Our Team
David Balsley
David began working with amputees in 1969 while in graduate school and has dedicated his career in physical therapy to advancing adaptive sports and rehabilitation. At the Hospital for Special Surgery, he founded the Sports Medicine Physical Therapy Program, which continues today.
David has served as a coach for the U.S. Paralympic Team in Seoul, Barcelona, and Atlanta, and has coached athletes of all abilities, including Jamal Pilgrim, the only Caribbean sprinter to compete at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
An endurance athlete and mountaineer, David has completed 17 marathons, four 50-mile races, and thirteen 100-mile ultramarathons. He has summited Denali, Mount Huascarán, and Mount Vinson. He believes there should never be limits to human potential and has spent his life helping others push beyond them.
Founder & Board Member
Todd Schaffhauser
Todd is an above knee amputee and Paralympic gold medalist who captured the 100 meter title at the 1988 Paralympic Games, cementing his place among the sport’s elite sprinters. His athletic career reflects not only speed and power, but a deep commitment to representing the adaptive community at the highest level.
For more than 37 years, Todd has worked within the prosthetic field, dedicating his professional life to advancing technology, improving patient outcomes, and mentoring the next generation of practitioners. In recognition of his contributions to the profession, he was named an honorary lifetime member of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists in 2002. In 2025, his impact in both sport and community leadership was further honored with his induction into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame.
Through athletics and advocacy, Todd continues to champion possibility, performance, and progress for amputees worldwide.
President
Lauren Grosh
Vice PresidentLauren Balsley Grosh recently joined the ASPIRE board and has been an advocate/supporter to her father's passion for pushing the limits to amputee's physical abilities. Lauren Grosh is a member/owner in Sky Blue Builders, a general contracting firm with offices in Colorado and New Mexico and a founder/partner in Sky Blue Airport Enterprises, an airport Concessionaire operating in Denver International Airport.
Lauren has served on numerous non-profit boards including Hispanic Contractors of Colorado as well as community endeavors including Mock Scholarships and the Summer Bridge Program. She continues to further develop her community service by participating with various Organizations like Goodwill, Precious Child and Wounded Warrior Project. Lauren has lived in Colorado for the past 24 years and is originally from New York. Lauren and her husband have a 4 year old son and 2 year old daughter and is excited for to expose them to all things she enjoys like biking, climbing, hiking, snowboarding and camping.
Rebecca Goldfrad
Rebecca grew up in Melbourne, Australia where she spent much time at the beach and outdoors playing sports. Rebecca graduated with a Bachelors of Health Sciences and a Masters of Occupational Therapy Practice from La Trobe University and spent time working in the hospital system facilitating patients with neurological impairments.
Rebecca’s passion for travel led her to explore Europe prior to moving to New York in 2016. Since then she has been working as an occupational therapist in a prosthetic practice, specifically in upper limb rehabilitation.
Rebecca has been volunteering with ASPIRE over the last 4 years, seeing first hand the benefits exercise can have on our physical and mental well being. Rebecca is grateful to join the ASPIRE board and looks forward to collaborating and continuing to create meaningful moments focused on education, fun and community.
Secretary
Emily Gray
TreasurerEmily is a 3x Paralympic swimmer, amputee and cancer survivor from South Africa. Emily was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at the young age of 11 years old. Despite several months of chemotherapy the cancer continued to grow and resulted in Emily needing an amputation.
Fifteen years later Emily competed in three Paralympic games in Beijing 2008, London 2012 and recently in Rio de Janeiro 2016. Between swimming training, Emily, graduated with a Bachelors of Sport Science from the University of Pretoria in 2015.
Working closely with large national and international organizations such as Speedo and Nedbank, Emily spoke to audiences of thousands with the aim of inspiring and motivating others.
ASPIRE has had a monumental effect on Emily's life, as she is a very proud receiver of her new prosthetic leg. As an athlete Emily understands and appreciates the powerful effect sport can have on amputees.
Greg Mihal
An amputee and former ASPIRE athlete, Greg Mihal proudly serves on ASPIRE’s board. As a teenager training with Team ASPIRE and Dave Balsley, Greg learned to run leg over leg rather than using the hop skip technique common at the time. That breakthrough, combined with advances in prosthetic technology, helped him compete confidently alongside his peers and build lasting self belief.
Greg competed in national disability track and field championships and placed 17th in the javelin at the 1998 IPC Athletics World Championships in Birmingham, England. A graduate of Boston College, he earned a varsity letter in Division I Men’s Track and Field and competed in four consecutive Big East Championships. He also became the first Chair of the Council for Students with Disabilities within Undergraduate Student Government, advocating for students with visible and invisible disabilities.
Greg has spent 20 years with Nestlé and currently serves as a Category Account Manager in the greater New York City area. A strong advocate for inclusion, he co founded Thrive Ability Network, Nestlé USA’s Employee Resource Group supporting employees with disabilities, critical illness, and caregivers.
Board Member
Billy Davis
Billy Davis is a New York City based Fitness Entrepreneur with more than a decade in the health and wellness industry. Born and raised in Kansas, Billy was a high school and Division 1 standout in track and field. In his 20’s he learned jiu jitsu.
In his 30’s he got into cycling and competed in endurance races all over the NorthEast. After losing his leg in May 2012, Billy set out on the mission of becoming a triathlete. Four years later he would compete is in first full triathlon.
He’s had success as a commercial and private personal trainer, a group exercise instructor, and in corporate fitness in some of the top facilities in Manhattan. He’s spent the last 6 years coaching people to get certified as personal trainers and leading seminars on different areas of fitness. Billy is honored to be a member of Aspire Board.
Board Member