Power for Parkinson’s is excited to introduce our newest team member, Kevin Curtin! Kevin joined the Power for Parkinson’s staff a few weeks ago as our Community Program Coordinator, bringing with him a wealth of experience, creativity, and passion. To help everyone get to know him better, Kevin interviewed himself, diving deep into his motivation for pursuing a career with PFP. Read on to learn all about Kevin Curtin!

Kevin Curtin: I’ve heard that you became interested in Parkinson’s-related fitness because of a family connection.

Kevin Curtin: That’s true. My dad has been living with Parkinson’s for about a decade. Before that, he spent 40 years working as a doctor with a focus on serving poor and underserved communities, while my mother worked in elder care – which, by coincidence, prepared her to now serve as her husband’s full-time caretaker. My dad, a loud Irishman with the physique of a retired NFL lineman, now maintains a rigorous routine of exercise and physical therapy in order to stay mobile. He believes that exercise has a transformative effect on people with Parkinson’s and advocates for it. When he needs extra motivation to work out, he thinks about playing with his grandkids.

Kevin Curtin: And what about YOU? Do you exercise? 

Kevin Curtin: As a matter of fact, I do. I have a running group that does a four mile loop around Lady Bird Lake twice a week and I organize two recurring musician basketball games. I’m not an exercise expert by any means, but this is one thing I know for sure: I am much more likely to work out if it involves a group activity and there’s a feeling of community around it. That’s one aspect of Power For Parkinson’s that really resonates with me! 

Kevin Curtin: Interesting. What did you do before becoming the Community Program Coordinator at Power For Parkinson’s? 

Kevin Curtin: Great question! I have been a weekly columnist and editor at the Austin Chronicle since 2011, while also moonlighting as an emcee at events and composing commercial music for a major home decor brand.

Kevin Curtin: Will you miss the life of a full-time writer?

Kevin Curtin: No. I have little kiddos now who wake me up at 6am everyday so I’ve found that being at a club at 2:30am interviewing a young buzz band is more exhausting than exciting.

Kevin Curtin: You’ve been working at PFP for almost three weeks now. What’s your favorite part of it?

Kevin Curtin: Honestly, I’m enjoying the opportunity to make new friends. I love talking to our participants and hearing about the interesting lives they’ve led. I’ve also had a lot of fun forging relationships with our volunteers, instructors, and the PFP staff – warm-hearted folks all around. People are what inspires me and I’m finding no shortage of inspiration in my new role.

Kevin Curtin: Do you think the PFP classes are easy?

Kevin Curtin: Heck no! I think I’m proof that they are really challenging. I’m a 39-year-old, physically active person without Parkinson’s and I still break a sweat doing the PFP classes!