Staff and Board

Alternatives in Motion is proud to have a staff that is whole heartedly committed to improving the lives of individuals with disabilities on a daily basis. Wearing many hats, our small team works together and strives to be the premier organization Moving People Forward through the gift of mobility!
 

George Ranville
Executive Director

"I'm always in awe of the community  members, who along with our capable board and staff, are independently willing to step up and donate equipment, money, and volunteer hours to help get people the wheelchairs they need. When the whole process comes together and we deliver a wheelchair to someone's home,  well that's what it is all about. "

Helping people get wheelchairs intrigued George-especially since his brother-in-law Alan had an automobile accident in 1991 that resulted in Alan becoming a quadriplegic and consequently, a wheelchair user.   When Johnnie Tuitel presented the idea of Alternatives in Motion, it made sense, and the organization was born in 1995.

Besides his work with Alternatives in Motion, George worked with Johnnie Tuitel  helping to promote his speaking across the country.  He also coordinated the publishing and  editing of the seven books in the Gun Lake Adventure Series.

George is a member of the Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon staff and has been coordinating the Start/Finish Line set-up for 6 years.   (He personally has completed a four marathons over the last 2 years.)  In addition, he has served on local boards for church, for school, for community recreation, and was a founder of PASS soccer program. He coached many youth sports teams.

Prior to Alternatives in Motion George was a partner in a firm based in Washington, D.C. engaged in international trade initiatives. He served nearly eleven years as a U.S. Navy Officer serving both afloat and ashore reaching the rank of Lieutenant Commander, and participated in Desert Storm.

George is a graduate of Hope College (1978) and holds a degree in business administration. Sharing George's life is his wife Gail Noerenberg Ranville, RD, MBA,  who is the nursing home administrator for the Sanctuary at Saint Mary's in Grand Rapids, MI,  a part of Trinity Continuing Care.   They have two grown children, Danny and Kathryn. Danny graduated from Northwood University and currently lives in Denver, CO and Katy graduated from Hillsdale College and will be living in Washington, DC.

Liz Spieker
Program Coordinator

For the last eight years Liz has served as our program coordinator. Liz is the primary contact with recipients and is the one that makes our wheelchair donations possible. Along with working closely with recipients she also coordinates the inventory of wheelchairs that belong to Alternatives in Motion and keeps up with all the filing, bookkeeping, and data entry that makes the organization run smoothly. In a word, she's awesome!

Liz and her husband, Steve have been married for 31 years and are enjoying an almost empty nest after raising four kids.  When there is free time Liz enjoys a quiet evening at home, biking, crocheting, bargain and treasure hunting at neighborhood sales, spending time with the kids, and having campfires in the back yard.

 

Matt Chapman
Marketing and Special Events Coordinator

Matt earned a B.S. degree in advertising and public relations from Grand Valley State University in 2005, and already has a significant amount of experience in project management. While still a student, he organized sixteen volunteer trips in ten states for the GVSU Alternative Breaks Program. He also served as co-coordinator of the GVSU Leadership Summit (2004-2005), and received the Thomas M. Seykora Award for Outstanding Contribution (2005) conferred by GVSU. During his senior year in college, Matt served as a public relations intern with Alternatives in Motion, and hasn't left since. Along with coordinating the organization's marketing plans and community outreach, Matt also plans our special events, is active on our fundraising and development committee, and works closely with Liz to repair new and gently used wheelchairs for placement.

In his spare time, Matt is busy volunteering with the National Ski Patrol teaching courses in Outdoor Emergency Care and enjoying anything outdoors from running, biking, swiming, sailing, or skiing. Matt is also the charity coordinator for the Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon. Matt met his wife Erika while she was volunteering for Alternatives in Motion back in 2007. The two got married in April of 2011 and live near Walker, MI with their dog Porter.