Ian James Brown graduated from the United States Air Force Academy. Extremely active, he played football, rugby and volleyball as well competed in boxing, power lifting and martial arts.

Ian became a paralyzed veteran after having a motorcycle accident during his service in the United States Air Force.

Undaunted, Ian began a post-baccalaureate program to finish the pre-requisite courses in preparation for medical school.

Ian is heavily involved in nero-spinal research and volunteers at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation and the James J. Peters Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center. He focuses on the consequences and rehabilitation of spinal and traumatic brain injuries. Ian has worked for Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs in order to help fund responsible medical research.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Ian also works to help fit customized wheelchairs to the disabled population as a representative for Lasher Sport, LLC. As a volunteer for Lasher Sport for more than a year and a half and an ambassador to the Abilities Expos, Ian meets local clients, and travels abroad to meet patients with varied diagnoses to help find and suggest durable medical equipment, disabled resources and medical research programs.

Ian is affiliated with the Accessible Racing program where he not only competes, but he helps design and develop the arrive and drive experience which enables people of varying disabilities to learn autocross and race driving in a fully accessible race car. Ian is a model, spokesperson and representative for LegaWear where he helps to provide custom tailored fashion for people with varying levels of ability.

Ian is also a avid SCUBA diver and has over two dozen dives in various locations around the world. He works and is a ambassador for a non profit organization called Dive Heart. Dive Heart helps train and take veterans, adults, and children with high level injuries, limited mobility, and different types of disabilities SCUBA diving.

Though a retired military officer, Ian hopes to rejoin the working force in Nero-spinal research—specifically in nero-technology and cure research—following medical school. Ian is also a wheelchair athlete and competed for the first time post-injury in power lifting and archery at the 2008 Veteran’s Wheelchair Games in Omaha, Nebraska where he brought home gold medals in archery and weightlifting.