Heroes Hour

1538 West Sandalwood Drive,Lehi UT 84043

05 January, 2023

Description

Keynote Speakers: Andrea & Brady Murray - Founders of RODS Heroes Brady and Andrea Murray are the founders of RODS Heroes, and Brady serves as our President. Their journey with the Down syndrome community began in 2007, when their son was born with Down syndrome. The Murrays quickly realized that what they thought would be one of their families greatest challenges would actually be one of their greatest blessings. When Brady and Andrea learned about the challenging fate of orphaned children who have Down syndrome around the world, they knew they had to act. Their fundraising efforts for the first child they advocated for, Eli, laid the foundation for the beginnings of RODS Heroes. The Murrays founded RODS Heroes in 2012, and it acquired 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2013. Later, the Murrays traveled to China to adopt their second son with Down syndrome, Cooper. In addition to working on our cause, Brady Murray is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP® professional) and Chartered Special Needs Consultant (ChSNC®) who is dedicated to advocating for the special needs community. Brady and Andrea routinely compete in endurance races to raise money for adoption funding. In their spare time, Brady and Andrea enjoy spending time with their family and taking their children on outdoor adventures. Panel Q&A: Alan Lawrence - Video Marketing Manager As the RODS Heroes Video Marketing Manager, Alan Lawrence is charged with spreading the mission of our organization and raising awareness about the critical need for adoptive families, donors, and volunteers to help bring orphaned children home. He manages all of our marketing campaigns and branding strategies with an eye toward encouraging and empowering everyday people, endurance athletes, and corporate partners to get involved. Alan holds a degree in multimedia communications. He brings more than a decade of experience to our organization, including experience as an art director, web designer, and marketing consultant. Tiffany Hansen - Biography coming soon... Holly Fjelsted - Director of Donations Holly Fjeldsted has a professional background in education, and has long championed the rights and needs of her students. After graduating from Utah State University (USU) with a degree in elementary education, Holly taught primary school children for eight years. She then moved on to the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services at USU, where she worked as an Adjunct Professor and Student Teaching Supervisor for 13 years. For nearly 20 years, Holly served as the Executive Producer and Corporate Fundraiser for FREEDOM FIRE, Logan City’s Independence Day celebration. Kecia Cox - Director of Family Relations As Director of Family Relations, Kecia enjoys advocating on behalf of orphans with Down syndrome and sharing her passion for the incredible joys of adoption. Kecia knows firsthand how adopting a child with Down syndrome can change families for the better. When Kecia and her husband Kris welcomed their third daughter, Bree, they discovered she had Down syndrome. Although the news was initially overwhelming, the couple realized that their daughter had a unique way of bringing light and joy to their family.