We are a small but mighty team that makes it happen.

Jothy Rosenberg

FOUNDER

Jothy is an entrepreneur, author, extreme athlete, two-time cancer survivor—who lost a leg and a lung as a teenager, and was told he had “zero chance” of survival. From these experiences Jothy has gained a valuable perspective, in the five decades since, on dealing with adversity.

He communicates in a poignant but humorous way the lessons he has learned that apply to everyone. This includes those dealing with cancer or a disability and everyone else dealing with life challenges.

Who Says I Can’t is an attitude, his memoir, a foundation, a YouTube TV Series, the title of his TED talk, and the lesson he teaches kids in talks and Adventures on the Can Do Trail his children’s book. It is the overarching theme of all Jothy does and speaks about.

Accomplishments

  • PhD Computer Science, then professor of CS, Duke University

  • Author Who Says I Can’t his memoir about surviving when no one thought he would

  • Author Adventures on the Can Do Trail getting 4-9 year olds from CAN’T to WHO SAYS I CAN’T

  • Author Think Like a Tech Founder: Anecdotes of an Incorrigible Entrepreneur coming May ‘24

  • Weekly podcast Anecdotes from the startup trenches launches March 13, 2024

  • TEDx Speaker on his philosophy on why those with disabilities tend to overachieve

  • Speaker at schools, universities, organizations, medical centers, corporate events, conferences

  • Extreme athlete: double-black diamond (amputee) skier, class V whitewater, long-distance bike-a-thons 18X Pan-Mass Challenge, 29-time Alcatraz Sharkfest finisher, 6-time Boston Sharkfest finisher

  • Has raised over $120,000 for charities doing athletic bike rides and swims

  • Author of three technical books

  • Founder of nine high-tech startups over a 35-year run, two with exits over $100 million

  • Board member, advisor, coach

  • Host and creator of Who Says I Can’t the YouTube reality TV series

  • Founder of the Who Says I Can’t Foundation a 501(c)3 charity focused on restoring the self-esteem of children who become disabled by enabling them to succeed at high challenge athletic activities

Awards

  • Boston Celtics Heroes Among Us, 2005 (pic avail)

    The Katie Lynch Inspirational Speaker Award, 2011

    First pitch for Boston Red Sox May 2012 (pix available)

    First Place (M 60-64) Boston Sharkfest Open Water Swim, 2019

    Institute for Sport and Social Justice Hero Among Us, 2022 (good pics avail)

Publications

Jothy has authored several technical books, a children’s book called Adventures on the Can Do Trail, Who Says I Can’t and has a business book coming out in Q1 2024 called Think Like a Tech Founder: Anecdotes of an Incorrigible Entrepreneur.

Jothy is a member of Forbes Tech Council and is a regular contributor on Forbes.com.

Featured Article on Forbes.com:

Fair Insurance for Amputees

Appearances

Jothy has made appearances on The Today Show, KRON4 San Francisco, Fox25 Boston, NECN Boston, KGO and KSCO radio, and in articles in USA Today and The Boston Globe. Corporate keynotes for Naval War College, ESPN, Netflix, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, The San Jose Sharks. Invited talks at Mass General Hospital, Duke Medical Center, Boston University, Lesley University, IBM Research.

Carole Hohl

FOUNDER

Carole was trained as a PA at Duke. We were both in grad school there. She started working in geriatric care but after we moved to CA she gravitated to HIV care. And that really took off when we moved to Boston where for the last 20 years of her career she was director of HIV services at Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program. She built the team that takes care of all the HIV positive homeless in Boston. In the early days these people were dying but then the drugs got better and they were living. Still had issues because they were homeless and lots of them were using drugs. She was highly respected and loved at BHCHP. She retired from there in 2019. 

Carole is a serious gardener. She loves to cook and is one of those people who can look in the fridge and a fantastic dinner just appears a short time later. She loves birds and knows most of them by their song. We live on 80 acres of conservation land where she is the official land steward. She takes care of the bluebird boxes, the trails, the bridges, the beaver mitigation, and is always cataloging the animals she sees. Her newest avocation is knitting and it is complicated and beautiful stuff. 

Carole reads at least a book a week. She loves music. And she is dedicated to her workouts doing Pilates, swimming, hiking, paddleboarding, kayaking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, as the conditions permit.

Carole has three children and five grandchildren, all of whom are boys.

How Who Says I Can’t Works

WSICF works with adults and kids with physical disabilities, including amputations and paralysis, to become involved with active sports.

To accomplish this, WSICF partners with supportive prosthetics and adaptive equipment providers for running legs, sit skis, hand cycles and much more.

WSIC provides selected participants with a grant that will cover the cost of the equipment as well as all other activity related expenses.

All participants will be linked with a Resource Coordinator who will maintain strong working relationships with providers and community partners in order to offer resources and supportive services for the ongoing needs and challenges participants may face. The Coordinator will also assist participants with accessing appropriate clinical and/or therapeutic services needed to maintain their mental health needs and to ensure positive emotional health and recovery.

Through educational organizations WSICF focuses on motivating and inspiring those that need to understand they can help themselves and how to begin. WSICF will build communication platforms to boost societal awareness and sensitivity to people with disabilities. As a result, WSICF will help provide role models and motivation for everyone “able-bodied” or “differently-abled.”

Once fitted with the appropriate equipment, WSICF will provide expert coaching to get the disabled athlete competent with their new sport. WSICF can currently assist participants in the following sporting activities and outdoor recreations:

  • Running

  • Biking

  • Skiing / Sledding

  • Snowshoeing

  • Paddle Boarding

  • Surfing and Boogie Boarding

Our Prosthetics Provider Partner

A Step Ahead Prosthetics Boston

Former Paralympic skiing world champion Bob Emerson, C.P. has over twenty years of experience in prosthetics and is the head prosthetist at our Boston location. He has contributed to several joint research projects with the MIT Biomechatronics Lab, and is certified to fit major technologies from Otto Bock, Ossur, iWalk, Fillauer, and most other leading prosthetics manufacturers.

The way the process works is ASAP identifies someone they think are in need and are ready for our help health wise and attitude wise. They check to see if we have budget for what that person will need. If we do then I talk to that person and their parents if they are under age. If that checks out, then we turn things back over to ASAP for scheduling and fitting. When they complete the work they give WSICF the best discount they can which is usually substantial and invoice us.

Find out more: https://www.weareastepahead.com/

Locations:

Boston Metro
21 A Street, Burlington, MA 01803
Phone: 781-365-1639

New York
132 Newbridge Rd, Hicksville, NY 11801
Phone: 516-681-3484
Our local “scout” who screens and evaluates potential beneficiaries
CEO and Prosthetist

We are looking for volunteers to help grow Who Says I Can’t

If you would like to offer your time, please contact us here: Volunteer Opportunities

We are currently looking for help writing grant proposals. We are also looking for an Executive Director to help us increase the amount we raise to the point where you can pay yourself a salary.