Dave Laurence
Disability Consults
Our Story
Dave Laurence White, Jr. (he/him) is a current Ph.D. student in Special Education and Disability Studies and is spearheading the development of the state’s first higher education Disability Cultural Center. In his past capacities as a former Paralympic classified snowboarder and consulting facilitator with the Nevada Department of Inclusive Education, Dave drew from his experiences as a disabled, neurodivergent individual to work toward developing a more inclusive disability culture. Dave's passion for helping empower disabled, neurodivergent individuals is seen through his consulting services working to improve disability justice awareness for greater disability access.
Nevada Department of Inclusive Education
As a Facilitator with the Nevada Department of Inclusive Education, Dave worked with various high schools to identify gaps in disability access. Driving change on an administrative level to help students define their own success post-graduation, Dave utilized various activity modules coinciding with each student's Individualized Education Plan to help students gain the skills necessary to be self-advocates in their academic settings and beyond.
Teaching Kids to Dream Big Big Dreams
Inspired by an assignment in his undergrad Children’s Literature course, Dave wrote and illustrated his self-published children’s book Jack and Pop-Pop’s Spacetacular Journey. Being named to the University of Nevada’s journal, Nevada Today 2015 issue’s Holiday Book Wishlist and featured on Reno’s NPR station KUNR, Dave’s children’s book Jack and Pop-Pop’s Spacetacular Journey teaches kids to “dream big big dreams.”
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Ethos
Dave’s various services of motivational speaking, workshops, and access audits reflect his disability advocacy experiences as a scholar and competitive parasnowboarder on both the domestic and international levels. For his neurodiversity advocacy in Nevada, Senator Jacky Rosen awarded Dave with the Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition. And presented by Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar in recognition of his exceptional commitment to advocacy and leadership, in 2025 Dave was honored with both the Nevada Silver Paw Award for Outstanding Service and the Nevada GSA Award for Outstanding Student. And as a published academic journal author regarding disability justice and access, Dave has consulted for the Nevada Department of Inclusive Education. Currently, Dave is spearheading the development of the state of Nevada's first higher education Disability Cultural Center.
Paralympic Snowboarding and Parasports
Throughout his childhood and even well into adulthood, Dave participated in a multitude of sports ranging from water polo, baseball, basketball, swimming, and even snowboarding with his Cerebral Palsy. Upon finding out he qualified as a parathlete with his Cerebral Palsy at age 28, Dave entered into the professional parasnowboarding community. As a parathlete on the Donek Snowboard Team, competitor in the Paralympic Snowboard Circuit, and three-time recipient of the Challenged Athletes Foundation Hero of Sport Award, Dave worked to spread awareness regarding parasports and parathletes.
Moving Forward
Dave’s services challenge ableist interpretations of disability by helping organizations recognize the value of disability justice, prioritizing the livelihood of the individual and guides organizations toward comprehensive and sustainable access.
