Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC) proudly recognizes Alesia Ragland of the Murdoch Center in Butner, NC, as the 2026 SONC Coordinator of the Year, honoring her exceptional leadership, dedication and service to Special Olympics athletes over the past 14 years.
Throughout her time with SONC, Ragland has become known for her unwavering commitment to athletes and her belief in the transformative power of sports. She leads with compassion, ensuring every athlete has the opportunity to develop skills, build confidence, and experience the joy of competition. Her passion for creating meaningful opportunities has helped shape a program where athletes feel valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.
Under Ragland’s leadership, Special Olympics Murdoch Center’s program has grown into a vibrant community. She has cultivated an environment that emphasizes preparation, inclusion, and athlete success, encouraging staff and volunteers to serve not only as supporters but also as active champions for the athletes they accompany.
What truly sets Ragland apart is the deep connection she has built with the athletes she serves. Her dedication has always gone far beyond organizing practices and competitions. She has fostered lasting relationships rooted in trust, encouragement, and mutual respect. Those relationships became especially meaningful during a personal health challenge, when she found strength and inspiration from the very athletes she had spent years supporting. The experience underscored the profound impact Special Olympics has not only on athletes, but also on the volunteers and leaders who dedicate themselves to the movement.
Colleagues describe Ragland as a leader whose actions consistently reflect the values of Special Olympics: inclusion, respect, determination, and community. Her ability to inspire athletes, engage volunteers, and build a welcoming environment has left a lasting impact on countless individuals.
About Special Olympics North Carolina
Since 1968, the organization has used the transformative power of sports to improve the lives of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Nearly 53,000 athletes (individuals with intellectual disabilities) and Unified partners (individuals without intellectual disabilities) in North Carolina inspire thousands of coaches, sports officials, local program committee members and event organizers involved in Special Olympics statewide. SONC offers year-round training and competition in 20 Olympic-type sports on local and state levels as well as health and wellness initiatives to improve the health status and increase access to community health resources for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Youth become agents of change through Unified Champion Schools, an education and sports-based program created by Special Olympics to build an inclusive environment among youth with and without intellectual disabilities as well as empower them to become youth leaders and create change in their community. Engage with us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
