Steve Polakowski
President & Board Member
In addition to serving as president of Adaptive Technologies, Steve Polakowski is the owner of an information technology (IT) consulting firm with over 20 years of experience, specializing in optimizing IT integration and utilization for business owners. With lifelong expertise in such technology, Steve excels in helping business owners navigate technology complexities by identifying and implementing tailored solutions toward ensuring seamless operations. Throughout his two-decades of experience, Steve has developed particular expertise in voice over internet protocol, network routing, and remote connectivity–integrating diverse technologies into cohesive systems.
In 2015, Steve sustained a cervical-level spinal cord injury as a result of a car accident. He has been living with tetraplegia since that time. Despite this life-altering event, Steve has continued to thrive in his field, demonstrating remarkable resilience and commitment to utilizing his skillset to serve the IT field–and beyond. In 2022, Steve began serving as a consultant for the MetroHealth Adaptive Life Technologies Lab, providing his expertise in identifying, configuring, and implementing life-altering assistive and adaptive technologies.
Diane McArdle
Secretary/Treasurer & Board Member
My name is Diane McArdle. I am Stephen’s mom and one of his biggest supporters.
I live in Burton Ohio with my husband and a Russian Blue cat named Earl. I like to work in the flower beds, vegetable garden and sit outside in the sun. I enjoy creating meals and relaxing at home. I have a background in retail management and office administration for a local Plumbing and HVAC Company.
I received a phone call in September of 2015 at 2:30am, asking if anyone had called me yet – that moment changed my life forever. I remember one day while in ICU with Steve, he looked at me with very sad eyes, not able to really speak well with the trach, and tried to explain to me how sorry he was for the situation. I immediately responded with “you don’t need to be sorry, you just have to promise me you will use this to help better the lives of people in this type of situation” Adaptive Technologies was created with that goal in mind. I can’t tell you how very proud of Steve’s strength, attitude and continuous drive to not give up.
Blake Perkins
Technology Clinician & Board Member
Blake Perkins, PT, DPT, ATP is a physical therapist and research investigator at the MetroHealth System in Cleveland, Ohio. Blake lives with paraplegia due to a spinal cord injury (SCI) in 2011 and has over a decade of experience as a stakeholder in rehabilitation technology, positioning him uniquely seasoned as a therapist. He is the lead clinician at the MetroHealth outpatient wheelchair clinic, and program director of the MetroHealth Adaptive Life Technologies lab, promoting collaborative and clinically-guided assistive technologies for individuals living with various life-altering disabilities. He additionally serves as a clinical member of the MetroHealth Tetraplegia Management Clinic team, an interdisciplinary group of researchers, engineers, nursing staff, and physicians who collectively identify and implement solutions to maximize hand and arm function. Blake’s research interests and responsibilities work in harmony with his clinical practice. A member of the MetroHealth Center for Rehabilitation Research, he investigates technologies and rehabilitation strategies to maximize function and independence for people living with SCI. With his complementary professional roles, Blake holds career-long aspirations of optimizing the development, provision, and interface of established and emerging rehabilitation technologies.
You can read more about Blake in this article, ClevelandFES.
Paul Porter
Board Member
My name is Paul Porter. I live in Middlefield Ohio and I am a 1987 Middlefield Cardinal graduate. I then attended Ashland University and graduated in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. I have owned and operated my fitness center called Fitness Plus in Middlefield for 32 years. I was elected in 2018 to be a Middlefield township trustee. I am currently serving as chairman of our township board. My greatest accomplishment is raising my 3 children Luke, Natalina and Cole.