Sondra Marshall, Ph.D

Sondra Marshall, Ph.D has become a familiar name across Central Oregon over the past two decades. The Bend-based psychologist founded the Programs of Evaluation, Development and Learning at St. Charles Health System, creating what has become a lifeline for local families navigating developmental and medical challenges. Marshall also helped launch the Central Oregon Concussion Program and partners with the University of Oregon and national experts to improve youth brain health and safety.

Marshall’s influence extends far beyond Central Oregon. As the U.S. National Eligibility Officer for Athletes Without Limits, she helps athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities qualify for elite competition — including the Paralympics.

The Source chatted with Marshall about her committment to helping others.

The Source: Tell me a bit about your background. What led you to this work?

Sondra Marshall: I’ve been a licensed psychologist at St. Charles for almost 20 years. Over time, I developed a service line called PEDAL: Programs of Evaluation, Development and Learning. We provide neurodevelopmental and neuropsychological evaluations for kids with complex health care needs: autism, epilepsy, cardiac conditions, rare genetic syndromes.

Having a clinic like this in a rural community is huge. We work closely with St. Charles, but we’re outpatient and see families from all over Oregon. It’s really a lifeline for families navigating very difficult situations.

TS: Where did your interest in this field begin?

SM: I actually started out as a French teacher! But I was always fascinated by the brain. My dad was head of pediatric neurology at OHSU [Oregon Health & Science University], so I spent a lot of time in hospitals growing up. I eventually became a school counselor and then a school psychologist. When I moved to Central Oregon, I realized there was a huge gap in local neurodevelopmental services. That’s when I built PEDAL.

TS: You also have a strong passion for sports and inclusion. How did that develop?

SM: I’m a lifelong athlete — equestrian is my sport — and I used to work with the U.S. Olympic Team. In 2017, I connected with the founders of Athletes Without Limits, a nonprofit that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities compete at elite levels. I began volunteering as a psychologist to verify eligibility for these athletes. Back then, we had just a handful of athletes. This year, we had over 250 across the country.

TS: How is that different from Special Olympics?

SM: Special Olympics is focused on recreation and inclusion — it’s amazing and everyone should know about it. But Athletes Without Limits is about giving athletes with intellectual disabilities a chance to compete at the highest levels: nationals, worlds, and even the Paralympics.

For years, athletes with intellectual disabilities were excluded from the Paralympics. It’s only been in the last decade that we’ve regained a foothold — first in swimming, then in track and field and now in table tennis.

TS: And you’re helping expand that access internationally?

SM: Yes. I recently returned from an international forum in the Dominican Republic, where over 30 countries came together to talk about expanding access. I was one of five U.S. representatives and part of the eligibility track — helping countries understand how to determine whether an athlete qualifies for the intellectual disability classification.

Eligibility is complex. First, there’s the diagnosis — someone must meet criteria for intellectual disability. But there’s also “classification,” which determines whether the disability impacts performance in a particular sport. That’s what makes them eligible to compete in a specific category.

TS: Are you continuing in that role?

SM: I’ve been asked to become a classifier — someone who travels to competitions and does the assessments. There’s a huge need for psychologists trained in this work, and I want to help fill that gap.

TS: That’s incredible. How does this tie back to your work at PEDAL?

SM: It ties back in a beautiful way. Every day, I sit with families who are learning that their child has a lifelong developmental disability. Those are hard conversations. But I also get to say, “This diagnosis doesn’t mean your child can’t thrive — or compete — or live a full life.” I tell them stories about athletes we’ve worked with, like one of our tennis players who had a brain injury at birth and now competes internationally.

Here in Bend, so many families dream of sports for their kids. And I get to say, “Yes. That dream still exists. Just maybe in a different lane.”

TS: What kind of support do you need to keep this work going?

SM: We’re applying for a grant to turn Central Oregon into a winter training center for elite athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We have the snow, the mountains and the spirit. But we need awareness, funding and infrastructure.

We’re also working to bring international events here. In 2026, Sunriver is slated to host an international golf tournament for ID athletes. We want to show the world what’s possible when a community says, “Yes, you belong here.”

TS: What do you wish more people understood about this work?

SM: That intellectual disability is an invisible disability and it’s still deeply stigmatized. People often assume that someone who can walk and talk doesn’t need accommodations. Or they think “Special Olympics is enough,” without realizing there’s a path to the Paralympics for some of these athletes.

Sport is a human right. It’s about joy, health, achievement and connection. Everyone deserves a shot at that — including people with disabilities.

The athletes I work with — and the families I meet in the clinic — are some of the most inspiring people I know. They remind me why this work matters.

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect the tournament in Sunriver is golf not tennis as originally stated. It’s the US National Adaptive Championship.

This article appears in the Source October 2, 2025.