." Ten years after her accident, which left her paralyzed from the waist down and a full-time wheelchair user, Kelsey's sisters have continued to support her by embracing her disability and treating her as the same person she was before. ADVOCATING FOR THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY Kelsey's goal was to get back to a life she loved and as close to the life she lived before her accident, which meant traveling and working again. "I'm really passionate about showing the disability community an inside peek into my life where I am successfully doing both. Taking the leap to travel and work full-time was scary at first, but now it is so fulfilling, and I only wish more people in the community could have that experience." Through their Instagram at @theinclusivetraveler, Kelsey and her friend Kelsey Ibach '07 Shares Her Kelsey Ibach '07 Shares Her Experience Living with a Disability Experience Living with a Disability LIVING LIFE LIVING LIFE Nia Green | Terre Haute, Ind. Madilyn Ingram | Vandalia, Mo. Tatum Longneck | Scottsdale, Ariz. Elle Pagel | St. Louis, Mo. Nora Umfleet | Bonne Terre, Mo. Anna Wallace | Brookfield, Mo. WELCOME, SPRING NEW MEMBERS! Who Should We Feature Next? Have a sister in mind? Let us know what makes them stand out! Send your suggestions to chammond@penningtonco.com with "Delta Xi Mizzou Spotlight" in the subject. EVERY ALUMNA HAS A STORY! create content around living with a disability and promoting accessible travel. "Traveling with a disability certainly comes with many challenges, but our hope is that by showing our experience, more people will understand what that looks like for disabled travelers and make a change." Since her recovery, Kelsey has been to the UK, France, Luxembourg, Mexico, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, and across the U.S. A FULFILLING CAREER When Kelsey was invited to speak at an event run by Abilityforce Chicago, Salesforce's local employee resource group representing people with disabilities and their allies, she was blown away by the company's dedication to diversity and supporting equality in the workplace. She is now a partner development manager, overseeing the recruitment, onboarding, and growth of technology solutions on the Salesforce AppExchange, our enterprise cloud marketplace. Kelsey is also the president of Abilityforce Chicago. "I love that I can have a fulfilling tech career and fulfill my passion for advocating for people with disabilities at my company." In her free time, Kelsey loves trying new recipes and cooking, attending festivals and concerts, and reading. She has also been learning American Sign Language. Kelsey feels lucky to have many great friends and family in her corner as she continues to navigate life. You can connect with her at kelsey.ibach@gmail.com. Seville, Spain. "Very accessible, and I got to dust off my Spanish skills (I was a Spanish minor!)" Buenos Aires (where she studied abroad during college).

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