Turin2025: Jenny Fortner, SOI Board Member and Volunteer

On this episode of the Special Chronicles Podcast Series: “A Recap of Turin 2025,” Daniel Smrokowski sits down with Jenny Fortner, a dedicated Special Olympics International Board Member to talk about how she volunteered with her son Joey Fortner, a Yale University student and his friends from Athletes in Action. 

Jenny shares her personal journey and deep-rooted commitment to Special Olympics as she reflected on her and her son's roles at the 2025 World Winter Games in Turin, Italy. From Jenny's early days as a freshman volunteer at the University of Chicago to Joey's first experience as a student-athlete at the World Winter Games, we dive into their powerful experiences and lessons learned from over three decades of volunteering.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear:

• Jenny’s first experience volunteering for Special Olympics as a freshman at the University of Chicago and what inspired her to get involved.
• How her journey with Special Olympics has evolved over the past 30 years, and what has kept her passionate about advocating for athletes.
• Insights into how Special Olympics has grown and impacted the lives of athletes and their families.
• As a current Board Member of Special Olympics, Jenny shares the initiatives and changes she's most proud of contributing to.
• Advice for those just starting their volunteer journey with Special Olympics, especially if they’re unsure where to begin.
• What has been the most rewarding part of working with Special Olympics athletes, particularly those she’s met at the World Games.
• How volunteering with Special Olympics aligns with her personal values and has influenced her perspective on inclusion and community.
• Jenny’s hopes for the legacy of her involvement with Special Olympics, both personally and for the organization as a whole.

• How Joey first got involved with Special Olympics and what inspired him and his fellow Athletes in Action members from Yale to volunteer at the World Winter Games in Turin.
• The impact of volunteering with Special Olympics on him personally and as a student-athlete, and the lessons he’s learned about sport, inclusion, and community.
• Joey reflects on his first experience at the Special Olympics World Winter Games and how the event stands out from others.
• A specific moment during volunteering that made a lasting impression on him and his team.
• The role of student-athletes in Special Olympics and how they contribute to the experience for both themselves and the athletes they support.
• Joey shares what it’s like to follow in his mom’s footsteps in the Special Olympics community and his advice for other young people considering volunteering.
• What Joey is most excited about for the upcoming 2025 World Winter Games in Turin and how he envisions his role at the event.

• What volunteering at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin means to them as a mother-son duo and how this shared experience is special for their family.
• Their unique perspectives—Jenny as a Board Member and Joey as a student-athlete volunteer—and how they collaborate and support each other’s work within Special Olympics.
• The most impactful lessons they’ve learned from working with Special Olympics athletes and how they carry those lessons into their everyday lives.
• Their hopes for the future of Special Olympics as they prepare for the upcoming World Winter Games in Turin and beyond.

Key Takeaways:

• The life-changing power of volunteering and the sense of community it creates within Special Olym