WELCOME TO RAMP

Our Story

Founder President & CEO, Tina Guenette Pedersen, is a 4x cancer survivor, 3x Stroke survivor.  In 2014, she walked into a minor surgery and had a spinal stroke and became paralyzed. She went from a woman able to walk, to relying on using a motorized wheelchair. Her world changed so much but she fought the odds and now will overcome the obstacles.

As she learned to navigate the world differently, Tina’s eyes were opened to the barriers people with disabilities faced daily.  Tina was used to an active lifestyle and realized people with disabilities face many challenges when accessing the same services people without disabilities use. She realized that access and acceptance was not guaranteed and knew it could be changed by awareness, education and tangible ideas.  In 2018, Tina was named Ms. Wheelchair Rhode Island and her advocacy of inclusion for all began. In this journey she met many individuals with all types of disabilities and gathered insight and information for change. She was appointed to the Governor's Commission on Disability and voted as Vice Chairwoman and Chair of the Awareness committee as well as sits on many other committees'. It was decided an organization was needed to raise awareness of the importance of inclusion and accessibility for all.

RAMP was created to break down barriers and prove we are all the same, just need the proper accessibility. With the help of people with disabilities, family members and allies, RAMP works toward educating and advocating inclusion for all in schools, businesses and the community at large. Positively opening eyes and pointing out the barriers is truly changing the world, one person at a time. Tina was awarded the American Women of Service Elite Rhode Island title and was the first person of disability to compete at the National Level. She will compete this September in Maine to hopefully be the first person of disability to win a national title with this organization about women empowering women through civic and community service. She has combined her title, commission work and organization to make a huge difference in Rhode Island and beyond. RAMP with its many volunteers has positively open the eyes of many individuals, business and elected officials and now making physical changes. RAMP is recognized Nationally and works with many organizations across the country for change. Breaking barriers and making changes is what RAMP does and will continue to do until Inclusion for all is a reality.