Four United Airlines employees talking about their jobs sound like the kind of workers that most companies would love to snap up: they arrive early for work; they’re praised for being helpful; and they have to be reminded to put in for vacation.
The four are among 18 employees across United’s system who have taken on new careers through a collaboration with Special Olympics that airline spokesman Russell Carlton called an industry first. United started the Special Olympics Service Ambassador program in 2019 in Chicago during National Disability Employment Awareness Month and expanded it to Denver, Houston and Washington, D.C.
Plans are underway to hire Special Olympics athletes at United hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Newark.
The Special Olympics ambassadors who work part-time as customer service representatives for United at Denver International Airport recently marked their fourth year on the job. Helene Carmona Schmidt, also a customer representative, works directly with the four employees and is a mentor to them.
“I don’t like calling this a program because it truly is a pathway of employment. There is no end date,” Schmidt said. “They are truly employed by United Airlines and they get all the benefits.”
The ambassadors applied for the positions and shadowed other United employees on the job before joining the staff. “They are completely mainstreamed,” Schmidt said.
Before working at DIA, Hanna Joy Atkinson, Chris McElroy, Cody Field and David Riley all distinguished themselves through their participation with Special Olympics Colorado. They’ve traveled across the country and around the world to competitions and brought home medals. They speak at events and serve as leaders for other athletes.
Field, 33, of Centennial, a Special Olympics snowboard and skier, scored a gig as a reporter at WWE’s WrestleMania XL in Philadelphia in 2024.
“I was the first-ever community impact correspondent at WrestleMania XL,” he said, going on to name some of his wrestling idols that he met.
Field is excited about his job with United. Along with the other three, he helps people print out bag tags and other items they need. He gives travelers directions and summons other customer representatives when needed.
“There’s a lot of things I love about this job, especially when I’m actually helping with customers,” Field said.
McElroy, 37, of Aurora, has been a Special Olympics athlete since middle school, competing in swimming, soccer, floor hockey, flag football, bowling and golf. In 2015, he won a gold medal in swimming at the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.
When it comes to working for United Airlines, McElroy said, “This is my No. 1 job ever.”
McElroy said he arrives to work about an hour before his shift and gets everything situated and ready to go. His favorite part of the job? “Having him as a boss,” McElroy said, gesturing to Stephen Stoute, United’s managing director of customer service in Denver.
“They keep me in line,” Stoute replied. “They sometimes quiz me on things. The team is really in tune with what it is we look for here in Denver and at United Airlines.”
On a recent shift, the four employees were in the lobby, helping travelers print out and attach bag tags and boarding passes and steering people to where they needed to go. Atkinson, 30, of Littleton said she takes her work seriously.
“At the end of the day, I would do absolutely anything and everything I can to improve the quality of my job for the same of my team,” Atkinson said.
Away from work, Atkinson is busy representing Special Olympics, where she has competed in swimming, basketball and cycling. She is an alumni reporter for Lady Gaga’s Channel Kindness, where three of her stories were published in the book “Channel Kindness.”
Atkinson’s favorite part of her job in customer service is making a difference in the lives of people traveling through the airport. “Sometimes people are in a rush. I like to make their lives a little bit less stressful.”
Riley, 41, of Centennial, has been a Special Olympics athlete since he was 10 years old. He has competed in track and field, softball, volleyball and basketball and is part of an athlete leadership program. He also works at Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets games as an usher or taking tickets.
At United, Riley enjoys working with Stoute. “He’s a very nice boss.”
What he likes about the job is interacting with the passengers. “I like talking to them and asking them where they’re going on their flights,” Riley said. “I tag their bags and car seats and like seeing people with their little ones.”
Schmidt said the four are held to the same rules and expectations as other United employees. “It’s meaningful work for these young adults that they can take on to make it bigger and better.”
Megan Scremin, president and CEO of Special Olympics Colorado, said the four have shown that individuals with disabilities deserve as much opportunity to be in the workplace as everyone else does and that they are fully capable of being “productive, excellent team members and employees.”
Scremin believes seeing people with disabilities working in such visible positions might expand the public’s perceptions about what people with disabilities can do.
“I think every individual interaction that Cody and Hanna and Chris and David are having with people within the airport has a ripple effect,” Scremin said. “This is a job that they have earned and they are keeping through their work and their commitment to their leaders within United Airlines.”