Meet the Minds Behind the AEPIC Collaboritive

Adaptive Equipment Product Innovator Community (AEPIC) amplifies adaptive equipment innovators through AEPIC’s digital content and trade shows. Consumers see the people and stories shaping accessibility’s future.

Spotlight Stories

Tausi Brands: Comfort with Purpose

What if the simple act of sleeping could be pain-free and supportive? Founder Janice Shokrian watched her father struggle with pillows that never stayed in place, leaving him uncomfortable and restless. Inspired to create a solution, she designed the Tausi pillowcase: structured, versatile, and built for real comfort. Every product reflects care, craftsmanship, and the belief that comfort should never be a compromise.

How We Amplify Our Innovators

Digital Content

AEPIC Collective Male and female smiling at a trade show booth

Trade Shows

AEPIC Collective women smiling in community

Connections

Behind the Care: Inventors of Adaptive Equipment That Makes Life Easier

Meet some of the inventors of AEPIC Collective, changing caregiving, one idea at a time. You might recognize a few faces at our booths!

Founder Janice Shokrian posing with a Tausi Brands pillowcase

Janice Shokrian, Tausi Brands

Kathleen Quinn, Mobility Towel

Functional Hand Founders Celine Skertich and Linda Merry

Celine Skertich, Linda Merry, Functional Hand

Kerry Mellin, EaZyHold

Diane Vitillo, The Original AFO Assist

Our Inspiration: Healthcare Disrupters

Two people smiling; one is sitting on a walker and holding a crutch while the other person stands behind, supporting. Both appear cheerful.

Cindy Hardin-Weiss, Person demonstrating a chair with an attached tray and handle, wearing an orange shirt, seated on a gray armchair, with text overlay stating "you can use it with a chair."

Small dog with brown and white fur wearing a blue bow tie, held in someone's hand against a grassy park background.

Gus, our mascot

Cindy and Christina Hardin-Weiss are trailblazing rehabilitation specialists and healthcare influencers who have revolutionized the adaptive equipment and caregiving industry. With over 50 years of combined experience, they have become trusted voices for caregivers, families, and older adults seeking to maintain independence and dignity.

Cindy, a physical therapist with 30 years of expertise in home healthcare, and Christina, a speech/language/dysphagia therapist with 25 years of experience in long-term care, founded Adaptive Equipment and Caregiving Corner in 2015. Their mission: to empower individuals with the knowledge and tools to age in place safely and comfortably.