Frankie Kineavy is “The Chairleader”
Kineavy during a 2017 game against the Pennsbury Falcons. Photo courtesy of Frankie Kineavy.
In a world in which many struggle to feel significant, Frankie Kineavy stands out as someone who has quietly proven that significance has little to do with your title, the size of your platform, or the circumstances you’re born into.
Kineavy, a native of Sea Girt, New Jersey, was born with an umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. His complicated birth left him with spastic quadriplegic non-verbal cerebral palsy. He ambulates using a motorized wheelchair and communicates by pointing to various letters, words, and characters on a language board attached to his wheelchair.
Yet, Kineavy, who is now thirty-five, is adamant that he leads a charmed life. After all, he’s managed to serve as a student manager of the Villanova University men’s basketball program under Coach Jay Wright prior to his graduation in 2013, deliver a TEDx talk, and write and produce a short film based on his life, which was recognized at the 2025 SOHO International Film Festival.
Kineavy has seemingly accomplished more than most hope to accomplish in a lifetime – all while confined to the bounds of his wheelchair.
Now, Kineavy has partnered with former professional football player-turned-coach Chris Malleo to write a powerful and deeply moving manifesto that redefines what it truly means to be a leader.
The book, The Chairleader, tells the remarkable true story of how Malleo selected Kineavy to join his coaching staff at the renowned Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey in 2015 and how Kineavy helped transform a struggling high school football program into a formidable championship-winning powerhouse.
The Chairleader, named in honor of Kineavy’s ability to rally, inspire, and lead from his wheelchair, challenges conventional wisdom on leadership. It proves that true influence doesn’t require a booming voice or a commanding presence and that, sometimes, it rolls in on wheels.
The Chairleader is Born
When Malleo took over as head football coach at The Peddie School in 2014, he was handed a struggling program that was plagued by low participation, mounting forfeits, and a growing sense of frustration among parents and the broader school community.
Malleo’s team had a successful first season, but there remained significant work to be done to rebuild the program and turn it into the respected powerhouse that Malleo envisioned.
Peddie’s administration then approved a budget that allowed Malleo to hire three new coaches to help him further improve the school’s football program. Malleo thereafter posted a job listing online and quickly found himself inundated with applications from former college stars and current and former college coaches, among others.
Two weeks later, as Malleo was about to delete the job posting, he received an email from Kineavy expressing interest in the coaching position. Although Kineavy didn’t have experience coaching football, Malleo’s interest in Kineavy was piqued by Kineavy’s work with Jay Wright during his time at Villanova. So, Malleo awarded Kineavy his last interview slot.
That final interview came at the end of a long, draining day. Malleo, having spent hours cycling through candidates with flashy resumés and traditional coaching pedigrees, was ready to call it a night.
A man then arrived to the school and introduced himself as Kineavy’s driver, leaving Malleo momentarily confused. Seconds later, Kineavy emerged from behind in his wheelchair, and the two were formally introduced.
What began as an unfamiliar and, at first, disarming moment quickly gave way to something else entirely. As the interview unfolded, Malleo’s focus shifted. It was no longer on Kineavy’s lack of traditional coaching experience or his physical limitations, but on his presence – his perspective, resilience, and the way he carried himself.
Malleo questioned how a man like Kineavy could help his team win games, but Kineavy was confident. As he exited the interview room, he told Malleo, “I know I can help you.”
“That particular day came at a point in my life when I desperately needed a jolt,” Kineavy tells me.
“The one or two years after graduating Villanova were tough for me. I went from having probably the greatest social access in my life to probably the most isolating period of my life. I was lacking community and maybe lacking purpose,” he reflects. “I immediately felt [Peddie] was a setting I could thrive in. When I met Chris, it felt like I was just talking to one of my high school or college friends. It just felt like he got what I was about and the person I was on a mission to become.”
Following the interview, Malleo sat alone in his office with the blinds drawn, overcome with emotion. He found himself reflecting on the challenges Kineavy navigates daily, as well as the strength and mindset required to meet them.
In that moment, the decision became clear. Malleo didn’t just see Kineavy as another candidate – he saw him as someone who could change the culture of Peddie’s football program. So, he hired him.
“Approach situations and people as opportunities to learn. Instead of judging someone’s differences, ask yourself, ‘What can I glean from this person’s perspective?’ Viewing life through the lens of curiosity turns challenges into growth opportunities.”
Courtesy of Frankie Kineavy.
Lessons From the Chair
The Chairleader, which includes a forward written by Jay Wright, centers around the nine most important lessons Malleo learned from Kineavy during the four years they coached together at The Peddie School: (i) you are significant, (ii) be curious, (iii) the only disability is a bad attitude, (iv) growth begins where comfort ends, (v) enjoy the journey, (vi) have a bold vision, (vii) courage is a muscle that needs to be exercised, (viii) commitment + accountability = trust, and (ix) live and lead through love.
“In an era where everyone is scrambling to nail down the perfect formula or profile for a leader, Chris’s work delivers a simple, powerful counterpoint: maybe there is no formula,” Kineavy says, matter-of-factly.
“When you enroll in a leadership seminar, a non-verbal 25-year-old with cerebral palsy may not be the image that springs to mind. Yet, across the nine lessons, Chris compels the reader to see the undeniable possibility of someone like me leading,” he says.
Of the book’s nine lessons, Kineavy believes the most important is that every person is significant.
“Often, we trivialize what we do. Every day, we see the cool stuff others are doing, and we often compare ourselves to them,” he says. Yet, Kineavy’s life proves that greatness isn’t reserved for a select few – it’s something each of us are capable of, regardless of our circumstances.
“It’s my hope that a CEO reads this book, recognizes the Frankie Kineavy on their own team, and finally sees their true leadership potential, granting them the promotion or high-impact project they’ve long deserved,” Kineavy shares.
“In the end, the best leaders aren’t the loudest in the room. They’re the ones who make others feel seen. Who ask rather than assume. Who listen more than they speak.”
The Chairleader and Beyond
Kineavy, who is constantly pushing boundaries, shows no signs of slowing down. He and Malleo have been encouraged to pursue a film adaptation of The Chairleader, bringing their story of resilience and leadership to the big screen.
Meanwhile, Kineavy is already thinking ahead to future books, eager to share new lessons and insights drawn from his experiences. And through it all, he plans to continue coaching football and helping to shape young athletes both on and off the field.
The Chairleader is available through Thunder Road Books in Spring Lake, New Jersey, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
