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Your inbox is where productivity goes to die, especially when the tools assume you can constantly scan a screen, hunt for tiny buttons, and triple-check every draft. We sit down with Sriram, founder of Lumin, to unpack what happens when an AI voice assistant is built for blind and low vision users first and held to a higher standard: it has to be accurate enough to trust, fast enough to use daily, and deep enough to handle real email workflows instead of shallow commands.

Sriram shares his journey from video game engineering and immersive tech to entrepreneurship, then the turning point of progressive vision loss from cone rod dystrophy. That lived experience shapes Lumin’s core idea: “talk to your email” in a way that actually gets work done. You’ll hear a live demo where Lumin summarizes new mail, opens a message, describes a photo attachment clearly for social media, drafts a reply, takes an edit, and sends only after confirmation. The conversation digs into why this kind of AI productivity tool is fundamentally different from generic chat apps and why handling attachments, revisions, and back-and-forth is where most assistants break down.

We also get concrete about accessibility and inclusive design: co-design with Lighthouse for the Blind, screen reader support, robust text zoom, and a simplified interface that keeps power in voice commands. Then we look ahead at the product roadmap, including Outlook and calendar support, plus the longer-term vision of meeting users on more devices like Android, smart glasses, and eventually cars. Finally, we tackle AI trust and privacy head-on: clear disclosure of cloud providers, visibility into what Lumin remembers, and user control including account deletion.

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AI is rewriting job descriptions, regulators are getting sharper, and accessibility teams are being asked to prove value faster than ever. So we put Neil Milliken in the spotlight to talk about his leap from leading global accessibility at Atos to founding Thrival Holdings, a boutique consultancy built around one simple idea: help organisations create the conditions where people thrive, not just survive.

We dig into how AI in accessibility is changing the work without replacing the need for specialists. Neil breaks down why the future looks less like one-person “expert bottlenecks” and more like scalable accessibility governance: embedding accessibility knowledge into design and engineering workflows, using tools responsibly, and backing it all with regression testing so quality does not drift as models and codebases evolve. We also talk candidly about what happens to collaboration when companies downsize and people feel they must protect individual value.

Then we zoom out to the policy and business side: the European Accessibility Act, real enforcement signals like French rulings that challenge misleading “percentage accessible” scores, and why compliance timelines rarely flip like a switch. We connect accessibility to ESG and sustainability by treating exclusion like pollution, a framing that helps leaders understand negative externalities, the curb cut effect, and the ROI of inclusive design across procurement, risk management, and reporting.

If you care about digital accessibility, WCAG, disability inclusion, and building programs that last through AI and regulatory change, this conversation will give you language and strategy you can use immediately. Subscribe, share the episode with a colleague, and leave a review with the one metric you think would finally make accessibility non-negotiable.

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A power wheelchair user reaches the gangway on a dream cruise, looks down, and realises there is no safe way off the ship. Everyone cares. Nobody knows what to do. That single moment captures the real accessibility crisis: not a shortage of good intentions, but a shortage of systems that make accessible service repeatable, calm, and consistent.

We sit down with Gavin Neate, founder of WelcoMe, and Mike Clapper of Able2Global to unpack how accessibility can move from awkward last-minute improvisation to something you handle the same way you handle any other guest preference. We talk about why disabled people end up accepting subpar service, why brands hide behind compliance instead of focusing on customer experience, and why hyper-personalization cannot stop at marketing. Welcome’s approach is practical: let people share access and communication needs before they arrive, directly through a venue website or inside booking platform integration, with the guest in control of what they disclose.

We also dig into the execution layer that most organisations miss: staff training. Gavin explains the forgetting curve and why one-off training fails, then shares a lightweight, gamified weekly approach that keeps disability inclusion top of mind without turning it into a checkbox exercise. Mike brings the business case for inclusive hospitality in the United States, showing why accessible travel is both a human issue and a revenue issue, and why the market is far bigger than most leaders assume.

If you care about accessibility technology, hospitality accessibility, and building an accessible guest experience that feels normal instead of exceptional, this conversation will give you a clear model and a few uncomfortable truths. Subscribe, share this with a leader who owns customer experience, and leave a review telling us where you want to see “access needs before arrival” become the standard.

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93% of disabled delegates facing barriers at events should be a wake-up call, not a footnote. We sit down with Catherine Grinyer, (Attendable), Shani Dhanda (accessibility consultant and broadcaster), and Orla Pearson (My ClearText and Access Loop) to get honest about why event accessibility is still so inconsistent and what it takes to fix it without hand-waving.

We dig into the thinking behind The Accessible Event Show and why it matters now: post-pandemic events are back, sustainability is finally mainstream, and yet disability inclusion still gets treated as optional. We talk practical delivery, not theory, from live captioning and accessible livestreams to the “small” production details that make or break participation for speakers and attendees. Orla explains how captions support far more than one person who asks, including deaf and hard of hearing audiences, people using English as a second language, and many neurodivergent attendees.

We also cover the reality of stakeholder buy-in across organisers, agencies, and venues, and why budgets and timelines expose whether values are real. The European Accessibility Act comes up as a clear legal push, and we reference research showing how common access barriers are at conferences and live events. Most importantly, we turn the mirror back on the industry: disabled people need to benefit as speakers, staff, and suppliers, not only as audience members.

The Accessible Events Show returns on 29 October 2026 at The Drum in Wembley, London, with a free-to-attend format and an accessible livestream. A US edition is also coming on 4 December in the DC or Virginia area. Learn more at accessibleeventshow.com and follow along on LinkedIn. If this conversation helps, subscribe, share the episode with an event pro, and leave a review so more people build events that welcome everyone.

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Accessibility at work is easy to talk about and hard to deliver, especially when your “office” includes fulfillment centers, delivery stations, corporate teams, and cutting-edge tech roles spread across the globe. We sit down with Megan Smith, Global Accommodations and People Accessibility Lead within Amazonian Experiences and Technology, to unpack what it really takes to run accommodations and workplace accessibility programs at serious scale and with real speed. Megan shares her own path into disability inclusion as a legally blind leader, and why self-advocacy plus operational rigor is a powerful combination.

We walk through the full accommodations flywheel: intake, evaluation, decisioning with managers and sites, and making sure the accommodation is implemented. Megan explains why much of the volume comes from temporary injuries that need fast, consistent handling, how pregnancy-related accommodations require dedicated expertise, and why complex disabilities benefit from high-touch support that adapts to different job environments. We also explore how people accessibility focuses on preventing barriers in the first place by setting standards, offering tooling, and influencing what the company builds and buys for employees.

Then we look forward. AI is already blurring the line between assistive technology and personalization, with big implications for screen readers, captions, and the idea of a “one console” work experience. Megan breaks down what must remain true today (solid accessibility fundamentals and WCAG principles) and what might change tomorrow, including trust, privacy, and how we filter signal from AI-generated noise. If you care about disability inclusion, HR accommodations, accessible technology, or the future of AI accessibility, this conversation gives you practical mental models and sharp questions to take back to your team.
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One sentence can flip an interview from warm to frozen: “I should tell you I’m visually impaired.” That moment sits at the heart of our conversation with Steve Tyler, Director of Assistive Tech and Transformation at Leonard Cheshire, and Jasmin Ambiong, a blind Filipina disability inclusion and accessibility advocate and Billion Strong ambassador joining us from Wellington, New Zealand.

We get specific about what disability employment really looks like for blind job seekers: Steve applying for 108 jobs before landing his first role, the “sharp intake of breath” after disclosure, and why even highly accomplished blind professionals can feel their careers are one redundancy away from disappearing. Jasmin shares what it feels like to hear “we’re not ready to employ a blind person,” why disabled candidates often have to be exceptional just to be considered, and how remote work can become a survival tactic when in-person hiring is built on fear rather than skills.

We also zoom out to the systems shaping accessible hiring and inclusive workplaces: disability organisations that still do not hire disabled staff, and the double-edged sword of AI in recruitment. From photo requests in application flows to algorithmic screening that mirrors cultural bias, we talk about how automation can either expand reasonable accommodations or amplify discrimination at speed.

If you care about accessibility, disability inclusion, assistive technology, and fair hiring, listen through and share it with someone who hires. Subscribe to AXSChat, leave a review, and tell us your take: when should candidates disclose disability, and what should employers change first?

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A theme park where wheelchair users do not get parked in the front row, where sensory needs shape the design, and where “accessible” is not a single modified option, it is the whole experience. We sit down with Sharon Newhardt, inclusion strategist at Morgan’s Wonderland and Morgan’s Inclusion Institute, to unpack what ultra-accessible really looks like when you build a destination from the ground up.

We get specific about the craft behind inclusive design: how Sharon’s team brings people with different disabilities to the table early, how they pressure-test ideas with real feedback, and how they find vendors who can solve for safety and access at the same time. Sharon shares a standout example of accessibility innovation in themed entertainment: a 4D theatre “roller coaster” that includes moving wheelchair platforms so guests using wheelchairs get the same motion experience as everyone else. That kind of work does not just improve one park, it creates new products and raises the bar across the amusement industry.

We also dig into the bigger mission and how it scales beyond a theme park. Sharon tells the origin story that sparked Morgan’s Wonderland, explains why the park is for everyone, and describes how the Inclusion Institute helps airports, museums, hospitals, sports venues, and employers start with practical “low-hanging fruit” improvements and move toward lasting cultural change. If you care about accessibility, disability inclusion, universal design, accessible travel, or building better guest and employee experiences, you will leave with real ideas you can use.

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A horse does not show up with preconceptions about disability, status, or what you can do. It meets you as you are, responds to your body and energy, and somehow makes space for confidence to grow. That simple idea becomes powerful when you hear how Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) turns it into real support for thousands of people across the UK.

We sit down with Michael Bishop, CEO of RDA UK, to explain what RDA actually is: a UK-wide disability charity supporting a movement of around 450 local groups, powered by roughly 14,000 volunteers and nearly 3,000 horses each year. Michael breaks down the range of equine-assisted work, from riding and carriage driving to education-linked, ground-based sessions, and he clarifies the difference between hippotherapy (physiotherapy-led intervention) and the broader therapeutic impact people experience through belonging, nature, and routine.

We also get practical about access and scale. Half of RDA beneficiaries live in urban areas, and many people discover local centres through schools, families, and medical professionals. But demand is outpacing supply: 71% of groups cannot meet current need. That leads to the big questions around volunteering, funding, rising costs, and how social prescribing could recognise not just participation, but the mental health benefits of volunteering itself. You will also hear about “Tea with a Pony,” a programme supporting people living with progressive conditions like dementia through sensory connection and calm community time.

If you care about disability inclusion, mental health support, equine therapy, or community-led care that actually works, this conversation gives you a grounded view of what it takes and what is at stake. Subscribe, share the episode with someone who needs a hopeful model of support, and leave a review so more listeners can find us.

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AI is changing work faster than most humans can comfortably process, and that speed is colliding with already exhausted nervous systems. We sit down with Marie-Hélène Pelletier (MH), a leadership psychologist, executive coach and author of The Resilience Plan, to unpack what resilience really means when the pressure is constant and the stakes feel personal. The big shift: resilience is not a trait you either have or lack. It’s a state you can grow, and it lives inside a system that includes you, your team and your organisation.

We talk neurodiversity in the workplace through a practical lens: where hidden friction shows up, why “just cope” is not an inclusion strategy, and how rigid performance reviews can overload neurodivergent minds. We also dig into workplace realities many leaders avoid: employee engagement dropping, burnout rising, and the gap between how optimistic leaders feel about AI and how stressed employees may feel. MH shares research-backed insights on isolation risks as work becomes more mediated by AI tools, and why staying connected to humans is a resilience practice, not a soft extra.

You’ll leave with concrete ideas you can use this week: adjust feedback formats, build team-level resilience habits, make space for neurodivergent representation on AI decision groups, and lean on the four core anchors that protect mental health and performance: exercise, nutrition, sleep and relationships. We also address chronic cognitive overload, how it can impair judgment and even nudge ethical drift, plus self-compassionate ways to find your voice when speaking up feels hard.

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A museum can hold 30 million objects and still feel inaccessible if the experience depends on sight alone. We sit down with Tina Schneider from the Natural History Museum in Berlin to hear how her team is pushing beyond digitisation and into real world inclusion by turning digital specimens into tactile, responsive learning tools.

Tina shares the moment that changed her priorities: a visitor tells her how her blind daughter arrived thrilled to see the dinosaurs, then felt bored and left early because there was so little she could touch. From there, we unpack the practical constraints museums face, including fragile historic specimens and preservation chemicals like arsenic that make handling unsafe. The solution is not “touch the collection” but build safe, accurate stand ins: digital twins that become tactile models designed for hands.

We walk through two builds. First, an interactive crocodile prototype with sensors and headphones that plays audio when visitors touch specific areas. Then the big leap forward: the 3D interactive beetle. With input from a focus group of blind and visually impaired participants, the team abandons hidden touchpoints and creates a touch anywhere sensor system. Even the tricky transitions between head, wings, and legs get solved with a clever cue: audio volume shifts as your hands move, helping you orient yourself naturally. Along the way, we talk interdisciplinary teamwork, museum education, inclusive design, and why dung beetles are an essential part of ecosystem health.

If you care about museum accessibility, tactile exhibits, audio description, or how 3D technology can widen access to science, you will get practical ideas here. Subscribe, share this with someone building public experiences, and leave a review with one object you wish every museum made touchable.

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“We have no employees using drugs or alcohol.” Georges Petitjean has heard versions of that line for years, even while treating people who are quietly disappearing into detox, struggling in silence, or terrified their employer will find out. The problem isn’t that workplace addiction is rare. The problem is that stigma makes it easy to deny, hard to disclose, and expensive to ignore.

We’re joined by Georges, an NHS clinical director in drugs and alcohol treatment services, to talk about WARM At Work, the Workplace Addiction and Recovery Movement. We dig into what substance use disorder really means using a simple spectrum model, why addiction is a treatable chronic health condition, and why workplaces still react so differently to “I need diabetes care” versus “I need addiction treatment.” Along the way, we explore the social and cultural forces that shape use, from workplace drinking culture to high pressure environments, and why banning one substance doesn’t solve the underlying drivers.

We also zoom out to policy and prevention, including what people often miss about Portugal’s decriminalisation approach, the links between disability, chronic pain, and opioid risk, and emerging trends like ketamine harm among young people. Most importantly, we focus on practical workplace actions: building psychological safety, educating the wider workforce, supporting affected colleagues and families, and creating clear pathways to treatment and peer support such as AA, NA, and SMART Recovery. To learn more about WARM At Work, visit www.warmatwork.org or connect with Georges on LinkedIn.

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The scariest part of AI isn’t the sci-fi stuff, it’s how fast it can change the tools people already rely on to live and communicate. We sit down with Dr Julie Eshleman, a postdoctoral researcher working across Georgia Tech and Georgia State, to connect the dots between AI-powered assistive technology, Medicaid waiver systems, and the policies that will decide what comes next for disabled people and their families.

Julie breaks down her participatory action research project building a RAG model chatbot trained on state guidance to help families navigate Medicaid waiver applications for home and community-based services. We talk candidly about what makes the process so brutal, why waitlists can stretch for years, and how practical support like clear FAQs and resource signposting can reduce friction while people wait. From there, we zoom out to AI policy and regulation, and the problem of disabled voices not being treated as essential stakeholders even when AI rules directly affect accessibility, privacy, and discrimination risk.

We also dig into real-world AI accessibility wins: large language models on AAC devices that speed up communication, smart home technology that restores control over one’s space, and everyday AI features that act like external working memory for neurodivergent users. Then we tackle the messy middle: AI literacy, misinformation, hallucinations, and why the better question is often whether something is correct rather than whether it looks real. If you care about disability inclusion, assistive tech, and responsible AI, share this conversation, subscribe, and leave us a review so more people can find it.

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If we can name every brand that gets accessibility wrong, why do so many disabled people still avoid working for disability organisations? That question drives our conversation with Deborah Ruh about Billion Strong’s new Disability Power Index, a “mirror” built to measure how well disability organisations actually walk the talk on accessibility, inclusion, and representation.

We unpack what makes this index different from the many corporate scorecards already out there. The focus stays on governance and leadership, employment, programs and advocacy, communications, and economic ecosystem inclusion. We talk candidly about why leadership without lived experience creates mistrust, how inaccessible internal processes shut people out, and why credibility collapses when organisations that claim to represent us cannot meet the standards they promote.

We also zoom out to the bigger systems problem: technology and AI accessibility tools are advancing fast, yet real inclusion can stall or slide backwards when the community is fragmented and under-resourced. Deborah shares how Billion Strong plans to strengthen methodology with university partners, fund the work through a membership organisation model with scholarship options, and build practical resources so the index helps organisations improve rather than just get judged. We close with a hard truth and a hopeful path: when we coordinate and raise our own bar, we gain power to change everything else.

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Movies have taught us what disability is supposed to look like for more than a century and too often the answer is a tired binary: tragedy or inspiration. We sit down with Isaac Zablocki, co-founder and CEO of ReelAbilities, and Lawrence Carter-Long, director of engagement, to talk about how their disability film festival is pushing for something better: authentic disability representation with nuance, artistry, and real authorship.

We get into how RealAbilities grew out of a partnership between film expertise and disability community organizing, why they refuse to compromise on storytelling quality, and what they mean by “reframing disability.” For them, film is the front door and culture change is the larger goal, which is why the work goes beyond screenings into conversations, pipeline building, and leadership development for disabled creators across writing, directing, producing, editing, and programming.

We also dig into accessibility and universal design, from audio description and captions to ASL and CART, with a focus on making access a built-in expectation rather than an add-on. Then we tackle AI in accessibility and entertainment: the upside of cheaper, more flexible tools like captions you can turn on anywhere, and the harder questions around AI-generated avatars, casting, and whether technology could “replace” disabled actors before the industry ever truly includes them.

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A dance class can be a mirror or a wall, and too many families know what it feels like to be shut out. We sit down with filmmaker and former dancer Dan Watt to unpack how his Emmy-winning documentary Everybody Dance came to life, why he searched for months to find the right inclusive ballet school, and what “access” looks like when it’s built into the culture instead of bolted on at the end.

Dan walks us through the choices that shape ethical disability representation in film: earning trust slowly, showing up consistently, and letting disabled kids and their parents tell their stories in their own words and on their own timeline. We get specific about consent and autonomy in documentary filmmaking, including how he checks with families during editing when a moment feels vulnerable, and why some scenes deserve to stay because they reflect real communication and support for nonverbal autistic dancers.

We also talk about the nuts and bolts of inclusion in arts education: adapting cues for different learning styles, respecting sensory needs, and using simple structures that guide behavior without punishment. Along the way, we explore the ripple effects that matter most, like confidence, social connection, and the way volunteers and students build a community where differences stop being the headline and shared purpose takes over.

If you care about inclusive dance, accessible performing arts, autism and the arts, or how to center disabled voices in media, this conversation will give you both inspiration and practical ideas. Subscribe, share this with someone who teaches or creates, and leave a review, what’s one barrier you’ve seen that could be removed with a better design?

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A hearing aid can be top-tier technology and still fail the moment it meets a shaky hand. We sit down with Jeff Szmanda, president of Each Ear LLC and a long-time hearing aid user advocate, to talk about the overlooked problem that derails success for millions of people: simply getting a receiver in canal (RIC) hearing aid speaker into the ear comfortably, consistently, and safely. When insertion is hard, everything else unravels the fit, the sound quality, the confidence, and often the willingness to keep wearing the device at all.

Jeff walks us through the assistive technology mindset that shapes his work: ergonomic design and universal design that respect real human bodies, not idealised “average” users. He shares how his earlier inventions in workplace accessibility led him to create Groove Buttons, a small but powerful interface that supports the fingertip and fingernail so users can control the speaker without slipping. We also dig into why this matters for caregivers, for people living with arthritis, tremor, Parkinson’s disease, or numbness, and for anyone who has ever watched an expensive hearing aid fall once and then disappear into a drawer.

We widen the lens to hearing healthcare and hearing aid pricing: consolidation among manufacturers, manufacturer-owned clinics, insurance and buying groups, and how consumers can make better choices across technology levels. Jeff explains key performance differences like programmable channels and speech-in-noise processing, and we talk about the links between untreated hearing loss, social isolation, and brain health.

If you care about accessible design, better hearing outcomes, and practical guidance for families, this conversation delivers. Subscribe for more accessibility and assistive technology conversations, share this episode with someone navigating hearing loss, and leave us a review with your biggest question about hearing aids and usability.

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If AI is rewriting the rules of work and the web, who makes sure accessibility isn’t left behind? We sit down with Rylin Rodgers, Director of Disability Policy at Microsoft, to chart where policy, product, and lived experience meet—and how that intersection can unlock rights, innovation, and real productivity gains for everyone.

We start with three pillars that guide Microsoft’s approach: shaping digital and AI regulation so it accelerates accessibility rather than blocks it, modernising outdated benefits and employment systems that sideline disabled talent, and advancing civil and human rights through secure voting, accessible transportation, and universal connectivity. Rylin explains why safety and privacy can’t be the only guardrails for AI; accessibility must be designed into models from the start through disability-informed safety prompts, representative data, and inclusive defaults that output accessible content.

The conversation moves from policy to practice: captions that handle non-typical speech, AI-generated image descriptions, plain-language conversions, and focus tools that reduce cognitive load. We examine the awareness gap—how many people use accessibility features without naming them and how many more don’t know what they already have. Framing accessibility as a productivity multiplier gives CIOs a reason to train and deploy at scale. We also explore bringing accessibility beyond the usual rooms, putting inclusive coding and AI testing on center stage at mainstream tech events.

Looking ahead, Rylin outlines a ten-year horizon where inaccessible sites are fixed at creation or routed around by AI, where disabled innovators shape agentic tools, and where support expands to a wider spectrum of needs. The pace of change can be tiring, so we dig into discoverability, training, and regulatory guardrails that help people keep up without burning out. If you care about AI ethics, inclusive design, or the future of work, you’ll find concrete insights and next steps to build a more accessible world—by default.

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What if a simple webcam could unlock your computer and games without touching a mouse? We sit down with SensePilot co-founder Mike Hazlewood to unpack how head tracking and facial gestures become fast, precise inputs for everyday work and high-stakes play. Built for Windows and running entirely on-device, SensePilot keeps latency low, privacy intact, and enterprise approvals realistic—no cloud uploads, no special hardware.

Mike traces the journey from a 2024 hackathon to a 2025 launch, where a bold idea met real-world testing. A friend with a spinal cord injury wanted to play Call of Duty again; designing for that level of precision made everything else—from Excel to email—more usable. Collaborations with SpecialEffect in the UK and a Ukrainian NGO supporting veterans revealed just how varied needs are, from ALS and muscular dystrophy to RSI and carpal tunnel. That diversity drove SensePilot’s granular approach: tune trigger strengths, build unique profiles for desktop vs. gaming, and even switch profiles inside a single title for driving, flying, or on-foot movement.

We also dig into the bigger picture of accessible technology and AI. On-device processing lowers security barriers and keeps assistive tools resilient when networks fail. Thoughtful AI support can speed text input and streamline workflows without replacing human judgment. The key is specificity—narrow, task-focused agents outperform generic models for accessibility testing and coding, while keeping the person’s intent front and center.

Looking ahead, Mike shares a vision for mainstream inclusion: optional head-tracking onboarding inside games like Microsoft Flight Simulator, letting anyone try hands-free immersion with one click. No wearables, no extra gear—just a webcam and curiosity. If accessible input becomes a standard feature, everyone wins: gamers gain immersion, and people with disabilities gain flexible, independent control.

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Want AI that works the first time instead of the tenth? We sit down with Andreas Schachl, co-founder of Responsible Annotation Services, to unpack the quiet truth behind reliable models: ethical, high-quality training data produced by people who take clarity and precision seriously. Andreas shares how a single internship sparked a company built around neurodivergent talent, turning data labeling from a churn task into a strategic advantage.

We walk through why annotation isn’t going anywhere, even with foundation models and smarter tools. When you’re training on private, business-owned data across text, images, audio, video, and LiDAR, you need a human in the loop and documentation you can defend. Andreas explains how his team co-authors rigorous annotation handbooks with clients, translating fuzzy goals into exact rules, edge cases, and review procedures. The payoff is real: higher consistency, fewer iterations, and a clear compliance trail for regulators and auditors.

Bias mitigation becomes a practice, not a promise. A neurodivergent lens exposes hidden assumptions and pushes for instructions that are unambiguous and testable. We explore practical systems—daily stand-ups, structured chat, and even “coffee calls” with agendas—that help people do their best focused work. We also confront the ethics of the global annotation supply chain and outline a different path: EU contracts, fair wages, social worker support, and leadership that values diligence over hype. From 2D images to complex 3D point clouds, we show how modern tooling plus human judgment builds AI you can trust.

If you care about responsible AI, data quality, and making models perform sooner with less guesswork, this conversation is your blueprint. Subscribe, share with a colleague wrestling with training data, and leave a review with your biggest annotation challenge—we’ll tackle it in a future episode.

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What does it take to make inclusion real for 420,000 people across 55 countries? We sit down with Karine Vasselin, Group Head of Inclusive Futures at Capgemini, to unpack a pragmatic playbook that turns diversity into business value and culture into daily practice. Karine shares how a simple shift in language—“inclusive futures for all”—opened the door for everyone to see themselves in the work, from parents and caregivers to neurodivergent colleagues and people with disabilities.

Across the conversation, we dig into the tools and choices that matter most. Inclusion Circles give managers semi-guided, scenario-based conversations that build psychological safety and shared norms without adding corporate fluff. Employee networks—Women@Capgemini, OutFront, Capability, and NeuroAbility—move beyond awareness to shape policies like safer travel guidance and inclusive benefits that recognize all families. We also examine hard-won lessons from neurodiversity pilots: why early enthusiasm ran into real-world friction, how smaller cohorts and expert partners like Auticon and Ambitious about Autism changed outcomes, and what it takes to scale responsibly.

AI runs as a hopeful throughline. For many neurodivergent and disabled employees, generative AI behaves like assistive tech—organizing ideas, clarifying communication, summarizing meetings, and removing friction through captions and text-to-speech. But tools alone can’t fix culture. We talk hiring pipelines, role design, advancement, and the manager skills needed to spot bias and coach diverse teams. Karine also offers career advice for future inclusion leaders: build credibility through business and talent experience, and learn to influence without authority.

If you care about practical inclusion, leadership training that sticks, and using AI to expand access rather than entrench bias, this conversation delivers a clear blueprint you can adapt tomorrow. Subscribe, share with a colleague who leads teams, and leave a review with one policy you’d change to make work truly work for everyone.

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What if accessibility wasn’t a checkpoint but a capability baked into every release? We sit down with Shlomit Shteyer, a technical program leader at Salesforce, to explore how large organizations make accessibility real, measurable, and scalable without slowing product velocity. Her journey from shipping features at Twitter to building accessibility programs offers a candid look at turning strategy into operations and aligning teams around customer impact.

We unpack the practical models that work at scale: start with a centralized core to set standards, then grow embedded expertise through a Champion Program that upskills engineers, designers, and PMs. Shlomit explains why this blend beats false either-or choices and how it creates durable habits across design, development, testing, and release. Executive commitment proves decisive. At Salesforce, accessibility targets sit in the annual planning framework, right alongside feature delivery and security, so teams have time, tools, and a clear definition of success.

AI enters the story as a helpful colleague, not a shortcut. Think agentic assistance that flags issues early, suggests accessible patterns, and speeds remediation while leaving accountability with humans. We also look at a shifting market reality: customers now demand accessibility at contract time, moving organizations from reactive bug-fixing to proactive, compliant design. Collaboration across companies is a surprising superpower too, with leaders openly sharing training methods, metrics, and automation approaches to raise the bar industry-wide.

From global, inclusive training formats to positioning accessibility within the broader trust layer—security, availability, sustainability—this conversation offers a roadmap for leaders who want impact, not slogans. Shlomit’s advice is grounded and human: cultivate curiosity, connect your strengths to work that matters, and build systems that make good choices the default. If you’re scaling accessibility or looking for a place to start, this episode will give you frameworks, language, and momentum.

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A single UX critique and one candid email from a blind traveler set off a chain reaction inside Skyscanner: a grassroots movement, a formal program, and a culture that treats accessibility as core product quality. We sit down with Heather Hepburn—Head of Accessibility at Skyscanner and co-founder of the Champions of Accessibility Network—to unpack how real user stories, practical structure, and community energy turn good intentions into measurable change.

Heather walks us through the early days: a quiet Slack channel, a room of curious allies, and leadership’s turning point when they saw how exclusion blocks customers from booking. From there, she shows how to make momentum stick—creating a champions pathway with training and one-to-ones, appointing a lead accessibility engineer to anchor the technical depth, and sharing hard-won patterns with partners and peers. We also explore the CAN community on LinkedIn, a sales-free space where thousands swap tactics, tools, and encouragement.

Education is the other engine. Heather explains how Teach Access Europe connects industry and universities to weave accessibility into computer science and UX curricula, supporting lecturers with resources and realistic assessment. We spotlight hands-on university collaborations: student projects centered on accessibility, live sessions with a disabled testing panel, and the Skyscanner Accessibility and Inclusion Award that elevates practical solutions, like tools for dyslexic learners. The message is clear: when students graduate with inclusive habits, teams ship better products faster.

We close by taking accessibility beyond the usual echo chambers—onto travel industry stages and into business schools—meeting leaders where they are with clear demos, data, and language that resonates with strategy, risk, and growth. Want to help build the next wave of inclusive tech? Join the Champions of Accessibility Network on LinkedIn, explore teachaccess.org/europe, and share this conversation with a colleague who signs off on roadmaps or curriculums. If this episode moved you, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us where you’ll start change today.

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AI can empower without overstepping, but only if we design with people, not for them. We sit down with Christopher Patnoe, Head of Disability Innovation for Google EMEA, to unpack what’s working inside Google’s Accessibility Discovery Centers and why cross-company collaboration is speeding up inclusive tech. From hands-on demos that reframe complex info for neurodivergent thinkers to camera features that help blind users take better photos, the focus is on targeted AI that removes friction without trying to replace human judgment.

We dive into the messy middle where innovation meets real life: captions that must be accurate yet respectful, humor that shouldn’t punch down but should still allow agency, and wearables that balance safety, comfort, and utility. Christopher shares why augmented reality has more day-to-day value than VR, how competition among Google, Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and others drives better features, and where open platforms create more room for customization. We also zoom out to the global picture—building for Nairobi and the Appalachians alike—where bandwidth, cost, and reliability demand offline modes and graceful fallbacks.

Privacy and trust anchor the conversation. Useful by default even if the system knows nothing about you; deeper personalization only with consent. We talk data ownership, the risks of account sharing, and how corporate longevity and infrastructure investment affect AI’s future. Is the real value in the models, or in what people build on top? Christopher explains why durable ecosystems may outlast hype cycles, and why the most inclusive solutions come from communities who repurpose tools in unexpected, brilliant ways.

If you care about accessibility, XR, AI ethics, and inclusive design that actually lands in the real world, this one’s for you. Subscribe to stay close to the evolving story, share this with a colleague who builds products, and leave a review with the one feature you wish your favorite device had.

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Maps shouldn’t say “graphic, clickable, blank” when what we really need is orientation. We sit down with Brandon Biggs, CEO of XR Navigation, to unpack why traditional map interfaces exclude blind, low-vision, and neurodiverse users—and how cross-sensory design transforms static visuals into reliable spatial understanding. Brandon makes a clear case that maps are not just about mobility; they’re about building mental models of names, distances, directions, shapes, and relationships. Without accessible orientation tools, people lose access to critical public data and even entire careers that rely on geographic information.

We dive into the promises and pitfalls of AI for mapping. Street imagery descriptions are improving, but 70% accuracy is not enough when a misread road or building can derail someone’s route and safety. Audium offers an alternative grounded in authoritative data: a visual mode with readable contrast and scalable interfaces, and a nonvisual mode that feels like a game, using spatial audio and sound textures to convey features without adding cognitive overload. Every element remains text-exposed for screen readers and Braille, ensuring WCAG compliance and human verification. It’s not AI versus accessibility—it’s AI partnered with verifiable, inclusive design.

Policy and practice are shifting. ADA Title II rules in the US begin to mandate accessible geographic maps for state and local agencies, while Europe and the UK still exclude many maps unless used for navigation, unintentionally limiting access to fields like epidemiology, planning, and environmental science. Brandon explains how Audium’s Esri partnership enables agencies to convert entire map libraries in Experience Builder, drawing on ArcGIS Living Atlas, OpenStreetMap, and local datasets. From wildfire layers to zoning overlays and event wayfinding, this is a blueprint for making public spatial data usable by everyone.

If accessible orientation resonates with you, join us: subscribe, share this conversation with a colleague in government or GIS, and leave a review with one change you want to see in public maps. Your feedback helps push inclusive mapping from a nice-to-have to a new standard.

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What if the label you avoided for decades is the one that finally makes your life make sense? We sit down with researcher and entrepreneur Regina Casteleijn-Osorno to unpack why so many women learn they’re neurodivergent only in adulthood, how misdiagnosis during adolescence and menopause delays care, and what happens when that long-overdue clarity meets the realities of work and caregiving.

Regina shares findings from a participatory study of late-diagnosed neurodivergent women entrepreneurs, spotlighting why autonomy, sensory control, and values alignment pull so many toward self-employment. We talk about ADHD traits like hyperfocus, rapid ideation, and an intense sense of justice—how they can power product-building and client impact, and why they can clash with rigid corporate cultures that punish candor and overlook inequity. Rather than romanticize neurodiversity, we explore lived experience through photo voice and interpretive phenomenological analysis to surface nuance: joy in flexible schedules, stress from inaccessible assessments, and the choice to disclose or not in rooms where stigma still lingers.

Beyond the office, we tackle hidden disability barriers that show up in the wild. From the sunflower lanyard to airline pre-boarding, we illustrate how policy without staff education becomes obstruction. The fix is practical: train front-line teams, diversify examples, and create predictable, quieter paths for anxious or sensory-sensitive travelers. We also press on language—why “everyone is a bit ADHD” erases real conditions—and show how leaders who speak openly about disabled family members help younger women find confidence, community, and earlier support.

If you care about neurodiversity, women’s health, inclusive entrepreneurship, and turning research into everyday access, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review telling us the one change that would make your workplace or travel experience truly accessible.

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What happens when AI accelerates faster than our ability to question it—and our workplaces grow more diverse just as support for inclusion wavers? We sat down with Professor of Practice Gisele Marcus from Olin Business School to unpack the crossroads of AI ethics, DEI, and the core human skill that ties them together: critical thinking.

Gisele takes us inside her course, Leading Across Differences, where students learn to work with people unlike themselves while grappling with tools that can both scale fairness and automate bias. We tackle the most practical question leaders can ask about AI—where does the data come from?—and build from there into model oversight, representation gaps, and the human judgment still required to deploy automation responsibly. Along the way, we examine real-world shifts: how customer service is being streamlined by voice systems, why high-touch account management remains human, and how students are pivoting from vulnerable roles to hybrid careers that pair technical fluency with communication and analysis.

The conversation widens to the social layer: the rise of bubbles, the decline of civil disagreement, and the quiet retreat from public dialogue. Giselle offers tactics students and professionals can use today—moving beyond one-off outreach, asking for referrals and follow-ups, and practicing the mechanics of disagreement through programs like Dialogue Across Differences. We also explore the evolving value of degrees versus micro-credentials and AI-focused certificates, and why universities that teach how to think—not just what to know—will best prepare graduates for jobs that don’t yet exist.

We close on a hopeful note. Inclusion done right drives performance because people do their best work when they’re respected and seen. From highlighting companies that walk the talk to taking small, personal actions that lower barriers, momentum is still possible. If you care about building ethical AI, resilient careers, and teams that can disagree without dividing, this conversation is for you.

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A fall from a tree, a 42-day coma, and seven years of recovery could have ended a future. For Abdus Sattar Dulal, it sparked one. We sit down with the world president of Disabled Peoples’ International to trace a path from a village in Bangladesh to the halls shaping global disability policy, and we ask what it takes to turn rights on paper into access in real life.

Dulal recounts building community from the ground up: opening a small shop, organizing youth, teaching adults to read, and then stepping into a factory job won after a chess tournament. There, he called out discrimination, faced threats, and chose a different fight—founding a cross-disability organization that he fueled after-hours for years. That drive grew into regional labor advocacy that placed disabled workers into industry roles, then into global leadership through DPI, an alliance spanning about 140 countries with consultative status at the UN and a decisive role in advancing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

We unpack how treaties become tangible change, from Bangladesh’s rights and protection act to the stubborn gaps that persist: inaccessible schools, untrained teachers, hospitals without sign language interpreters or accessible beds, and websites that lock out shoppers. We also confront the data problem—how countries define disability differently, why hidden disabilities slip the net, and what that means for planning, funding, and accountability. Dulal doesn’t mince words about the funding shortfall; for a population that touches half the world when families are counted, investment remains far too small. His answer is empowerment: disabled leadership setting priorities, controlling budgets, and measuring outcomes so inclusion stops being a promise and becomes a system.

If you care about disability rights, digital accessibility, education, and the UNCRPD, this conversation offers history, strategy, and a blueprint: align laws with the convention, train frontline professionals, mandate access across physical and digital spaces, improve data, and fund disabled people’s organizations to lead. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review with the one change you want to see funded first.

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What happens when accessibility becomes a feature, not a fix? We sit down with Eugene Woo, CEO of Venngage, to explore how a design platform can bake inclusion into every step—from contrast-aware color pickers to exporting PDF/UA files that pass compliance without a remediation gauntlet. Eugene shares Venngage’s origin story, the early pressure from education and government users, and the decision to lead with built-in accessibility even when the market wasn’t asking loudly.

We dig into common misconceptions that keep teams on the sidelines: the belief that “accessible” means boring, or that compliance always adds time and cost. Eugene reframes accessibility as a creative constraint that improves legibility and clarity, especially when the tool handles structure and checks in real time. Then we tackle AI. Trained on a mostly inaccessible web, today’s models can draft fast but still hallucinate compliance. Eugene explains how Venngage pairs generative speed with deterministic rules for headings, layers, and exports, keeping a human in the loop where quality matters most.

The conversation widens to content strategy. Organic traffic that once flowed to blogs is shrinking as AI answer engines satisfy queries without a click. Eugene offers candid numbers and hard-earned perspective on what’s still working: unique data, useful tools, and product-led content that solves real problems. Looking ahead, he predicts pro tools will stay hands-on and AI-assisted, while non-designer platforms shift to prompt-first workflows—“apply my brand,” “swap this image,” “ensure contrast passes,” “export PDF/UA”—handled by an assistant that understands both design and accessibility.

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A life can change with a single word, but only if that word is followed by community. Paul Stevenson joins us to share how late diagnoses of Tourette’s, ADHD, and autism reframed decades of blame and opened a path to strengths, purpose, and international advocacy. We dig into the human story behind the UK box office hit “I Swear,” a film built with radical authenticity: 30 cast members with Tourette’s, a lead who studied the inner experience as much as the outward tics, and a creative team that checked every detail with lived voices.

Paul explains why coprolalia is only one part of Tourette’s and often not the most disabling, and he lays out the real daily costs people don’t see—joint injuries, sleepless nights, and the exhausting pressure of suppression. He draws a clear line between masking and suppression, then shows how both drain energy, strain mental health, and make learning and work harder than they need to be. The fix is simpler than most accessibility plans: change the culture. Replace shushing with curiosity, pair diagnosis with peer support, and adopt strength‑led adjustments that cost nothing and unlock performance.

We also confront a systemic gap that steals childhood learning: years-long delays for assessment and specialist care. Paul argues for early, strength‑based intervention, practical accommodations in the classroom, and managers who start with “What helps you work best?” His approach is open, humble, and deeply pragmatic—apologizing when a tic lands hard, inviting questions to replace fear with understanding, and reminding us that families live this too. By the end, Paul’s journey from isolation to ambassador shows what happens when people are seen for who they are and supported for what they can do.

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What if the way your team talks is the blueprint for every product you ship? We sit down with Erica Hall—co‑founder of Mule Design and author of Just Enough Research and Conversational Design—to connect the dots between internal communication, ethical practice, and the systems that end up in people’s hands. From AI hype to accessibility debt, Erica challenges the default settings that turn “innovation” into convenience theater and shows how small, human choices reshape outcomes.

We unpack Conway’s Law and why so many “conversational” tools are really shields that prevent actual conversation. Erica explains why accessibility must be the foundation of value delivery, not an add‑on, and how multimodal design—voice, text, GUI—honors real life context switching. We talk about the political economy behind today’s platforms: funding fads, LLM bandwagons, and the quiet scaling of bias through automated decision making. Along the way, we explore the power dynamics of in‑house design teams, why external partners once provided crucial leverage, and how fear erodes the point of view needed to build responsible products.

Most importantly, we get practical. Erica shares tactics to rebuild trust at work through private, human conversations that aren’t mediated or recorded; ways to move beyond AI theater by naming goals before choosing tools; and advice for new graduates navigating a volatile market without losing themselves. If you’re wrestling with inclusion, ethics, or the pressure to “ship a chatbot,” this conversation offers clear language, real examples, and a path to designing with dignity.

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What if the most powerful part of your brand is the part most users can’t see? We sit down with designer and agency founder Rochelle Ratkaj Moser to unpack how accessibility becomes a strategic advantage when it’s baked into visual storytelling, not bolted on at the end. From plain-language copy to thoughtful reading order, alt text with meaning, and semantic structure that guides both people and screen readers, we explore the practical moves that turn mission statements into experiences everyone can use.

Rochelle shares lessons from work with education nonprofits and the Brain Injury Association of America, reframing disability as a shifting spectrum rather than a checkbox. We talk about cognitive accessibility, low reading ages, and why designing for moments of disadvantage—fatigue, distraction, sensory overload—creates better outcomes for all. The budget conversation gets real: if roughly 26% of adults live with a disability, ignoring access is like burning one dollar of every four. Building access from the start saves money, avoids technical debt, and raises conversion because users can actually finish tasks.

We also dig into the surprising synergy between accessibility, SEO, and AI. The same scaffolding that helps humans—clear headings, descriptive alt text, labeled tables—helps search engines and language models parse content more accurately. But we push back on designing for bots over people, calling out keyword stuffing in alt fields and reminding teams that ethical design serves humans first. For leaders and new designers alike, Rochelle offers a values-first approach to client selection, guidance on navigating DEI rollbacks, and encouragement to learn accessibility early—including emerging areas like XR, where standards are still evolving.

If you care about brand trust, usability, and real reach, this conversation gives you a roadmap to make accessibility your competitive edge. Subscribe, share with a colleague who owns your website or content pipeline, and tell us: what’s one change you’ll make this week to include more users?

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Need a quick test for whether a city is truly inclusive? Follow the signs to its toilets. We sit down with Gail Ramster from the Royal College of Art’s Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design to unpack how public restrooms quietly govern freedom of movement, confidence, and dignity—especially for people with continence conditions, disabilities, caregivers, and families on the go.

Gail takes us from Victorian ideals to today’s fractured reality: underfunded municipal facilities on high streets versus the polished, well-maintained restrooms you find in malls and airports. She explains why there’s no single “perfect” accessible toilet—because needs can conflict—and shows how a smarter system offers multiple layouts while raising the usability of standard stalls. Think low-force taps and locks, reachable soap, intuitive wayfinding, and lighting that reduces sensory overload. We dig into the Great British Public Toilet Map, an open-data project featuring roughly 15,000 publicly accessible toilets across the UK, and how that database helps people plan trips with confidence and reveals “toilet deserts” where provision lags.

We also explore culture and technology. From Japan’s Tokyo Toilet project and the wellness-centric mindset to the promise of privacy-preserving data that aligns opening hours and demand, there’s a clear path to better access without compromising dignity. Along the way, we talk about community toilet schemes, the economics behind cleaning and maintenance, and why businesses sometimes benefit from treating restrooms as part of the customer journey. Gail closes with candid advice for early-career designers: be brave, listen deeply, and let lived experience reshape your brief.

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The tools that power accessibility are changing fast, but not always in the ways you’d expect. We sit down with Forrester analyst Gina Bhwalkar to unpack the new Wave on digital accessibility platforms and translate its findings into practical guidance for leaders who need results, not buzzwords. Gina walks us through what the Wave actually measures—quality of capabilities, forward-looking strategy, and real outcomes—and why it’s more than a feature checklist. If you’re choosing a platform to manage risk, drive adoption, and support thousands of properties, this is your map.

We dig into a growing split in the market. Some vendors are all-in on prevention inside the software development lifecycle, embedding checks in design systems and CI pipelines. Others focus on compliance monitoring and executive reporting because legal exposure is still the main driver. Geography has become decisive: buyers want local language support and fluency in country-specific laws across Europe and North America, from the EAA to nuanced national requirements. Partner ecosystems now influence delivery quality as much as core features.

AI is everywhere—issue detection, tailored remediation suggestions, org-level summaries, even chat-based education for designers and developers. But compliance is unforgiving. Hallucinated Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates and shaky claims create risk, so we argue for a “human at the helm” approach: use AI to scale, keep experts in control, and center people with disabilities in testing and decision-making. We also surface underserved areas buyers care about, including native mobile app testing and faster, more affordable audit models.

The most surprising insight: customers’ top request isn’t more AI; it’s usability. Platforms that speak only to engineers stall adoption. Clear dashboards, role-based workflows, and localization are what unlock scale across product, design, and business teams. If you’re evaluating vendors, focus on fit: does it meet your legal landscape, integrate with your pipeline, and deliver insights leaders trust? Listen, then share your biggest challenge in scaling accessibility—and don’t forget to follow, rate, and review to help others find the show.

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AI loves the average—and that’s exactly why too many people get left out. We sit down with David Banes, chair of the Equitable AI Alliance, to explore how we move disability from the margins of tech conversation to the center of how AI is built, funded, and deployed. From Mobile World Congress to major health and education forums, we share what it takes to get lived experience on main stages and why those introductions from sponsors and allies change the room.

We dig into the mechanics of inclusion: design for outliers to include everyone, co‑design with disabled people across the entire product lifecycle, and demand transparency in both datasets and model reasoning. David breaks down where bias shows up most—recruitment tools, university admissions, assessment systems—and how domain‑specific AI can misread faces, voices, and behavior as errors rather than human difference. We talk candidly about the privacy paradox: anonymized data protects people but can hide whether disability is represented at all. The path forward blends informed consent, easy‑read terms, and community governance with rigorous accessibility testing and evaluation against disability‑relevant metrics.

Culture shapes everything, so we confront how ideas like “independence” vary by region and why global perspectives must steer inclusive AI. You’ll hear about the Alliance’s open Resource Hub, growing webinar series, and practical ways organizations can partner to raise standards across industry. If you care about accessible technology, ethical AI, and building systems that actually work for real people, this conversation gives you a roadmap and a reason to act.

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Doors that don’t open themselves often open our eyes. That’s where Laura Wissiak journey began—watching visitors struggle with heavy museum doors in Vienna and realizing that access is the start of every user experience, not an afterthought. From there she taught herself UX, learned to code just enough to ship fixes, and found a voice by blogging through imposter syndrome. Along the way, she discovered that the accessibility community is bigger—and kinder—than it first appears, especially when we treat corrections as collaboration.

We dive into the hard parts most teams avoid: why “replace the white cane” is the wrong goal, how social signaling matters for safety and dignity, and what happens when you build with blind users from day one. Laura walks us through Hope Tech’s Sixth Sense, a sleek neck‑worn wearable that detects obstacles from head to knee and slightly beyond shoulder width—where low signs, open doors, and jutting branches lurk. With private haptic feedback, optional audio, and profiles tuned for crowded transit or open streets, Sixth Sense augments the cane’s ground‑level strengths instead of competing with them. Style is part of accessibility too, so the device looks like premium headphones rather than medical gear, reducing stigma and blending into daily life.

Beyond hardware, we talk about wayfinding, mental load, and why route planning for multi‑modal trips needs to be less exhausting. Laura shares candid lessons from co‑creation: users may cheer your intent while quietly rejecting your product, and that polite gap can sink a startup. The remedy is rigorous validation, lived experience inside the team, and a willingness to rebuild when the feedback you need contradicts the feedback you want. If you care about inclusive design, assistive technology, UX research, or accessible navigation, this conversation offers grounded insights you can apply today.

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What if the fastest way to change a mind is to make it laugh first? We sit down with comedian and writer-performer Julliet Burton to explore how humor can turn stigma into understanding without losing its edge. Julliet shares the craft behind her sold-out Edinburgh Fringe runs and international tours, from relentless note-taking and collaborative rewrites to crowdwork that welcomes, not wounds. She breaks down the ethics—punching up versus punching down, consent in the room, and the difference between offense and harm—so jokes land with care and still hit hard.

We also dive into the realities of being a modern comedian in a fragmented internet. Every set gets filmed; every clip is a judgment call. How do you showcase your voice without burning material? How do you keep comedy accessible with captions and descriptions when platforms rarely pay? Julliet lays out a pragmatic path: use short-form to invite people into the live experience, where community is built and artists can actually make a living. The room matters—whether physical or virtual—because a shared laugh can flip the nervous system from threat to safety, turning strangers into a temporary family.

And yes, we go there: can AI do comedy? Julliet argues that while models can mimic structure, they can’t replicate stakes, awkwardness, or the human relief that fuels real laughter. Authenticity isn’t a garnish; it’s the joke’s engine, and audiences can tell. Along the way, we talk cultural translation (from “wheelie bins” to Dutch “klicos”), corporate gigs that encourage brave conversations about mental health, and why directional humor changes what’s socially acceptable over time. If you care about inclusive comedy, lived experience, content strategy, or the future of creativity, this one’s for you. If it moves you, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a quick review—what’s one boundary you think comedy helped shift?

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Marc Haunschild joins AXSChat to share his experiences as an accessibility consultant helping companies navigate the European Accessibility Act and comply with modern digital inclusion standards. Drawing from nearly two decades as a developer, Mark offers practical insights into the challenges and opportunities that arise when organizations commit to accessibility.

The conversation explores how the German government implements an innovative scoring system for evaluating vendors that goes beyond binary pass/fail accessibility metrics. This transparent approach considers multiple factors including team diversity and pricing alongside accessibility requirements, creating a more holistic evaluation process. Mark explains why this system encourages progress without demanding unattainable perfection - using a brilliant car safety analogy to illustrate how baseline requirements can ensure usability without overwhelming organizations new to accessibility.

We delve into generational differences in accessibility adoption, with Mark noting how younger developers often embrace these principles enthusiastically once exposed to them. The discussion tackles the misconception that AI will solve all accessibility challenges, with Mark clarifying where automation helps and where human expertise remains essential. He also emphasizes the value of collaboration among accessibility professionals to tackle larger projects and gain diverse perspectives.

As Germany faces the challenges of an aging population with increasing accessibility needs, Mark's work represents the practical, measured approach needed to create sustainable progress. His insights demonstrate how thoughtful implementation of standards can drive meaningful inclusion without overwhelming organizations just beginning their accessibility journey.

Ready to learn more about implementing accessibility in your organization? Connect with Mark through his website or the "Accessibility by Default" project to benefit from his practical, balanced approach to digital inclusion.

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The fascinating yet troubling relationship between artificial intelligence and human connection takes center stage in this thought-provoking discussion. Debra, Neil, and Antonio dive deep into the paradox of technology that promises connection while potentially undermining genuine human relationships.

When does AI shift from helpful tool to harmful substitute? We examine real-world cases where AI companions have impacted loneliness in unexpected ways, and confront the disturbing reality of deaths connected to AI counseling services. The conversation reveals how many companies developing mental health technologies often prioritize technological innovation over psychological expertise, creating potentially dangerous gaps in understanding.

Beyond personal relationships, we explore how algorithmic bubbles increasingly narrow our information landscape, potentially weakening critical thinking skills and societal cohesion. The discussion turns particularly passionate when addressing how screen time and AI might be reshaping brain development, especially for younger generations who may be losing essential language processing and memory skills.

What becomes clear throughout our conversation is the urgent need for thoughtful, ethical approaches to AI development that prioritize human wellbeing over market capture. We challenge the quasi-religious belief in AI as the solution to everything, advocating instead for technology that genuinely serves humanity rather than replacing human connection or diminishing human capability.

Join us for this timely exploration of what it means to be human in an increasingly AI-powered world, and discover why protecting our humanity might be the most important consideration as we navigate this technological revolution.

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What happens when our bodies and brains are more connected than medicine has led us to believe? In this illuminating conversation, Jane Green MBE, founder and chair of SEDS Connective, unpacks the profound yet often overlooked connection between hypermobility and neurodivergence.

After decades of being dismissed as "dim and a hypochondriac," Jane discovered that her physical symptoms and neurodevelopmental differences weren't separate issues but deeply interconnected aspects of her experience. This realization led her to establish SEDS Connective in 2018, now a global charity bringing together conditions that have traditionally been treated in isolation. "For centuries we haven't had a diagnosis," Jane explains, highlighting how the fragmentation of healthcare has left countless people feeling invalidated and misunderstood.

The conversation reveals how common it is for people with autism, ADHD, dyspraxia, and other neurodivergent conditions to also experience hypermobility, chronic pain, gastrointestinal issues, and fatigue. Yet medical systems continue to treat these as unrelated conditions, sending patients to different specialists who rarely communicate with each other. This siloed approach not only fails patients but costs healthcare systems billions in unnecessary treatments and appointments.

Jane's community-led approach at SEDS Connective brings together people with lived experience, medical professionals, and researchers to advocate for more holistic understanding and treatment. Though she acknowledges facing significant resistance – "I feel daggers going into me" – from some in the medical establishment who resist connecting physical and neurodevelopmental conditions, progress is being made through research, conferences, and persistent advocacy.

Discover how this groundbreaking work is validating experiences long dismissed as imaginary and learn how you can connect with SEDS Connective's resources if you've experienced these interconnected conditions. Whether you're struggling with unexplained symptoms or supporting someone who is, this episode offers a new framework for understanding the complex relationship between our bodies and brains.

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What does it mean to be diagnosed with ADHD at age 50? For Moonlake Lee, it wasn't just a personal revelation – it became the catalyst for creating Singapore's first charity dedicated to supporting people with ADHD.

When Moonlake's daughter received an ADHD diagnosis at 15, it sparked questions about her own lifelong patterns of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and overwhelm. Despite her success as an angel investor and tech executive, Moonlake often found herself taking on too much – half marathons, choir performances, international travel, and family obligations all competing for her attention. The diagnosis brought unexpected gifts: not just tools for managing her busy mind, but deeper self-understanding and improved relationships.

This transformative experience revealed a critical gap in Singapore's support systems. With 80% of children with special educational needs attending mainstream schools but minimal resources available, many were falling through the cracks. Most strikingly, Singapore had no clinical guidelines for adult ADHD, perpetuating the myth that it's "just a childhood condition."

Through Unlocking ADHD, Moonlake is changing this landscape. Her organization provides psychoeducation, practical strategies, and community support while advocating for systemic change. For the first time, Singapore is developing clinical guidelines for adult ADHD, with Moonlake serving on the task force. Her upcoming book "Differently Wired Minds" will showcase 60 Singaporeans with ADHD who are making meaningful contributions to society.

"Those who are neurodivergent are diamonds, but they're covered by shame and trauma," Moonlake explains. Her mission? Uncovering these diamonds by helping people identify their strengths, embrace their neurodiversity, and access the support they need to thrive.

Ready to explore how neurodivergent minds can transform our world? Listen now and discover how understanding and embracing difference creates pathways to innovation, connection, and fulfilment.

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Julia Undeutsch's path to becoming an accessibility specialist defies conventional career trajectories. From studying musicology and Japanese while working as a poker dealer to becoming a passionate advocate for digital inclusion, her story reveals how diverse experiences shape innovative approaches to accessibility.

When Julia first encountered coding, she noticed something peculiar on Stack Overflow: developers often presented two solutions—a standard approach and an "accessible" alternative. Her immediate reaction speaks volumes: "Why would I choose one or the other? You always choose accessibility." This clarity of purpose has defined her work ever since, recognizing that accessible code inherently represents better quality and cleaner development practices.

Julia's linguistic background provides a fascinating foundation for her accessibility work. Having studied Japanese and Austrian Sign Language, she draws direct parallels between human languages and programming languages. Both require similar cognitive processes and serve as gateways to understanding different cultures and perspectives—skills that translate perfectly to creating inclusive digital experiences that work for diverse users.

Beyond her day job at Atos, Julia has become a community builder extraordinaire. Through the Google Developer Expert Program and Women Techmakers, she's created platforms to spread accessibility awareness globally. Her talks in Japan revealed a hunger for accessibility knowledge in places where it hadn't yet become mainstream. Alongside her "partner in crime" Laura, she's building Vienna's accessibility community by combining web development expertise with UX research.

What makes Julia's perspective particularly valuable are the real-world lessons from her poker dealer days—experiences that unknowingly introduced her to accessibility challenges. Whether accommodating a player with prosthetic arms who couldn't reach cards at a specially designed table or navigating rules about "English only" when a deaf player needed sign language, these moments forced her to consider fundamental questions about inclusion that continue to inform her work today.

Ready to learn from Julia's unique journey and gain fresh perspectives on accessibility? Tune in to hear how diverse backgrounds and passionate advocacy are reshaping digital inclusion for everyone.

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Crystal Preston-Watson takes us on her fascinating journey from self-taught coder and journalism dropout to becoming a Senior Digital Accessibility Analyst at Salesforce's Office of Accessibility. With refreshing honesty, she shares how her own visual impairment and an unexpected quality assurance ticket requiring screen reader testing sparked her passion for digital accessibility.

What makes Crystal's work particularly groundbreaking is her exclusive focus on internal accessibility for Salesforce employees. While many companies prioritize customer-facing accessibility, Crystal champions a more holistic approach: "You can't really say you're accessible if your employees are having issues with accessibility trying to provide accessibility for your customers." Her role involves ensuring all internal digital tools, resources, and documentation are accessible to everyone, especially employees with disabilities.

Crystal offers a compelling vision for accessibility education that starts far earlier than most would consider. Rather than beginning at university or in professional settings, she advocates introducing accessibility concepts when children first encounter technology. By comparing accessibility features to video game "mods" when speaking to school children, she makes these concepts relatable and plants the seeds for a more inclusive technological future.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn when discussing artificial intelligence and accessibility. Crystal provides nuanced insights into how AI systems trained on existing internet data may perpetuate accessibility problems without expert oversight. She highlights how technical literacy gaps and science fiction expectations create challenges in critically evaluating AI's capabilities and limitations.

Whether you're an accessibility professional, educator, or technology enthusiast, this episode offers invaluable perspectives on creating truly inclusive digital experiences from the inside out. Subscribe now and join the conversation about building technology that works for everyone.

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What does it take to lead effectively in today's diverse business landscape? Gisele Marcus, Vice Dean at Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, brings a refreshing perspective shaped by her extensive Fortune 500 experience at companies like Accenture and Johnson Controls.

The leadership skills needed today extend far beyond traditional business acumen. As Marcus explains, "Wherever I plant my feet, I want to be comfortable there and I want my colleagues to be comfortable there as well." This philosophy has guided her development of the "Leading Across Differences" course, which gives business students a competitive advantage as they enter workplaces that increasingly value inclusive leadership skills.

Drawing from research on belonging and performance, Marcus makes a compelling case that effective leadership requires understanding how to work with people from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. "The common denominator is going to be people," she notes, explaining that when employees feel valued and included, "they will knock it out of the park for you as an organization."

The conversation takes an especially fascinating turn when discussing how younger generations are transforming workplace expectations. Unlike previous generations who primarily considered industry and income when choosing jobs, today's emerging workforce—particularly Millennials and Gen Z—demands environments where their unique contributions are recognized. They're "voting with their feet" against cultures that don't prioritize inclusion.

Perhaps most valuable is Marcus's insight into navigating the current political climate around DEI initiatives. She shares practical approaches for maintaining inclusive environments while being responsive to changing contexts. Her global perspective—teaching students from 29 different countries—reminds us that effective leadership must be culturally fluent, adapting approaches for different cultural contexts rather than applying one-size-fits-all solutions.

Connect with Gisele on LinkedIn or visit giselemarcus.com to learn more about her work on cultural fluency and inclusive leadership.

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Communication is everything, but what if you couldn't make a private phone call? Tomer Aharoni, CEO and co-founder of Nagish, joins AXSChat to reveal how his team is revolutionizing accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing individuals.

For millions with hearing loss, the simple act of making a phone call has historically required dependence on others—interpreters, captioners, or family members. Tomer shares how Nagish disrupts this paradigm with AI-powered technology that enables truly private conversations. The service provides real-time captioning for incoming and outgoing calls while allowing non-verbal users to type responses that are converted to speech.

What began as a Columbia University side project has transformed into an FCC-certified service used daily by tens of thousands. Tomer details their remarkable journey—from building the first prototype in Facebook Messenger to securing critical certification after years of regulatory navigation. Throughout this evolution, one principle remained constant: developing directly alongside the deaf community.

The conversation explores Nagish's expanding ecosystem beyond phone calls, including solutions for in-person conversations, workplace communication, and even their groundbreaking virtual reality meditation experience "Silent Flow." Tomer explains their thoughtful design approach, making technology accessible without stigma, particularly for older users who might resist acknowledging hearing loss.

Looking toward the future, Tomer discusses how they're balancing innovation with privacy, using AI to improve context and accuracy without storing sensitive conversation data. While currently available only in the US due to regulatory requirements, Nagish has ambitious plans for international expansion.

Ready to experience communication transformed? Download Nagish from nagish.com and join the revolution in accessible technology that's breaking down barriers one conversation at a time.

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When was the last time your history book mentioned Julius Caesar's seizures or Hannibal's missing eye? The erasure of disability from our historical narratives isn't accidental—it reveals our modern discomfort with integrating disability into stories of power and achievement.

Caroline Bristow, Director of the Cambridge School Classics Project, takes us on a fascinating journey through ancient Rome's complex relationship with disability. From gravestone inscriptions that proudly declare "Meropnus, aulis player with dwarfism" to special legal accommodations for disabled military veterans, we discover that ancient attitudes weren't as simplistic as we've been led to believe.

The conversation explores how the Cambridge Latin Course—used by 93% of UK schools teaching Latin and countless institutions worldwide—is being thoughtfully revised to include accurate representations of disability throughout history. This isn't about tokenistic inclusion, but about acknowledging the full spectrum of human experience that has always existed.

Particularly compelling is the discussion of classical art and monuments, where contrary to popular belief, diverse body types including elderly people, those with surgical scars, and various physical differences were indeed represented—though often filtered out by later scholars to support their idealized vision of classical perfection.

Whether you're interested in classical history, inclusive education, or the way our modern biases shape our understanding of the past, this conversation offers illuminating insights into how we can build a more accurate and representative historical narrative. Subscribe to hear more episodes that challenge our assumptions and expand our understanding of the human experience throughout history.

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What if fitness was designed to meet you exactly where you are, instead of demanding that you change to fit into someone else's idea of exercise? That's the revolutionary concept behind Second Skin Society, and founder Lee-Anne Reuber is making it a reality.

Drawing from her 22 years of experience in disability support and her background as a yoga teacher, Leanne recognized a critical gap in the wellness industry. When the pandemic forced her yoga studio online, members kept highlighting how much they appreciated having both standing and seated class options. This feedback sparked a revelation: rather than adding accessibility as an afterthought, what if an entire fitness platform was built with inclusion as its foundation?

Second Skin Society's mobile app features classes taught by a diverse instructor team where 75% have lived experience with disabilities. These instructors—who are blind, deaf, wheelchair users, autistic, have ADHD, alongside non-disabled teachers—collaborate to create content that addresses a spectrum of needs and preferences. The approach rejects the traditional fitness industry's focus on changing our bodies for aesthetic purposes, instead embracing movement as a way to appreciate and respect what our bodies can do. As Lee-Anne explains, "We do squats so we can pick up our kids. We do bicep curls so we can carry groceries more easily."

The platform offers varied class formats including full standing options, seated classes with lower body movement, and seated classes without lower body movement. Technical innovations like the ability to adjust instructor volume separately from music—inspired by Lee-Anne's own hearing challenges—demonstrate their commitment to thoughtful design. Beyond just accessible content, they're developing an accessible fitness certification process to empower more people with disabilities to become instructors, addressing decades of industry exclusion.

Whether you're dealing with disability, aging, or simply want a more inclusive approach to movement, Second Skin Society creates space for everyone to experience the joy of fitness on their own terms. Download their app from Apple or Google stores today and join a community that celebrates all bodies and abilities.

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Dimple Khagram, founder and CEO of Purple Beard Training, talks about creating the UK's first Accessibility Specialist Apprenticeship in an interview with Antonio Santos and Neil Milliken. What began as a passion project has expanded into a major educational programme, with seven graduates earning five distinctions and 40 additional apprentices still completing the course.

The journey wasn't straightforward. Dimple shares how her own experience with burnout inspired her to establish Purple Beard—a company whose quirky name deliberately challenges traditional educational norms. This recurring theme of professionals discovering accessibility after significant life changes emerges as a compelling undercurrent throughout the discussion.

Developing an effective accessibility curriculum proved especially difficult. Purple Beard spent nearly two years designing a programme that combines technical expertise with practical application across various areas: legislation, content design, testing, web development tools, and ethics. Their experience highlights why accessibility is a specialised profession requiring dedicated training rather than just an extension of software development.

What truly stands out are the motivations of accessibility apprentices. Regardless of their backgrounds, they all share a strong desire to create an equitable digital world, often driven by personal experiences with accessibility needs. This passion is vital as they face organisational resistance when advocating for accessibility in environments where it was not originally prioritised.

The discussion takes a thought-provoking turn when examining how accessibility relates to wider societal shifts. Are we becoming overly individualistic? How might we channel the time saved through AI and technology into community building and inclusive design? As Dimple observes, "How do we step back from the individualistic approach and say we want to make this better for everybody?"

Are you curious about how specialised accessibility training is transforming organisations and fostering digital experiences that are inclusive for all? This episode offers practical insights for both accessibility specialists and anyone eager to develop more inclusive digital environments.

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What happens when a curious quality assurance tester encounters an odd request about color contrast? For Iulia Brehuescu, it sparked a journey that would transform not only her career but also impact accessibility practices across a global pharmaceutical giant.

Iulia's story is both inspiring and cautionary. From her early days testing web platforms at a digital agency to her current role shaping global accessibility strategy at Sanofi, she shares the exhilaration of turning a passion project into meaningful work—and the personal cost when that passion outpaced self-care. "For no surprise to everyone, that came at my physical and mental health expense," she explains of her eventual burnout. Her subsequent recovery and career transition demonstrate how professionals can maintain their impact while establishing healthier boundaries.

At Sanofi, Iulia tackles accessibility challenges across physical environments, digital spaces, and organizational culture in 70 countries. She offers fascinating insights into the unique demands of manufacturing sites, where complex layouts require balancing safety with accessibility for approximately 20% of their workforce. The conversation explores how leadership commitment—with half of their executive committee holding inclusion-related roles—creates a culture where accessibility professionals can focus on implementation rather than justification. Yulia's practical approach to balancing strategic vision with day-to-day realities provides valuable lessons for organizations at any stage of their accessibility journey.

Ready to transform accessibility from a passion project to a strategic priority in your organization? Listen now and discover how to translate global accessibility frameworks into meaningful local impact while sustaining your own well-being along the way.

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What does digital accessibility look like in a mobile-first continent with 1.4 billion people speaking hundreds of languages across 50+ countries? Irene Mbari-Kirika, Executive Director and Founder of inABLE, takes us on an illuminating journey through Africa's rapidly evolving accessibility landscape.

The conversation begins with inABLE foundational work teaching digital skills to blind students in Kenya. This initial focus quickly expanded when Irene recognized that teaching assistive technology wasn't enough—the digital products themselves needed to become accessible. Six years ago, this realization sparked the creation of Inclusive Africa, now a thriving conference bringing together disability advocates, tech companies, and most importantly, young people with disabilities who understand technology and can drive innovation.

Kenya emerges as a surprising accessibility leader throughout our discussion. Recently, Kenya's president signed legislation mandating compliance with the country's accessibility standards (based on EN 301 549), making it the first African nation to take such a decisive step. Building on this momentum, inABLE is collaborating with standards bodies across Africa to develop a continent-wide accessibility standard—recognizing that fragmented country-by-country approaches would delay progress by decades.

What makes Africa's accessibility journey particularly fascinating are its unique challenges and opportunities. With the youngest population globally and high youth unemployment, the accessibility sector represents an untapped employment frontier. Currently lacking accessibility specialists, designers, and developers, Africa has the chance to build accessibility practices from the ground up rather than retrofitting existing systems. We explore how AI is already transforming accessibility in Africa, with innovations like avatar-based sign language solutions addressing the complex challenge of multiple sign language variations across different communities.

Join us for this eye-opening conversation about digital inclusion in Africa and discover why investing in young people with disabilities might be the key to unlocking accessible technology across the contine

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Accessibility in mobile technology has evolved from seemingly impossible challenges to remarkable innovations. Join us as we welcome back Sabine Lobnig from the Mobile and Wireless Forum to discuss this fascinating journey.

Sabine shares her unique path into accessibility, beginning with linguistics and a fascination with sign language that connected her to the deaf community. This led to her work with the Mobile and Wireless Forum, where she has spent over 13 years championing digital inclusion. The conversation explores how the GARI database—launched in 2008—provides a centralized resource documenting over 200 accessibility features across mobile devices, continually refined through direct consultation with disability communities.

We dive into how mobile technology shattered barriers once considered insurmountable. Remember when experts claimed touchscreens could never be made accessible to blind users? Those "impossible" challenges have been overcome through innovation and collaboration, demonstrating the tremendous progress made in just over a decade.

The European Accessibility Act, coming into force June 28th, represents a watershed moment for digital inclusion. While major manufacturers have largely embraced accessibility, this legislation ensures these practices continue regardless of leadership changes or economic pressures. Perhaps most importantly, it addresses the persistent communication gap—ensuring users not only have accessible devices but know how to use the powerful features already built in.

Discover how the accessibility landscape continues to evolve, from the growing focus on neurodiversity to the challenge of maintaining institutional knowledge as organizations change. Visit gari.info to explore the database and discover features you might not know exist on your own device—you might be surprised what you find!

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The countdown to the European Accessibility Act has begun, and organizations across the EU and beyond are racing to understand what this landmark legislation means for their products and services. In this timely conversation, accessibility expert Susanna Laurin returns to AXSChat to separate fact from fiction about the EAA ahead of its June 2025 implementation.

Susanna reveals a concerning readiness gap, with European-based companies generally better prepared than their American counterparts who often mistakenly view the EAA through a WCAG-only lens. Large global organizations with established compliance departments have plans in place, while smaller businesses and those in sectors previously untouched by accessibility requirements remain dangerously unaware of their obligations - with just days until implementation begins.

The conversation dives into prevalent misconceptions surrounding the EAA, from the false belief that all websites must be accessible to misunderstandings about grace periods and documentation requirements. Susanna cautions against the growing industry of "quick-fix" accessibility solutions and overnight experts offering magical tools that promise compliance with minimal effort.

A fascinating geographic divide emerges in the discussion, with Northern and Western European countries demonstrating greater preparedness than their Eastern and Southern counterparts. This pattern mirrors previous implementation experiences with the Web Accessibility Directive and reflects broader differences in accessibility maturity across the continent.

Perhaps most concerning is the critical shortage of qualified accessibility professionals, creating a situation where monitoring authorities are competing with private companies to recruit from the same limited talent pool. Susanna makes a compelling case that the long-term solution lies in fundamentally changing how we educate digital professionals, integrating accessibility as a core skill rather than specialized knowledge.

Join us for this essential conversation that looks beyond immediate compliance concerns to envision a more sustainable and inclusive digital future for Europe. Whether you're responsible for accessibility in your organization or simply interested in how technology and policy intersect, this episode offers valuable insights into one of the most significant digital accessibility developments in recent years.

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Accessibility and sustainability collide in this eye-opening conversation with Heather Neff, CEO of Equivalent. She returns to AXSChat to share groundbreaking developments in their mission to transform static graphics into responsive, accessible code.

What if every image online could instantly adapt to your device settings, work seamlessly with screen readers, and consume a fraction of the energy? That's exactly what Equivalent is achieving through their revolutionary approach to Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). Unlike traditional pixel-based images that remain fixed and deteriorate when enlarged, these "smart SVGs" behave more like webpages - responding to dark mode, custom color settings, and accessibility preferences without requiring additional effort from users or developers.

The implications are profound. With AI systems generating 34 million images daily and users uploading 64,000 images every second, we're facing an unprecedented accessibility crisis. Equivalent's technology addresses this by dramatically reducing file sizes (from megabytes to kilobytes) while ensuring graphics can be navigated by screen readers with custom reading orders. The sustainability benefits are equally impressive - their dark mode implementation alone can reduce energy consumption by 28% and extend mobile battery life by up to 63% on OLED displays.

The small startup is now preparing to launch an API that will allow enterprises to batch-convert thousands of images, ensuring both brand consistency and accessibility compliance without requiring specialized knowledge from design or engineering teams. Their vision extends to a future where all imagery becomes code-based, delivering a web experience that's simultaneously more inclusive, more performant, and more environmentally responsible.

Are you interested in helping shape this revolution in web graphics? Equivalent is currently seeking beta testers for their API and connecting with angel investors who share their passion for accessibility and sustainability. Visit their website to try their current tools with a free two-week trial and witness firsthand how smart SVGs are poised to transform our digital experience.

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The most valuable accessibility conversations are happening in unexpected places. In this reflection on recent events, the AccessJet team shares how conferences focused on broader topics yielded surprising insights about disability inclusion, corporate transparency, and AI's potential.

At Fair Cultures Barcelona, discussions about corporate transparency revealed why accessibility progress remains challenging despite public commitments. Organizations often present themselves as champions of inclusion while simultaneously supporting trade organizations with conflicting priorities. This disconnect helps explain why even with C-suite buy-in, meaningful accessibility implementation remains difficult as different departments operate with competing objectives.

Meanwhile, the Siemens AI Summit showcased how AI can revolutionize personalization in prosthetics, creating solutions tailored to individual needs rather than one-size-fits-all approaches. The beauty of these conversations? They happened at an AI conference rather than an accessibility event, exposing new audiences to disability-centered thinking.

We explore the concept of "peer normativity" – ensuring disabled users have experiences equal in quality to non-disabled peers, even if those experiences differ. This shift from identical experiences to equivalent quality acknowledges the complexity of meeting diverse needs.

While celebrating AI's potential to transform accessibility, we also grapple with serious questions about data privacy and corporate responsibility. As we increasingly rely on AI assistants that require access to deeply personal information, can we trust the organizations behind these tools? And as these technologies increasingly provide pre-packaged answers, how do we ensure future generations develop the critical thinking skills to question what they're being presented?

Join us for this thought-provoking discussion about finding accessibility insights in unexpected places, the promise and perils of AI, and the importance of critical thinking in our increasingly algorithmic world.

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When we're constantly fighting for baseline accessibility compliance, it's easy to miss the quiet victories happening around us. In this candid conversation, returning guest Steve Tyler shares refreshingly positive experiences that demonstrate what's possible when companies truly commit to inclusive design.

Steve recounts his surprisingly delightful experience switching to EE broadband, discovering Braille labelling physically built into the router and an online contract process that automatically detected his screen reader use. Rather than the typical accessibility nightmare, the system seamlessly adapted to provide an equivalent experience. Similarly, his HP printer delivered unexpected independence through a fully accessible app that allowed him to complete tasks like checking ink levels and even creating personalized greeting cards without assistance.

These examples highlight what accessibility advocate Kevin Carey called the "peer normative equivalent" experience – being able to accomplish the same tasks, at the same time, for the same price, with comparable effort as anyone else. This stands in stark contrast to the frustrating reality that 95% of websites remain inaccessible and disability employment rates have shown minimal improvement over 60 years.

Looking toward the future, we explore how AI might transform accessibility through conversational interfaces and intelligent agents that could help navigate complex systems. However, this technology also raises important questions about privacy, trust, and the preservation of human connection. As Steve powerfully reminds us, "Put humanity back into tech development" – because the most successful innovations recognize that behind every accessibility need is a human seeking not just functional access, but an equivalent, dignified experience.

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What happens when a global company with 70,000 employees embraces neurodiversity as a driver of innovation? Tristan Lavender, founder and chair of Philips Neurodiversity Network, takes us behind the scenes of building one of the company's largest employee resource groups from the ground up.

Diagnosed with autism in his early twenties, Lavender's journey from struggling young professional to neurodiversity advocate offers a compelling framework for creating psychological safety in the workplace. With over 1,200 members, the Philips Neurodiversity Network has become a powerful voice for change, attracting not just neurodivergent employees but also allies eager to support their colleagues.

"This isn't just about identity labels," Lavender explains. "It's about understanding each person's unique brain and creating environments where everyone can do their best work." The conversation explores how accommodations like quiet workspaces benefit both autistic employees and introverts without clinical diagnoses, illustrating how inclusion practices often improve workplace experiences for everyone.

Particularly fascinating is the network's approach to navigating conflicting needs among neurodivergent team members. When one employee needs cameras off during meetings while another relies on lip-reading, how do teams find balance? Lavender offers practical strategies for fostering open conversations that lead to creative compromises.

The episode also examines Philips' "global-local" strategy for neurodiversity inclusion, acknowledging that needs vary significantly across cultures and regions. While global initiatives create consistency, local chapters ensure cultural relevance in different markets.

Whether you're a neurodivergent professional seeking community, a manager looking to support diverse thinking styles, or an organization beginning your neurodiversity journey, this conversation provides valuable insights for transforming neurodiversity from a challenge into a competitive advantage. Connect with us to learn how different perspectives drive innovation and create workplaces where every brain can flourish.

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Dr. Kelly Tzoumis, professor emeritus at DePaul University and lecturer at Johns Hopkins, discusses virtual exchange programs that make global learning accessible to students with disabilities. These innovative approaches embed intercultural experiences directly into curriculum, overcoming barriers of cost and physical accessibility while building crucial competencies.

• Virtual exchange goes beyond video calls—students are prepared to interact across cultures before meeting peers
• Less than 10% of students can afford traditional study abroad, making virtual exchange a more inclusive alternative
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide framework for global learning beyond just environmental topics
• Students develop empathy when working across language barriers with international peers
• Generational shifts in disability language reflect changing views of disability as identity
• Research shows virtual exchanges improve student mental health through developing resilience
• Students with disabilities demonstrate extraordinary capabilities when given appropriate accommodations
• Disclosure remains a major challenge in higher education—less than half of disabled students formally identify
• Creative accommodations should involve the learner as an active partner in finding solutions
• As world polarization increases, virtual exchange becomes even more vital for intercultural understanding

Find Dr. Tzoumis's book "Global Learning and the SDGs Through Virtual Exchange" through Springer Nature Press, with a follow-up focused on discipline-specific applications coming soon.

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What happens when accessibility transcends from a legal obligation to a strategic business advantage? That's exactly what Gina Bhawalkar, Principal Analyst for Digital Accessibility at Forrester Research, illuminates in our fascinating conversation about the evolving digital accessibility landscape.

Gina brings two decades of experience to the table, having started her journey testing products with people with disabilities before moving into leadership roles where she championed accessibility within major organizations. Now at Forrester, she researches how companies effectively scale accessibility practices and evaluates the leading accessibility platforms through the influential Forrester Wave methodology.

Our discussion reveals a critical disconnect that exists in many organizations today - while 60% claim executive commitment to accessibility, fewer than half implement proven best practices like including people with disabilities in research or making accessibility a formal project requirement. This gap between intention and action represents both a challenge and an opportunity.

The conversation takes a particularly illuminating turn when Gina outlines the four categories of business benefits beyond compliance: increasing revenue, reducing costs, enhancing organizational resilience, and building trust. From competitive advantages in procurement to designing for changing demographics, these multidimensional benefits offer a compelling case for accessibility that goes far beyond legal requirements.

We also explore how different regions approach accessibility - from the compliance-driven motivation in the US to the European focus on privacy connections and Australia's integration with customer experience initiatives. The growing influence of the European Accessibility Act is creating a global ripple effect that will impact procurement decisions worldwide.

For anyone leading digital initiatives or interested in creating better products for everyone, this episode offers invaluable insights into how accessibility can become a catalyst for innovation rather than just another compliance checkbox. Listen now to discover how the "curb cut effect" means that designing for accessibility ultimately creates better experiences for all users.

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Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren brings a rare and powerful perspective to the criminal justice system. With nearly three decades on the bench in Florida and a background in disability rights advocacy, she offers insights you simply won't find elsewhere. Her journey from working directly in a psychiatric hospital to founding America's first Mental Health Court has equipped her with a truly unique understanding of how justice and healing can intersect.

What happens when we apply artificial intelligence to mental health decisions? Judge Lerner-Wren raises profound questions about whether technology can ever truly address the authentic, individualized needs of people with mental health conditions. Having witnessed the gaps in community support firsthand, she understands the human dimensions that algorithms might miss. As governments rush toward technological solutions, her caution reminds us that efficiency shouldn't come at the expense of effectiveness, especially for vulnerable populations.

The conversation takes a compelling turn toward the concept of "sanism" - the often-unacknowledged discrimination against people with mental health conditions that treats them as less than fully human. Judge Lerner-Wren's advocacy for peer support specialists highlights how lived experience can transform services and now could potentially improve AI systems as well. Her observations about COVID's impact on social connection for both youth and seniors illuminate how isolation affects mental wellbeing across generations.

Social media presents both promise and peril in this landscape. While certain platforms drive passive consumption rather than meaningful interaction, Judge Lerner-Wren demonstrates how digital connections can spread innovations in therapeutic justice globally. Her vision of judges and lawyers as peacekeepers rather than just punishers offers a refreshing alternative to traditional approaches. Join us for this thought-provoking conversation about human connection, justice, and healing in an increasingly technological world. Follow AXSChat to continue exploring how we can create more inclusive systems that truly serve everyone's needs.

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Lia Raquel Neves,, founder of EITIC Consulting, offers a thought-provoking exploration into the ethical dimensions of artificial intelligence and its profound implications for accessibility and inclusion. Drawing from her background in philosophy and bioethics, Lia challenges the common assumption that technology is neutral, instead arguing that our creations inherently reflect our values, biases, and blind spots.

The conversation delves into crucial gaps between AI regulations and accessibility requirements. Lia points out that the European AI Act doesn't explicitly define disability as a risk factor, meaning systems that significantly impact disabled users might not be classified as high-risk. "This is not just a legal oversight," she explains, "it's an ethical failure." Without structural requirements prioritizing accessibility, technologies from virtual assistants to facial recognition systems continue to exclude people with disabilities.

When discussing data ethics, Lia confronts the uncomfortable reality of historical bias. Training AI on decades-old data inevitably reproduces historical patterns of discrimination and inequality. While diversity in datasets helps, Lia emphasizes it's insufficient alone: “We must actively detect offensive or discriminatory language and prevent models from amplifying harmful content.” She advocates for continuous human oversight, transparency, and creating mechanisms for people to challenge automated outcomes.

Perhaps most powerful is Lia's reflection on representation: "Digital accessibility is still seen as a technical requirement when it is, in fact, a matter of social justice." She notes how the invisibility of people with disabilities in media, business, and technology perpetuates exclusion, creating a cycle where decision-makers don't prioritize what they rarely encounter. True inclusion means asking who's missing from the data, who's excluded by design, and who's absent when systems are being developed.

Ready to dive deeper into creating ethical, inclusive technology? Connect with Lia on LinkedIn and join the conversation about building technology that truly serves everyone.

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Discover the transformative power of accessibility in the gaming world with Verónica Morales Beltrán, an accessibility specialist at Adesso Mobile. Having transitioned from leading localization at Electronic Arts Germany to championing digital inclusion, Veronica reveals how gaming has evolved beyond mere entertainment to become a vital space for connection, creativity, and belonging.

Why do we play games? The answer extends far beyond simple fun. For many, especially those with disabilities, games provide safe communities, opportunities for skill development, and alternative experiences otherwise unavailable. As Veronica eloquently puts it, accessibility in gaming is "very egoistic" – we design for others, but ultimately for our future selves too, recognizing that disability can touch anyone's life temporarily or permanently.

The conversation explores how gaming accessibility has progressed from rigid difficulty settings to highly customizable experiences. Modern games allow players to tailor specific aspects of gameplay to their unique needs rather than forcing them into predetermined categories. Even more encouraging is how major companies like EA, Ubisoft, Nintendo, and Amazon Games are now collaborating on standardized accessibility tags – a remarkable example of industry leaders prioritizing inclusion over competition.

Perhaps most powerful is the growing representation of disability within games themselves. Veronica shares her excitement about Nintendo's recent Switch 2 announcement featuring wheelchair basketball, presented not as a special accessibility feature but simply as another game in their lineup – "treating it as something natural, standard."

Whether you're a dedicated gamer, an accessibility professional, or simply interested in how digital experiences are becoming more inclusive, this episode offers valuable insights into how technology can create spaces where everyone belongs. Listen now and discover why the gaming industry might be showing us the path toward a more accessible future for all digital experiences.

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What does independence truly mean for someone who can't see? This question lies at the heart of Envision's revolutionary approach to assistive technology for blind and low-vision individuals.

Karthik Kannan's journey began with a simple career counseling visit to a blind school in India. While his sighted nephew dreamed of building cities on Mars, the blind students shared much more fundamental aspirations: reading books independently, visiting the beach alone, or simply living by themselves someday. This stark contrast revealed how much energy people with visual impairments spend overcoming basic hurdles that sighted people take for granted.

That revelation sparked a mission to build a bridge between the visual world and those who cannot access it conventionally. Initially developing a crash-prone mobile app that converted images to speech, Karthik watched in amazement as the blind community persevered through its flaws because of its transformative potential. The app's organic growth led to Envision winning Google's Play Award for best accessibility experience, opening doors to integrate their technology with Google Glass.

The marriage of AI and wearable technology has proven particularly powerful for accessibility. While smartphones require juggling a cane in one hand and possibly a guide dog with another, smart glasses provide hands-free access to visual information. Recent advances in conversational AI have further simplified the experience, allowing users to interact naturally through speech rather than learning complicated interfaces.

Though currently priced around $1,800, these glasses are expected to become dramatically more affordable as smart wearables enter the mainstream. The impact has been so profound that many in the blind community place AI accessibility innovations in the same category as the invention of Braille.

Join us to explore how technology can truly serve humanity when designed with inclusion at its core. Have you considered how AI might bridge gaps in your own life or community?

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Gareth Ford-Williams shares how his son Zak inability to access age-appropriate BBC games sparked a career revolutionizing digital accessibility, culminating in the development of BBC iPlayer with comprehensive accessibility features.

• Gareth's journey began when six-year-old Zak couldn't access BBC games designed for older children
• Personal connections and family experiences often drive innovation in accessibility
• While working as BBC brand manager, Gareth questioned why they would build relationships with audiences only to abandon them
• The BBC iPlayer project launched in 2007 with screen reader accessibility, closed captions, and audio description
• Twenty years later, Zak appears on the very platform his father helped make accessible

• Zak shares his experience as an actor with a disability despite repeatedly being told it would never happen
• Period dramas historically feature conventionally perfect bodies despite historical reality being "far wonkier"
• Zak's drama teacher revealed period dances had simple movements precisely because disability was common
• The powerful concept of "incidental portrayal" – casting disabled actors in roles where disability isn't central to the plot
• Putting a disabled person on stage changes the audience relationship in ways that add artistic value and subtext

Keep following AXSChat for more conversations about accessibility, representation, and breaking barriers in media and technology.

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Jane Hatton, CEO of Evenbreak, shares how her organization is transforming disability employment globally through inclusive recruitment practices and partnerships with local disability organizations.

• Evenbreak started as a UK job board for disabled job seekers but has expanded into a global enterprise
• Every team member at Evenbreak has lived experience of disability, representing diverse conditions and backgrounds
• Traditional recruitment methods like CV screening and interviews perpetuate bias against disabled candidates
• AI in recruitment presents both opportunities for accessibility and risks of amplifying existing biases
• Evenbreak's innovative hiring process focuses only on essential skills, allowing candidates to demonstrate capabilities in any format
• Job descriptions often contain unnecessary requirements that disproportionately discourage disabled candidates from applying
• Rather than asking for CVs, Evenbreak asks candidates to demonstrate how they meet 5 essential criteria for the role
• Global expansion requires working with local disability organizations who understand specific country contexts and supports
• Successful hiring processes provide meaningful feedback to all candidates, including connections to other opportunities
• Creating truly inclusive recruitment requires designing out bias from the beginning rather than retrofitting processes

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Daniel Mont, CEO and co-founder of the Center for Inclusive Policy, shares insights on bridging the gap between disability advocacy and effective policy implementation. The conversation explores how to move beyond awareness-raising to create evidence-based policies that meaningfully improve the lives of people with disabilities.

• Center for Inclusive Policy was created to address the need for evidence-based disability inclusion policies
• About 25% of households include someone with a disability, making this a significant demographic
• GDP would be 4-7% higher if people with disabilities had equal access to labor markets
• Disability data varies widely depending on definition and measurement tool used
• Disability exists on a continuum, not as a binary classification
• Data collection needs to be purpose-driven – different policies require different data
• Many innovations designed for accessibility (voice recognition, closed captioning, telephones) benefit everyone
• Progressive countries are moving toward policies that address disability-related extra costs rather than presuming inability to work

Contact the Center for Inclusive Policy at inclusive-policy.org to learn more about their work in social protection, employment support, and data systems improvement.

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Mike Gifford from Civic Actions joins us to discuss the Web Almanac, a remarkable project analyzing 17 million websites and 83 terabytes of data to track accessibility trends across the web. He shares insights about comparative accessibility performance across countries, revealing how European websites generally outperform American ones despite the US having a 30-year head start in accessibility legislation.

• Web Almanac provides annual snapshots comparing accessibility across millions of websites
• European government websites show better accessibility than US government sites due to the Web Accessibility Directive
• Content management systems that prioritize accessibility lead to more accessible websites overall
• Educational institutions (.edu domain) show stronger accessibility performance in the US
• Alt text remains problematic even on otherwise accessible websites
• Website accessibility typically degrades over time as content refreshes and staff changes
• Automation and AI will be necessary to maintain accessibility at scale
• Data can drive competitive improvements between institutions and countries
• Individual contributors can sometimes make more impact than government institutions

Join our community discussions on Blue Sky every Tuesday night to continue the conversation about web accessibility and digital inclusion. Find the Web Almanac at https://almanac.httparchive.org/en/2024/accessibility

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Are traditional banking systems failing those who most need them? In this thought-provoking episode, David Agar and Penny Roberts share their mission to revolutionize financial accessibility through their innovative app, Bankability. Reflecting on their personal journey as parents of a child with disabilities, they delve into the crucial need for hyper-personalization in banking solutions. With over 15 million adults in the UK facing accessibility barriers, the couple’s insights highlight how financial institutions often neglect unique user needs in favor of generic solutions.

As modern banking becomes increasingly digital, it's essential to address the disconnect that leaves many feeling excluded. David explains how their proposed system employs AI and user-centered design to adapt to each individual's preferences, creating a supportive environment that respects user autonomy. They convey the urgency behind rethinking current practices, challenging listeners to join a broader conversation about inclusion in finance.

This episode is a call to action for investment and collaboration as they look to engage with stakeholders who share their vision. Explore how technology can empower individuals in managing their finances securely, especially for those who may not have traditional support systems. Tune in and find out how together, we can pave the way for a more accessible and inclusive banking landscape for all. Don’t miss out on joining their waiting list, and be part of this transformative journey!

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Unlock the secrets of transforming assistive technology with Steve Tyler, the pioneering Director of Assistive Tech and Transformation at Leonard Cheshire. Join us as Steve shares his compelling journey from the world of clinical psychology to becoming a beacon for disability support and technology integration. With invaluable insights into collaborations with major tech companies, discover how Steve is championing accessibility and inclusive practices that are reshaping the tech landscape for people with disabilities.

Dive into the untapped market potential of accessible design and the strategic integration of accessibility within mainstream business. Through captivating examples like synthetic speech technology and Braille labeling for pharmaceuticals, we reveal how inclusive design not only meets diverse user needs but also powers sustainable business propositions. Steve sheds light on the importance of understanding industry decision-making and leveraging the art of storytelling to drive the adoption of inclusive practices.

Navigate the pressing challenges within the disability community, where educational and employment opportunities have hit a frustrating plateau. Steve addresses the biases entrenched in these sectors and the inefficiencies plaguing assistive technology development. From the crucial role of Braille in education and employment to the financial entanglements of large charitable organizations, gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to forge a more cohesive and effective approach to disability inclusion and innovation.

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Katrin Langensiepen, the only visibly disabled woman in the European Parliament, joins us to share her compelling journey toward disability inclusion in European politics. Discover how Katrin is pushing boundaries within the institution, advocating for rights and accessibility despite the hurdles. Her efforts to champion the European Disability Card illustrate her dedication to creating a more inclusive society, emphasizing the card's significance in improving access and recognition across member states.

Uncover the economic potential of disability inclusion as we explore arguments for supporting independent living for people with disabilities. By making necessary adjustments, there's a promise of economic gains through increased tax returns and diminished reliance on government services. However, without robust methodologies in research, driving change remains a challenge. The episode also highlights the importance of solidarity within the disability community and the power of intersectionality, drawing parallels with other rights movements.

Media narratives play a critical role in shaping perceptions of marginalized groups. We'll examine how systemic barriers and negative portrayals hinder education and visibility for people with disabilities. While social media offers a platform for connection, it's crucial for political parties and NGOs to step up and facilitate positive change. Through advocacy and media influence, we aim to raise awareness, challenge misconceptions, and drive forward the agenda for disability rights and representation. Join us as we discuss the ongoing struggle and the importance of continued dialogue and activism.

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This episode explores the vital role of accessibility in fintech, highlighting efforts made by industry leaders to create inclusive financial solutions for individuals with disabilities. Through personal stories and expert insights, the discussion underscores the importance of understanding unique user needs and fosters a call to action for the industry to innovate and collaborate towards meaningful change.

• Kathryn Townsend discusses her dual role in promoting accessibility
• Emphasis on the importance of language in shaping perceptions of disability
• Addressing the specific needs of deaf consumers in financial services
• Project Nemo’s focus on amplifying the voices of individuals with learning disabilities
• Insights from Mark and Emily on navigating finance with learning disabilities
• The Fintech Fringe Innovation Challenge aims to foster innovative solutions
• Urgent call for the fintech community to prioritize disability inclusion

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There is a growing urgency to address the threats faced by DEIA initiatives in the wake of recent political upheavals. The episode highlights the emotional impact of these changes on the disability community, the need for solidarity, and the importance of advocating for inclusive practices amid the ongoing challenges.

• Government dismantling of DEI programs
• Emotional experiences of disability advocates
• The connection between recent crises and DEIA backlash
• Opportunities for activism and community-building on Bluesky
• The role of corporations in supporting accessibility initiatives
• Global perspectives on inclusion’s future
• The call for collective action and resilience in advocacy

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Ever wondered how accessibility standards are shaping up in Europe? Tune in to hear from Susanna Laurin, the dynamic director of the Funka Foundation, as she uncovers the creative origins of the foundation's name and its pivotal role in empowering people with disabilities across Europe. With a wealth of experience in accessibility and her instrumental efforts in co-founding the IAAP, Susanna offers a deep dive into the foundation's transformative work, including groundbreaking research, consultancy, and the development of accessible e-learning platforms. Gain insights into her influential role in updating the European Accessibility Act and pioneering initiatives in mobile accessibility and accessible gaming.

Explore the contrasting dynamics of accessibility legislation across the Atlantic, as we discuss the varying approaches between the U.S. and Europe. Delve into the importance of strategic planning and collaboration with disabled persons organizations, and discover the value of user-centered testing in accessibility projects. From highlighting often-overlooked groups like people who stutter to discussing the potential of AI to revolutionize accessibility, this episode is filled with thought-provoking insights. Join us for an inspiring conversation that envisions a future where personalized assistive technologies thrive while respecting user privacy.

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Carrie Chow takes center stage as our first guest of 2025, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience in accessibility. Her journey, rich with stories from her telecommunications and marketing background, reveals a personal passion that aligns with her professional advocacy for disability inclusion. We explore her involvement in events like the CYBATHLON in Zurich and her role at Atos, where she merges her insights in precision medical solutions with digital accessibility initiatives. Carrie exemplifies the intrinsic motivation needed to drive forward both digital and physical assistive technologies, proving that dedication can lead to impactful change. We then navigate through the intricate web of corporate disability inclusion, highlighting the indispensable contributions of individuals with disabilities.

Our conversation sheds light on how advancements like 3D printing and AI are transforming healthcare, making it more personalized and accessible. We emphasize the power of cross-sector collaboration, recognizing the potential for sectors like elder care and technology to unite in creating cohesive solutions. This synergy could propel corporations and influential events such as CES to new heights in accessibility, making an indelible mark on the future of inclusion.

As we reflect on the progress made so far, there's a palpable sense of gratitude and optimism. We celebrate the achievements and milestones reached in recent years, acknowledging the pivotal role of 2025 in shaping accessibility frameworks globally. With a nod to the long-term benefits of accessibility innovations, we raise a toast to the promising developments on the horizon. Special thanks go to Carrie for sharing her insights, and to our listeners for supporting our journey towards a more inclusive world. Cheers to continuing this important work and embracing the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.

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Get ready to master the platform transition as AXSChat ushers in 2025—the Year of the Snake—with a transformative shift from Twitter to Bluesky. Uncover the reasons behind our departure from Twitter and the impactful introduction of the European Accessibility Act. Join us as Antonio delves into the intricacies of building vibrant communities on Bluesky, a user-centric platform that champions inclusivity and engagement. Learn how we're leveraging this new space to enhance our commitment to accessibility alongside the UAE's dedication to inclusion this year.

Discover the compelling decision-making journey, with insights from pivotal figures like Neil, Debra and Antonio, and how it reshapes our interactions within the accessibility community. As we embrace Bluesky, likened to rediscovering an old friend, we're fueled by anticipation for a year brimming with challenges and opportunities. Our mission remains steadfast in providing a platform for authentic expression, celebrating unity and progress. As servant leaders, we extend our gratitude to our supporters and look forward to fostering meaningful conversations that embody growth and togetherness in 2025.

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Discover how cybersecurity is being reshaped to be more inclusive and accessible for everyone, especially those with disabilities. Join us as we host an enlightening conversation with Lauren Iglehart, CISA's Chief of the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, and Bob Nadeau, the Partnerships Branch Chief within Strategic Relations at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. While Neil Milliken enjoys a break in Thailand, our guests share the United States government's groundbreaking initiatives aimed at making cybersecurity resources available to all. Learn about the Secure Our World campaign, designed to mitigate cyber risks while fostering digital equality, and hear how these efforts are making a global impact on infrastructure protection.

We also explore the importance of diversity within CISA's workforce, including the Neurodiverse Federal Workforce Initiative, which focuses on recruiting individuals with autism and other targeted disabilities. Gain insights into how diverse perspectives enhance innovation and problem-solving in the face of evolving cybersecurity threats. Our discussion highlights the challenges and opportunities presented by AI and underscores the need for comprehensive cybersecurity education. Additionally, we touch on the complexities of managing a multigenerational workforce and the importance of leadership in adapting to a rapidly changing security landscape. Listen in for a deeper understanding of how CISA is leading the charge toward a more secure and inclusive digital future.

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What does it mean to truly embrace disability inclusion in the business world? Join us for a revealing conversation with Diane Lightfoot from the Business Disability Forum, as we unravel the complexities of making disability inclusion a central pillar of corporate responsibility. Highlighting insights from the Global Business Disability Network conference by the ILO, we examine how this crucial issue has evolved from a marginal concern to a mainstream agenda. Diane shares her expertise, guiding us through the intricate balance between ethical imperatives and compliance-driven approaches. We also discuss the potential hazards of focusing solely on the business case, such as microaggressions and tokenism, as pointed out by a Catalyst report.

Our discussion takes a deeper turn as we confront the challenges businesses face in addressing larger social issues of identity and inclusion. We consider the fragmentation within identity groups and the complications that arise when individuals are hesitant to identify with them due to societal perceptions. Diane and I ponder the power of unity and community, debating whether the division of employee resource groups aids or impedes their strength in collective action. We wrap up with a thoughtful exploration of the differing responsibilities between employers and the state in tackling health and social issues, focusing on the disparities smaller organizations face compared to larger enterprises. This episode encourages a rethinking of traditional strategies and roles, urging businesses to integrate disability inclusion meaningfully into their broader objectives.

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What happens when an educator's personal journey intersects with a mission for global inclusion? Berna Bouwer, the Corporate Head of Inclusion at GEMS Education, shares her compelling journey from South Africa to Dubai, fueled by her passion for special needs education, a journey deeply influenced by her own experiences with ADHD and her son's cerebral palsy diagnosis. Berna's story is more than personal; it's a testament to the transformative power of inclusive education in a region as diverse as the UAE, where schools celebrate a rich tapestry of up to 129 nationalities.

Join us as we explore the progressive strides the UAE has made in inclusive education, particularly for individuals with special needs. Despite misconceptions and criticisms, the UAE's unique compliance frameworks offer a refreshing contrast to the litigation-heavy approaches found elsewhere. Berna, drawing on her extensive experience, highlights how the UAE's comprehensive regulatory measures and innovative practices align with the nation's vision for an accessible and inclusive education system that champions tolerance and acceptance.

But the journey doesn't stop at progress—there are challenges too. From the high financial burden on parents to the hurdles faced in employment for individuals with disabilities, the road to inclusion is fraught with obstacles. We'll touch on poignant stories that highlight both the triumphs and trials, such as the young woman with Down syndrome navigating communication barriers and a high-functioning student with ASD striving for future opportunities. This episode promises to provide insights into the UAE's leadership in assistive technology while addressing the pressing need for more affordable and effective solutions in inclusive education.

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What drives a leader to champion disability inclusion and transform corporate culture? Meet Mike Liebman, lead of the Bloomberg Abilities Community B-ABLE for the United States, as he shares his compelling journey through personal health challenges and his relentless efforts to grow Bloomberg's B-ABLE.

From dissociative disorders to PTSD and a degenerative spinal condition, Mike's experiences have fueled a passion to expand ERG discussions to encompass mental health, neurodiversity, and chronic medical conditions. Tune in to hear how Mike navigates the intricate landscape of representing diverse communities within ERGs, ensuring balanced attention to various disabilities, and fostering inclusive dialogue that keeps members actively engaged.

Discover the strides Bloomberg is making under Mike's leadership towards a more inclusive tech environment. We spotlight Bloomberg's pioneering initiatives like the disability in tech conference, created in collaboration with Lime Connect, which highlights the critical contributions of individuals with disabilities, especially in AI advancements. Additionally, get a glimpse into the empowering Grace Topper event, which serves as a vibrant recruitment platform connecting talented women with corporations keen on diversifying their workforce. With these forward-thinking initiatives, we share our excitement for the potential lasting impact on diversity and inclusion in tech and beyond.

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Join us for an enlightening discussion with Johny Cassidy, an inspiring BBC journalist and the leader of their Disabled Staff Employee Network, as he shares his remarkable story of overcoming accessibility challenges in journalism. Johny's journey is one of resilience and innovation, where he creatively turned barriers into opportunities, leveraging assistive technology to carve out a successful career. Dive into Johny’s passion for digital accessibility and visual data journalism, and understand why equal access to news is crucial for all audiences. His insights offer a powerful reminder of the value that diverse perspectives bring to trusted news delivery, and the ongoing battle against imposter syndrome many face in professional landscapes.

We also explore the fascinating parallels between the unpredictability of horse riding and the intricacies of advocating for digital accessibility. Johny illustrates how effective communication and strategic framing can influence stakeholders to embrace accessibility by showcasing its wide-reaching benefits. Listen to his heartfelt narrative about a father's efforts to shatter societal prejudices and serve as a role model for his daughter, pushing for increased diversity and representation in journalism. Through organizing impactful events and challenging existing stereotypes, Johnny emphasizes the critical need for disabled individuals in decision-making roles, ensuring that diverse voices are celebrated and heard.

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Rachel Billington, AECOM's Director of People and Culture, shares her intriguing transition from policing to leading diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at a major global infrastructure company. Rachel recounts an inspiring moment when her impactful speech sparked enhanced maternity leave support. As we navigate the complexities of DEI amid contrasting political climates across Europe and North America, Rachel sheds light on overcoming the cyclical challenges and backlash against 'wokery.' With a focus on fostering inclusive environments, she emphasizes the power of open dialogue to move beyond the limitations of cancel culture and encourages authentic expression in the workplace.

Our conversation also uncovers AECOM's commitment to promoting diversity in engineering, with particular attention to gender balance and early career recruitment in the UK. Rachel reveals innovative strategies, such as collaborating with inclusive universities and conducting STEM outreach, to address gender disparities. We discuss the significance of using authentic representation in organizational marketing and the broader implications of diversity across all areas, including age. From ensuring equitable gender representation at senior levels to preventing talent drain through age diversity, Rachel highlights how economic and moral imperatives align to build a more inclusive workforce.

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Paralympian and trailblazer Sophia Warner joins us to share how she's reshaping the landscape of inclusive sports with the Superhero Series. With events like Winter Wonder Wheels and Superhero triathlon, Sophia is breaking down barriers by allowing participants to tackle courses in any way they can—whether being towed, pushed, or using other adaptive methods. Her passion for creating a safe and inclusive space for individuals with disabilities stems from her own experiences and fuels the series' mission to enable everyone to enjoy sports without the constraints of traditional rules.

We explore the dynamic blend of disability, adventure, and empowerment that defines these groundbreaking events. Sophia’s innovative approach bridges the gap between elite Paralympic sports and broader participation, offering both live and remote opportunities for those who might face travel or sensory challenges. Supported by major sponsors like Marvel and Disney, the Superhero Series is more than just a set of events; it's a movement that champions diversity, enabling participants to showcase their abilities to the world.

Beyond the races, there’s a deeper story unfolding—a narrative of community building and support for families with disabled children. Sophia reveals how the series creates a space for connection, understanding, and shared joy, enhancing the sense of unity among participants. As the Superhero Series grows from its humble beginnings to hosting thousands, the call for continued financial and volunteer support becomes crucial. Join us in celebrating the extraordinary spirit of these events and consider being part of this inspiring journey towards a more inclusive and joyful sporting future.

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Explore the synergy between sustainability and accessibility in digital design with our insightful guest, Alexis, Senior Product UX Designer at IKEA. We promise a rich discussion on the shared goals of enhancing life and the planet, while tackling the challenge of fragmented reporting under the European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. Alexis shares groundbreaking strategies on integrating sustainable practices into digital technology, stressing the need for collaboration between professionals to ensure accessibility's material impact is both recognized and effectively communicated.

Shifting focus to the power of optimism, we discuss redefining societal value beyond monetary terms. Drawing inspiration from compelling books like "What If We Get It Right," we advocate for moving away from pessimism to embrace hopeful innovation. Discover how sustainable and accessible practices can not only improve efficiency and creativity but also lead to better, more affordable products. We wrap up by emphasizing the importance of sustaining conversations on accessibility across multiple platforms, aiming for a long-term impact that transcends today's discussion. Join us for an inspiring narrative that challenges you to rethink value in design and business practices.

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Discover the captivating journey of Peter Torres-Fremlin, the visionary behind Disability Debrief, as he reveals how a platform dedicated to disability reporting came to be. Through his experiences with international organizations and his commitment to amplifying voices from the global south, Peter takes us on a tour of the crucial role investigative journalism plays in the disability sector. Unravel the challenges of navigating an overloaded information landscape and the transformative potential of AI in shaping the future of journalism.

Explore the profound questions surrounding disability data accuracy and the importance of transparency and accountability within the community. Peter and Antonio engage in a thought-provoking discussion on the reliability of widely cited statistics, such as the World Health Organization's 15% figure, and consider the implications of data on public policy. By examining the global adoption and debates surrounding methodologies like the Washington Group questions, we shed light on how accurate data can influence societal understanding and decision-making processes.

Finally, we confront the complexities of disability representation in media, emphasizing the need for both specialized and inclusive reporting. By addressing issues like media misrepresentation and the importance of dedicated spaces for the disability community, we underscore the power of resources like Disability Debrief in equipping advocates and professionals with trusted information. Join us as we advocate for improved quality in mainstream media while fostering environments where voices from the disability community can thrive and lead the narrative.

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In this episode of AXSChat, with John Graham, founder of the Giraffe Heroes Project, talks about his adventurous life, the importance of storytelling in inspiring action, and the need for individuals to take risks to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). John shares his transformative journey from seeking adrenaline rushes to finding purpose in helping others and discusses the impact of storytelling in driving social change. He emphasizes the importance of sticking one's neck out to create a better world and reflects on his experiences with activism, including his work against apartheid.

Takeaways

• John Graham's life is a testament to adventure and risk-taking.
• Realizing the impact of one's actions can lead to profound change.
• Storytelling is a powerful tool for inspiring action.
• The Giraffe Heroes Project highlights individuals making a difference.
• DEI progress requires individuals to take risks and advocate for change.
• Social media can be used to share positive stories and inspire others.
• It's important to recognize and amplify the stories of everyday heroes.
• Activism often involves navigating complex political landscapes.
• Personal responsibility is key to driving social change.
• A life dedicated to service can be fulfilling and impactful.

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Darryl Adams, a luminary in the field of accessibility, joins us to share the extraordinary path that defined his 28-year career at Intel, shaped profoundly by his personal experiences with retinitis pigmentosa and single-sided deafness. Darryl's story is a heartfelt exploration of how Intel's inclusive culture, coupled with his relentless passion, empowered him to champion accessible technology for all. Through his reflections, we learn not just about the technological strides made at Intel, but also about the wider impact of fostering diversity and inclusion within the workplace.

Darryl takes us on a journey into the future of technology and communication, unveiling the world of possibilities opened by machine learning and conversational AI. Imagine a world where interactions transcend traditional interfaces, transforming into seamless, conversational exchanges that nurture human connection. Darryl shines a light on the transformative potential of these technologies to enhance communication tools, especially for those with speech differences or hearing loss, promising a more inclusive and interconnected world.

As we navigate the ethical dimensions of technology, we are urged to consider the responsibility of major tech companies in shaping AI that prioritizes inclusivity and fairness. By weaving together cybersecurity, accessibility, and ethics, the conversation addresses the need for personalized algorithms that cater to individual needs, ensuring trust and enhancing user experiences. Darryl's insights underscore the importance of refocusing tech industry objectives from profit to user-centric optimization. Finally, we reflect on the shifting demographics of an aging population and the vital role this plays in the ongoing dialogue around accessibility, urging collective efforts to embrace and address these emerging challenges.

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How do you transform a major online retailer into a beacon of accessibility? Join us as we sit down with Tzveta Dinova, the pioneering accessibility lead at ASOS, who shares her compelling journey from design and education to becoming a trailblazer in inclusive practices. Discover the story behind Sveta's transition into accessibility in 2018 and how her role has evolved within ASOS, a company dedicated to inclusion in fashion and beauty. Her unique position as the sole accessibility advocate at a major retail company presents both challenges and exceptional opportunities.

Get ready to understand the "why" behind accessibility initiatives through Tzveta's eyes. As an accessibility product owner, Sveta discusses her strategic approach to fostering a culture of accessibility within ASOS, educating her colleagues on the social model of disability. Learn from her methods of building empathy and commitment across a vast team through training sessions and live demonstrations from individuals with disabilities. Sveta underscores the importance of embedding accessibility into daily workflows, ensuring that every team member shares the responsibility.

Explore the transformative effects of accessible e-commerce platforms on customers with disabilities. Tzveta provides an insider’s perspective on measuring accessibility improvements at ASOS, from leveraging assistive technologies to collecting detailed feedback. Find out how balancing corrective actions with positive reinforcement creates a more inclusive platform and re-engages customers who previously faced accessibility challenges. This episode is a must-listen for anyone committed to understanding and advancing accessibility in a fast-paced online retail environment.

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What if the applications we use every day were designed with everyone in mind? Join us on AXSChat as we welcome Sara Faatz, Director of Community Relations at Progress, who shares her expertise on the importance of human-centric software and accessibility in the digital realm. Discover why a whopping 98% of application developers and IT decision-makers recognize the need for human-centric software yet only 34% actively work towards it. Learn how the pandemic has transformed digital access from a convenience into an essential need, and why inclusive design should be at the forefront of every developer's mind.

Explore the profound impact of inclusive design on user experiences as we dive into shocking statistics, like how 78% of users abandon sites they cannot access. Hear personal stories that highlight the real-world consequences of neglecting accessibility, such as the frustration of booking medical appointments online. The discussion underscores the vital importance of user testing and the thoughtful consideration of human factors, encouraging developers to go beyond mere compliance and focus on creating seamless, intuitive experiences for all.

In our final segment, we tackle the challenges of integrating accessibility into application development head-on. Sara sheds light on the intricate balance between refining existing features and innovating with an accessibility-first mindset. We discuss the complexities of updating legacy systems, the need for specialized skills, and the industry's collective responsibility to raise accessibility awareness. By championing initiatives like apprenticeship standards for digital accessibility specialists, we emphasize the need for systemic change through education and government support. Join us in advocating for continuous, collective efforts to make digital platforms accessible for everyone.

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Could the future of web accessibility hinge on nuanced grading systems rather than binary pass/fail ratings? Join us as we sit down with Detlev Fischer, Managing Director of Dias and a key figure in the development of the German test procedure for WCAG 2. Detlev shares his eclectic career path, from studying film in Hamburg and visual arts in the UK to becoming an accessibility advocate. You'll gain a unique insider perspective on the collaborative efforts required to shape accessibility standards and the critical role organizations like W3C and IAAP play in this evolving field.

We dive deep into the complexities of web accessibility standards, particularly focusing on the WCAG 2 guidelines. Discover why binary ratings may not be enough and explore innovative solutions like graded ratings and the use of assertions for dynamic content. The conversation expands to the European Accessibility Act, the challenges of reaching a consensus among experts across regions, and the urgency to accelerate progress in web accessibility despite slow advancements over the past decade.

In our final segment, we tackle the implementation challenges of European accessibility standards and the varied progress across different regions. Learn how mandatory accessibility statements have driven improvements on public websites and why the demand for accessibility expertise is skyrocketing among software companies. We also celebrate recent achievements in the field, extending heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to these milestones. This episode is a tribute to the hard work and collaboration that continue to drive the accessibility movement forward.

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Ever wondered how to make your digital products truly inclusive? Join us on AXSChat as we feature Erik Kroes, an independent accessibility consultant with a compelling transition from photography and industrial design to spearheading accessibility initiatives at IKEA and ING. Erik brings his love for structure and efficiency to the forefront, sharing invaluable insights on overcoming the hurdles of embedding accessibility into large, complex organizations. From technical coding reviews to design considerations like dark mode, Erik's strategic thinking and practical solutions are not to be missed.

We also dig deep into the often-overlooked intricacies of QR code accessibility and the broader challenge of achieving true inclusiveness across vast corporate landscapes. Erik emphasizes the need for knowledgeable consultants from the get-go to avoid legal pitfalls and ensure substantive progress. We shed light on the critical importance of effective internal and external communication, advocating for a focused approach to accessibility criteria. By prioritizing quality over quantity, organizations can foster a genuinely inclusive culture. Tune in to learn how a strategic, thoughtful approach to accessibility can transform your business.

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Ever wondered how accessibility can boost rather than restrict innovation? Join us for an illuminating conversation with MalinHammarberg, a dedicated UX designer and accessibility specialist at the Funka Foundation. Malin’s journey began with a project on "design for all" and has since evolved into a passionate commitment to inclusivity. Together, we explore how integrating accessibility from the outset can lead to more creative and user-friendly designs, challenging the misconceptions that often surround this essential practice.

We also tackle the long-standing challenges of web accessibility, especially for people with disabilities. Malin shares her frustrations with the repetitive nature of advocacy in this space and underscores the importance of early education for fostering a culture of inclusion. We discuss the critical need to embed accessibility into every phase of the design and development process, rather than relying on generative AI as a quick fix. The conversation draws parallels with the growing acceptance of cybersecurity, advocating for a similar proactive attitude toward accessibility.

In our final discussion, we look at the future of web accessibility, focusing on the continuous improvements necessary for keeping up with evolving standards. Malin highlights the role of AI-driven solutions and the hurdles companies face when integrating these into legacy systems. We emphasize the significance of user testing in uncovering design flaws and celebrate the rewarding nature of conducting training sessions that lead to those magical "aha" moments. Join us as we navigate the complexities and excitement of staying updated in this rapidly changing field and reflect on the ever-evolving journey of creating accessible digital experiences.

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Unlock the secrets behind Merck's groundbreaking digital accessibility policy as Dr. Stephen Framil, the Corporate Global Head of Accessibility, joins us to share his invaluable insights. Learn how Merck's Disability Inclusion Strategy Council catalyzed the creation of an inclusive digital environment, ensuring all users, including those with disabilities, can seamlessly navigate their digital landscape. Dr. Framil takes us behind the scenes to reveal the collaboration between Merck's chief diversity office, IT organization, and business units, offering a comprehensive look at the structural nuances that make this policy robust and resilient.

Discover the global ramifications of regional accessibility legislation and how Merck is proactively embedding accessibility into procurement and system development. From incorporating accessibility clauses in master service agreements to influencing software providers to adopt best practices, we cover it all. Dr. Framil also touches on the strides being made in physical accessibility at Merck's headquarters and the critical role of dedicated accessibility stewards. Finally, we broaden the conversation to discuss the impact of accessibility across various sectors, setting the stage for future dialogues in this essential field. Join us for this enlightening episode and stay tuned for more captivating discussions.

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Discover how to transform your hiring process with insights from Donna Bundgaard, the Senior Marketing Accessibility Program Manager at Indeed. In this episode, Donna sheds light on her role in promoting disability inclusion and accessibility within Indeed's brand and partnerships. Learn how Indeed's global commitment to a skills-first hiring approach is helping job seekers overcome barriers and why mainstreaming accessibility is crucial, especially from Donna's perspective as a neurodivergent individual.

We also tackle the critical issue of improving inclusion through job descriptions. Find out why it's essential to revisit job requirements and how focusing on practical skills and experience can break down barriers for people with disabilities. Donna discusses the impact of removing unnecessary degree prerequisites and the value of apprenticeships. Plus, get insight into Indeed's partnership with Billion Strong and how it aims to provide support and resources for individuals with disabilities, creating a more inclusive job search experience.

Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion on fostering inclusive opportunities for everyone.

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Ever wondered how language shapes our perception of disability? Join us on Access Chat for an engaging conversation with Professor Gregor Wolbring, a distinguished Disability Studies Scholar from the University of Calgary. Born in Germany and personally affected by thalidomide, Gregor takes us on his transformative journey from biochemistry to disability studies. Gain fresh insights into the historical and public perception of thalidomide and discover why Gregor champions terms like "mobility divergent" over "walking impaired" to foster a more positive narrative around diverse abilities.

Explore the concept of "accessibility anxiety" in our second chapter, where we delve into the significant barriers disabled individuals face in everyday life. Gregor discusses how systemic obstacles and societal attitudes influence the choices and behaviors of disabled persons, often resulting in isolation. By comparing assistive technologies to everyday tools, we challenge the conventional perceptions of reliance on external aids and highlight the universal nature of seeking assistance. Understand how ableism operates as a societal mechanism that affects everyone, not just disabled individuals, and perpetuates inequality.

In our final segment, we tackle the complex issues surrounding disability terminology and its intersection with poverty. Gregor provides an insightful critique of person-first versus identity-first language and emphasizes the importance of self-determination in identity choices. We also shine a light on the critical issue of poverty among disabled individuals, revealing that a significant percentage live below the poverty line. Highlighting the need for greater representation and attitudinal accessibility, we discuss the Canadian Accessibility Act as a step toward a more inclusive society. Join us for this thought-provoking episode that underscores the broader implications of societal attitudes towards disability and the necessity of cultural inclusivity.

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Unlock the secrets of impactful autism advocacy with our inspiring guest, Ben VanHook. Ben is a master's student in public policy at George Mason University and a notable disability activist and speaker. He takes us through his personal and professional journey, highlighting his advocacy efforts and vision for a more inclusive society. Discover how he has championed autistic voices on prestigious platforms like the United Nations and why it’s crucial to prioritize lived experiences over external consultation.

Join us for a deep dive into the complex terrain of privilege and intersectionality within disability advocacy. Ben and I discuss how recognizing one's privilege can be a driving force for creating equal opportunities and fostering genuine inclusivity. The conversation underscores the necessity of integrating diverse perspectives from various ethnicities, genders, and backgrounds to dismantle biases and enrich the advocacy landscape. We also stress the importance of honouring the voices that have long contributed to the movement while expanding representation.

Lastly, we shift our focus to raising societal expectations for neurodiversity. From advocating for essential supports and accommodations as fundamental human rights to the benefits of a neurodivergent workforce, Ben shares invaluable insights. Learn about the strategies for incorporating disability topics into broader events and industries and the personal journey of overcoming trauma to become a more effective advocate. Wrap up with our plans for an engaging Twitter chat to connect with our community and amplify these vital conversations. Tune in to be part of this transformative dialogue!

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What does it mean to truly advocate for accessibility and inclusivity? Join us on AXSChat as we spotlight Shweta Mantrii, a dynamic advocate and stand-up comedian, who has navigated the complexities of living with spina bifida while challenging societal norms. From childhood struggles and school restrictions to her parents' unwavering support, Shweta shares her deeply personal journey. Her story is one of resilience and determination as she faces societal ableism and emerges stronger, turning her life's hurdles into powerful advocacy and comedy.

Shweta's comedy isn't just about laughs; it's a platform for thoughtful storytelling and social change. Learn how she masterfully balances humor to address and dismantle prejudices, ensuring her jokes "punch up" at power structures rather than down at marginalized groups. She opens up about the unique challenges of being a disabled woman in comedy, especially in a society still learning the ropes of inclusivity. Shweta's strategies for making audiences comfortable before diving into more impactful topics demonstrate the nuanced way humor can spotlight biases and drive meaningful conversations.

In a digital age, Shweta's insights into leveraging social media platforms are invaluable for aspiring comedians. She discusses the intricacies of balancing online content creation with live performances and emphasizes the importance of representation in corporate gigs. As we wrap up, we reflect on the necessity of authentic storytelling by disabled individuals and express our gratitude to Shweta for sharing her inspiring journey and transformative humor. Tune in for an episode filled with laughter, reflection, and a deeper understanding of the power of comedy in advocacy.

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How can we change the narrative around disability in media and advertising?

Join us as we welcome Lara Davis and Sarah Bartlett from the Business Disability Forum to talk about their revolutionary campaign, "Changing the Image of Disability." In this episode, Lara and Sarah share their extensive research that underscores a glaring lack of authentic disability representation. They explain how their innovative image bank not only features diverse disabled individuals, including those with less visible disabilities, but also involves the models in the creative process to ensure genuineness.

Discover the crucial importance of obtaining consent and crafting accurate image descriptions for individuals with disabilities. We delve into the responsibilities marketers have to avoid overusing images and to conduct comprehensive research. Antonio sheds light on the pitfalls of AI-generated images, pointing out their tendency to fall into stereotypical depictions. This episode serves as an eye-opener on how AI can improve with better training data, and how our campaign contributes to this by providing authentic images for public use.

Finally, we discuss the ongoing efforts to diversify our image bank, the challenges of using professional models versus employees, and the increasing availability of disabled models through specialized agencies. Our conversation wraps up with a reflection on the decade-long support from clearText and Amazon and our excitement about leveraging social media to further reshape perceptions of disability. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion aimed at enhancing understanding and awareness of disability in today's media landscape.

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What if the accessibility challenges we face today could be solved by a crowdsourced platform and an engaging, educational app? Join us on Access Chat as we welcome Peter Gibson and Anubha Singhal, the co-founders of EnableMeAccess, who are on a mission to revolutionize accessibility in India. Hear Peter's deeply personal journey as a carer for his wife, which unveiled the glaring gaps in accessibility standards within public spaces and hotels. Discover how these experiences inspired the creation of simplified data sheets and a gamified app designed to spark empathy and awareness in younger generations. Anubha shares her unique perspective and her pivotal role in this transformative initiative.

In this episode, we also feature an inspiring architect living with mobility impairment, who, through his professional insights, sheds light on the importance of universal design. Learn about the grassroots, crowdsourced approach EnableMeAccess employs to foster inclusivity, and their commitment to transparency and collaboration with the government. We delve into the organization's not-for-profit structure, their innovative strategies for sustainable operations, and how they are democratizing accessibility information. Understand the impact of their efforts to train individuals to accurately assess and report on building accessibility, empowering communities with the knowledge needed to create a more inclusive future.Support the Show.

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Imagine being denied an education simply because of who you are. Aquayemi Claude Akinsanya's journey from exclusion to advocacy is a testament to resilience and the power of fighting for change. This episode sheds light on his personal story, where systemic injustice fueled his passion for policy reform in education and social justice. We explore the intertwined nature of health and education, discuss racial disparities, and highlight the pressing issue of chronic underfunding in these sectors. Aquayemi insights provide a compelling narrative on how inequalities and gatekeeping mechanisms affect access to educational support, and we compare these issues within the contexts of the UK and the United States.

Our in-depth conversation extends to the structural challenges within special education systems. How does the lack of a written constitution in the UK create gaps in accountability and quality in education? Antonio provides a critical analysis of how wealth disparities further skew educational access, particularly disadvantaging minority ethnic students in less affluent areas. We also address the lengths some families must go to in order to secure quality education for their children, often needing to move outside their local catchment areas. This episode underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms to uphold education as a universal human right, providing an insightful and thought-provoking discussion on the way forward.

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Join us on AXSChat as we sit down with the inspiring Praise Akobo, a Programme Associate and Disability Advocate from Abuja, Nigeria. Praise's personal journey as a person with a disability who overcame immense odds to pursue education is nothing short of remarkable. She shares her impactful work with Yield Up Development Initiative, where innovative educational programs are combating bullying and discrimination in Benue State. Praise also talks about Dougalove Women's Support Initiative, which employs animal-assisted services to aid children with disabilities. This episode is a testament to how creative activities and local resources can foster a nurturing and inclusive learning environment.

We also explore the power of community-driven solutions and the significance of understanding local contexts in fostering disability inclusion. Praise recounts a touching story of assisting a young girl facing challenges similar to those she encountered in her youth, highlighting the transformative potential of localized efforts. Her experiences with international opportunities, such as the Mandela Washington Fellowship, underscore the value of adapting global insights to local challenges. Finally, Praise discusses the contributions of social networks in raising disability awareness, blending local insights with international practices, and the ongoing battle against cultural stigmas. This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about creating inclusive, resilient communities.

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Join us for an enlightening discussion with Anjali Vyas from the Pune chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of India. Anjali's journey, starting from her initial symptoms of optic nerve pain and vision loss to her eventual diagnosis, is a powerful testament to resilience. As a chemical engineer and IELTS trainer, she shares her compelling story and her advocacy work through her organization, Believe in the Invisible, which aims to raise awareness and support for individuals with invisible disabilities.

Crucial conversations unfold as we tackle the significant challenges in disability recognition and documentation in India. Chronic neurological conditions and congenital heart conditions often slip through the cracks in official statistics, resulting in policies that fail to provide adequate support. We shine a light on the urgent need for detailed data collection, including gender-disaggregated data, and discuss how social stigma and harmful cultural beliefs exacerbate the marginalization of individuals with disabilities, particularly women and transgender individuals.

Lastly, we dive into the labyrinthine process of obtaining a disability certificate, especially for those with invisible disabilities like multiple sclerosis. Anjali shares eye-opening insights about the bureaucratic obstacles and societal misconceptions that complicate this journey. We stress the importance of education about disability rights for both the private sector and disabled individuals. Moreover, we underline the necessity of a holistic, inclusive approach that supports individuals and their communities, fostering a truly inclusive society. Tune in for a candid and thought-provoking episode that highlights the importance of advocacy and systemic change for disability rights.

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What does it take to shift from a visually-driven career in media to becoming a fervent advocate for disability rights? Meet Shruti Pushkarna, our inspiring guest who made this transition and is now a prominent voice in disability advocacy from Delhi, India. Shruti shares her enlightening journey from a mainstream media producer to working directly with individuals with blindness and vision impairment. She recounts the obstacles she faced and the critical need for mutual understanding between media professionals and the disability community. Through her narrative, Shruti emphasizes the collective effort required to push for true inclusion.

This episode also shines a spotlight on the role of media representation and the strategic importance of making content accessible for all, especially those using screen readers. Shruti explains how visual storytelling and social media can capture attention while conveying important messages about disability rights. Her insights reveal the power of presenting data in relatable ways, fostering collaboration across various advocacy groups. We underscore the importance of a united approach to disability inclusion, exploring how to communicate effectively about diverse experiences and perspectives.

Breaking societal stereotypes and understanding the technological advancements for students with disabilities are additional focal points of our conversation. Shruti discusses the cultural barriers in India, the fear associated with caregiving leave, and the misrepresentation of people with disabilities in media. Through compelling stories of individuals overcoming systemic obstacles, we illustrate the potential for a more inclusive society. The episode closes with a discussion on the significant role of radio and other media technologies, showcasing their potential to offer opportunities and drive continued dialogue and representation in both media and technology sectors. Tune in for an episode that promises to broaden your perspective on disability advocacy and media inclusion.

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How do societal movements intersect and diverge when it comes to identity and inclusion? On this special Pride Month episode of Access Chat, we're celebrating the vibrant intersections between the LGBTQIA+ and disability communities. We explore the profound challenges and victories that shape these communities, with Deborah sharing her personal journey of navigating ADHD stigma and Antonio emphasizing the need for international solidarity within the disability movement. By drawing parallels between the significant strides made by the LGBTQIA+ community and the ongoing battles faced by those with disabilities, particularly those with hidden and neurodivergent conditions, we aim to foster a conversation that is as celebratory as it is critical.

Ever wondered how openly embracing one's identity can transform workplace culture? Join us as we discuss the complexities of diversity and inclusion in the business world, highlighting the courageous contributions of LGBTQIA+ executives and the persistent barriers faced by leaders with disabilities. We delve into the systemic prejudices that equate disability with incompetence and the higher costs associated with creating truly accessible environments. As we celebrate Pride Month, let's reflect on the importance of embracing our authentic selves and the ripple effects this can create in society. Tune in for an episode that balances celebration with a call to action for greater inclusivity and progress.

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What if the fragmentation of society is creating a crisis in youth well-being? Join us as we welcome Winnie Orodi, the Head of Curriculum Involvement and Monitoring and Evaluation at New Dawn, Kenya, who unravels the deep-seated challenges young people face in Kenya's urbanizing landscape. Winnie takes us through the psychosocial support programs she leads for preteens and teenagers, touching on crucial topics like identity, life skills, and sexuality. She reveals how the breakdown of extended family structures, traced back to colonization and the onset of formal education and urban work, has left many young people feeling disconnected. Winnie also sheds light on the diverse backgrounds of the students at New Dawn and the mentorship programs aimed at bridging community gaps.

We tackle the critical gaps in mental health and education in Kenya, focusing on the lack of standardized certification for specialists and the challenges in diagnosing learning disabilities such as dyslexia. Winnie emphasizes the necessity of equipping facilitators with the skills to support young people effectively and the importance of stable, long-term mentorship programs that can foster trust and community. Discover the broader need for accessible and comprehensive health services, the infrastructure required to support these initiatives, and the impact of environmental factors like floods on children's well-being. This episode offers a profound understanding of the ongoing efforts to improve the mental health and well-being of Kenya's youth amidst environmental and social challenges.

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Prepare to unlock the doors to financial inclusion as we host Bianca Prins from ING and Paul Geerts from SIA Partners, leading voices in the quest for accessible banking. This episode is a treasure trove of insights, revealing how the European Accessibility Act is reshaping the landscape for financial institutions. We'll navigate through the nuances of legislation and culture that impact the banking sector, guided by our guests' pioneering work on a report dedicated to enhancing accessibility standards in the financial industry. Their expertise not only highlights the importance of preparedness but also the complexities multinational corporations face in a world of diverse regulations.

Explore the transformative power of accessible banking and the economic ripple effects it creates, as we share stories of innovation and adaptation in the industry. Accessibility isn't just about compliance—it's about connection and empowerment. Our discussion sheds light on the practical steps banks are taking to ensure their services are inclusive, thereby enriching the lives of people with disabilities. From litigation in the United States that's setting precedents to the promise of global standardization, we examine the broad impact of the European Accessibility Act and its potential to catalyze change worldwide.

Finally, we share an inspiring tale of a modest Dutch website that has made waves in the academic world, illustrating the profound impact that comes from sharing knowledge widely. This episode is not only a call to action for the financial sector but also a celebration of the collaborative efforts that drive the visibility and progress of accessibility initiatives.

With the support of our listeners and advocates, we're committed to keeping this conversation accessible and illuminating for all. Join us for a journey that promises to deepen your understanding and appreciation of an inclusive society where everyone has a seat at the table.

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Have you ever faced a moment that completely altered the course of your life? Thea Kurdi has, and she's here to share her journey through grief and her metamorphosis into a passionate critic of accessibility. We're honored to welcome back Thea to our show, as she candidly discusses the devastating loss of her husband to COVID-19 and how it has reshaped her perspective on the world of accessibility consulting. Our conversation traverses the raw edges of personal tragedy, the disillusionment with inclusion efforts that often miss the mark, and the systemic barriers that impede genuine progress. As an accessibility critic, Thea is on a mission to dissect the status quo and advocate for authentic change, a challenge she's more than ready to tackle.

Throughout the episode, Thea, alongside Antonio and myself, scrutinizes the pitfalls of organizations that merely check the accessibility box instead of weaving it into their core values. We dive into the complexities of advocacy, spotlighting the lack of substantive actions in policy and education that could truly bridge the gap for those with disabilities. We also uncover the invisible struggles faced by the majority of individuals with disabilities that often go unrecognized, and how ignorance and apathy contribute to systemic inaccessibility. Thea's insights serve as a wake-up call for the collective power of community advocacy, urging a shift from token gestures to a culture that champions diversity, equity, and inclusion in every facet of society. Join us for this profound exploration into the heart of what it takes to cultivate a world where accessibility is not an afterthought, but a fundamental right.

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Embark on an enlightening journey with us as we join forces with Debra Ruh, a trailblazer in the disability and accessibility sectors, to dissect the nuances of community building and the art of maintaining diplomatic ties. We promise valuable insights into the strategies that will unite a diverse array of voices and experiences to champion impactful change. Delving into the challenges of advocacy, we lay bare the harsh realities of job insecurity and funding scarcities that threaten initiatives like Billions Strong, while also showcasing the resilience needed to sustain momentum and foster accountability without sparking conflict.

This episode is a celebration of collaborative spirit and the shared quest for disability inclusion. We analyze the precarious balance between survival and solidarity within organizations, challenging corporate brands and business entities to redefine their roles in this narrative. There's also an optimistic look forward to the power of inclusive events, where individuals with disabilities lead the charge in shaping conversations about their needs. So, join us and Debra as we navigate the complexities of today's accessibility landscape, shedding light on the obstacles, triumphs, and the undying hope for a more inclusive tomorrow.

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When Maisa Obeid switched her focus from optometry to accessibility and sustainability, she didn't just change careers; she started a revolution in inclusivity. Our latest podcast guest, the Manager of Accessibility and Sustainability Assurance at Expo City Dubai, brings an empowering narrative that proves how an individual's passion can spark widespread change. Her compelling story transitions from a life-altering moment with a visually impaired child to her current role in creating environments that welcome everyone. Mesa's tale is a poignant reminder of the power of curiosity and the transformative nature of continuous learning, particularly as it pertains to assistive technology and universal design.

Developing cities that celebrate every person's unique abilities requires a deep understanding of diverse needs, something Maisa Obeid masterfully illustrates. She shares with us the intricate ballet of incorporating accessibility into urban development, stressing that it's not just about the physical and digital realms but equally about nurturing an inclusive culture within organizations. Her insights into Expo City Dubai's legacy, with its meticulous planning and attention to detail for individuals with disabilities, are nothing short of inspiring. Maisa reflections on adapting assistive tools to different climates and cultures underscore the nuanced complexity of creating truly accessible spaces.

As we gaze into the future of inclusivity, the UAE's visionary approach to empowering people of determination comes to the forefront, as illuminated by Maisa's experiences. She celebrates how the country's rapid growth and progressive leadership enable the integration of inclusive practices from the start, setting a benchmark for the rest of the world. The conversation extends into the realm of education, where the universal design for learning is dismantling barriers and crafting equitable opportunities for all students. Our discussion with Maisa Obeid is a powerful tribute to the tireless efforts of those championing a more inclusive planet and the generational shift towards embracing diversity in every new project.

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When Tom Babinski, a beacon in the world of accessibility, recounts his ascent from navigating life as a blind individual in Hungary to becoming an influential force in the industry, you can't help but be captivated. Our latest episode takes you on a journey through Tom's extraordinary experiences, from his days of training the first cohort of accessibility consultants in Southeast Asia to making significant strides at IBM. It's a narrative that not only celebrates the progressive shift in employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for the visually impaired but also spotlights the catalytic role of pivotal legislation like Section 508 and the European Accessibility Act.

This conversation is a treasure trove of insights where technology meets empathy, and where communication transcends traditional barriers. We tackle the nitty-gritty of how online tools are revolutionizing connections, enabling entrepreneurs with disabilities to flourish from the sanctuary of their homes. Our dialogue with Tom Babinski unfolds to reveal the empowering potential of AI in education and supporting an aging population. It's a testament to the power of inclusivity and the unyielding spirit of innovation that is driving today's society towards an environment where everyone is truly welcome.

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When Jamie Shields joined us from Northern Ireland, little did we know just how much his journey through the labyrinth of disability rights would both educate and inspire us. His personal transformation from battling disability to leading global advocacy efforts, and co-founding Unlearning Ableism, sets the stage for a profound discussion on the intricacies of ableism and the silent barriers it creates. Jamie's story is one of triumph and tenacity, and it lays bare the impact of ableism on mental health and social inclusion, revealing why our understanding of this issue needs to evolve.

The word 'ableism' might seem straightforward, but as Jamie eloquently uncovers, the layers are many and the implications far-reaching. This dialogue takes you through the complexities of a world where pity and stereotypes have constructed systemic barriers, often invisible to the unaffected eye. We tackle the sensitive subject of ableism as a global issue, where language and cultural nuances can lead to misunderstandings, and emphasize the power of patience and the critical role of intent to navigate these waters. It's an eye-opening revelation about the psychological toll of ableism on individuals and the collective responsibility to unlearn and address these behaviors.

Communication, the cornerstone of advocacy, is a delicate dance, especially within the disability community. Through personal anecdotes, Jamie and I contemplate the fear that often accompanies the potential for misspeaking and the resulting stilted progress in diversity and inclusion efforts. We underscore the significance of empathetic communication, the readiness to ask questions, and the importance of focusing on actions and intentions over words. By bridging the gap with education about ableism and the social model of disability, we aim to foster a more inclusive environment, encouraging listeners to join the conversation and contribute to dismantling ableism in all its forms.

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Discover why tearing down the barriers to disability disclosure is more than a corporate responsibility; it's a journey toward true societal change. This week, Neil Milliken, Debra Ruh and Antonio Santos shed light on why individuals with disabilities often choose silence over sharing despite the increased acceptance of diversity in today's workplaces. The episode peels back the layers of this complex issue, looking at the societal challenges and job market uncertainties that can dissuade even the most confident from self-identification. We also examine how misconceptions about who is part of the disability community impact self-identification rates and consider the role of technology as an unwritten ally in supporting those with disabilities.

In a world where data shapes the future of inclusivity, we probe the importance of this information in bridging the disability pay gap. Just as the data-driven approach has helped narrow the gender pay gap, it could be the key to empowering disabled employees. Our discussion also scrutinizes the unexpected shortcomings in non-profits and charities, where advocacy for the disabled doesn't always align with inclusive practices. We call out the need for a corporate culture that doesn't just wear inclusivity as a badge but weaves it into the very fabric of its existence, creating systemic change that reflects the true diversity of our society.

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Unlock the secrets to creating technology that truly includes everyone with Yana Beranek, Ipsos's global head of UX, who joins us to unravel the complex tapestry of inclusive design. This episode promises to reshape your understanding of user experience, shining a light on the indispensable role of people with disabilities in crafting digital products that work for all. We examine Ipsos's strategy of engaging disability communities from the outset, ensuring their feedback is embedded in every layer of development. Their novel approach not only fosters accessible design but also addresses the recruitment challenges in inclusive user testing head-on, setting a new standard for the industry.

The conversation takes a heartfelt turn as we reflect on the profound impact that disability inclusion has on the economy and society. By sharing the compelling story of a blind woman from the Philippines navigating the world of banking, we confront the stark reality of exclusion in tech advancements. Moreover, the discussion underscores the importance of advocating for accessibility—not solely as a moral obligation but also as an essential economic catalyst. Through powerful community voices and persistent advocacy, we explore the crucial steps needed to transform accessibility from a niche concern to a mainstream priority.

This episode does not merely highlight the issues at hand; it is a call to action for greater accessibility in technology. We discuss the urgency with which the community expects corporations to respond and the tangible benefits of embracing accessibility for all. With platforms like AXSChat breaking down barriers and fostering vital dialogue, we emphasize that change is not just possible—it is imperative. So tune in as we champion a future where technology empowers everyone, and every voice can be heard in the symphony of innovation.

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Have you ever pondered the hidden layers of workplace inclusion, particularly for those with disabilities? Hillary Wool from Boston Consulting Group joins us to shed light on this critical issue, revealing a stark gap between the perceived and actual numbers of employees with disabilities. Through Hillary's extensive research, we engage with the transformative influence of a DEI ecosystem attuned to the needs of disabled workers, the undeniable importance of mentorship, and the game-changing impact of accessible accommodations. Our conversation doesn't just skim the surface; it delves into the deep waters of intersectionality and its ramifications for organizations, stressing the need for diversity and openness in every corporate layer.

Navigating the varied landscape of global disability data collection poses its challenges, but understanding this is key to developing more inclusive company policies and generating powerful advocacy efforts. We discuss the hurdles and triumphs in recognizing disabled individuals within the workforce, and the significant roles they play as consumers in product design and user experience. This episode is an invigorating call to action for companies to share resources and enhance the availability of quality disability-related data, acknowledging the influence of identity in the workplace and the consequences of underrepresentation in leadership. Prepare to be engaged in a profound discourse that pushes the boundaries of traditional thinking about diversity and inclusion in the modern working world.

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Imagine a world where every individual, regardless of age or geography, can seamlessly harness the power of technology. That's the future tech strategists Frances West and Claire Chang envision as we unpack the multifaceted world of digital inclusion in the Asia-Pacific region. Through their expertise, we traverse the landscape where corporate accessibility strategies intertwine with the sociodemographic tapestry of a rapidly aging society, like Taiwan, spotlighting the importance of culturally sensitive tech advancements.

Venture into the heart of innovation with us, where traditional family structures and respect for elders are not just preserved but augmented by cutting-edge solutions. Taiwan's ascendancy to a super-aged society presents an extraordinary opportunity for human-centric innovation, and our guests Frances and Claire elucidate how this island nation could pioneer sustainable elder care models. Furthermore, we wade into the global beauty industry's waters, where giants like L'Oréal are blending ideas with local enterprises to sculpt a future that cherishes diversity and champions inclusive practices.

Closing on a note of reflection, we share the personal motivations that spur our quest to integrate technology into elder care. Be it the nostalgia of a multigenerational household or the anxiety over a looming caregiver deficit, these narratives underscore our collective responsibility to forge tech solutions now, for a tomorrow where the dignity of aging is upheld by the very innovations we create today. Join the conversation and help us shape a more inclusive, accessible world for generations to come.

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Have you ever faced a moment that fundamentally changed how you navigate the world? Max Fisher has, and they're here to share their remarkable story of resilience and advocacy as a deafblind, disabled, genderqueer scientist. From embracing the freedom that comes with a wheelchair to initiating a disability Employee Resource Group at work, Max's candidness about the challenges, victories, and humor found in daily life with disabilities will leave you both enlightened and inspired.

The workplace is more than a job – it's an ecosystem where inclusivity should thrive. With Max leading the charge, our conversation covers the transformative power of support and understanding for disabled employees. They don't just recount their own experiences but also offer invaluable advice for organizations striving to move past superficial diversity efforts. Discover practical strategies for fostering genuine inclusion and the often-overlooked nuances that can make or break a truly supportive professional environment.

Ending on a note where laughter and advocacy meet, Max and I tackle the quirky yet critical debate over restroom signage. It's a tale of one organization's dance with political correctness that might just have you contemplating the universal potential of emojis. Join us for an episode brimming with honesty, heartfelt stories, and a shared desire for a world where inclusivity isn't just a goal but a reality.

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Discover how the path less travelled can lead to a world-changing journey with Vishal Pujar, the Head of Accessibility for Atos India. In an enlightening conversation, Vishal recounts his transformative leap from mainstream IT to the heart of digital accessibility, a move shaped over a decade of innovation for individuals with disabilities. His narrative isn't just his own; it's a beacon for mentorship's power and a testament to his impact on major banking clients and community initiatives, such as his work with the Pune Blind Men's Association and a pioneering eye hospital.

This episode takes you to the intersection of necessity and creativity, where Neil's team at Atos is redefining the standards for accessibility and inclusion in both the digital realm and the physical world. Compliance begins here as we explore the essence of true inclusion. The conversation delves into the importance of weaving accessibility into the fabric of brand operations and the advantages of harnessing diverse perspectives. With an eye on the global picture and another on localized needs, we unravel the complexity of catering to an estimated 1.3 to 1.7 billion people with disabilities, advocating for an evolution of accessibility that benefits everyone.

Wrapping up, we focus on the systemic integration of accessibility in corporate culture and IT systems. The discussion addresses the challenges of large organizations and the necessity of fostering increased awareness and competency within these entities to break free from a cycle of failures. Ending on a note of gratitude, we underscore the importance of the tools that have enabled this accessible discussion. We invite our listeners to continue the conversation on social media, emphasizing the collective responsibility towards building a more inclusive world.

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Embark on an intimate exploration of the transformative power of accessibility with Nadia Törnroos, a beacon of change in the tech industry. Nadia, a seasoned software engineer and accessibility specialist, recounts her personal voyage from academia under Professor Mike Walt at Southampton University to pioneering an accessibility revolution at Tietoevry. Her narrative is not just a tale of individual perseverance; it's a blueprint for embedding inclusivity into the fabric of corporate culture. Through her eyes, we witness the uphill battle to locate allies within a sprawling enterprise and the tireless effort to ensure that the digital world is open to all, regardless of ability.

The conversation then turns to a broader canvas, painting the critical importance of inclusive design and the pivotal role of organizational leaders in championing this cause. It's a candid discussion about aligning the principles of Diversity and Inclusion with the practical goals of accessibility, all while navigating the social nuances that can make or break these initiatives. As Nadia shares her insights, we also celebrate the unsung heroes contributing to a more open society, urging everyone to rally together in this endeavor. This episode is an ode to those who dare to redefine the limits of technology and society, inspiring a collective march toward a world where no one is left behind.

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Embark on a journey with Lauren Lobrano, the Global Disability Inclusion Leader at Amazon, as she unpacks the complexities of creating a workspace that embraces employees of all abilities. Lauren's vast experience, from her invaluable work with veterans to her current role at Amazon, provides a unique perspective on inclusion within a corporate powerhouse. Our conversation traverses her backstory, the global impact of disability inclusion at Amazon, and the nuanced interplay between the disabled community and the corporate world.

As we wade through the waters of corporate responsibility, we emphasize the power of Amazon's workforce diversity, particularly the voices of those with disabilities. Lauren illustrates the transformative nature of technologies like the Echo devices and shares insights into how Amazon's internal advisory groups shape the company's inclusive environment. We scrutinize the accommodations process, focusing on Amazon's dedication to ensuring new employees with disabilities feel supported from the moment they join the team, a testament to the company's commitment to a diverse workforce.

Wrapping up, we celebrate Amazon's proactive partnerships with disability organizations and their triumph in achieving a 100% score on the Disability Equality Index. We'll also ignite your curiosity about Amazon's creative approach to hackathons, fostering innovation to break down accessibility barriers. The collaboration with the Perkins School for the Blind and MIT is just one example of how these events serve as educational platforms for tech leaders while advancing accessibility. Join us for this eye-opening discussion that not only honors Amazon's initiatives but also underscores the ongoing mission to embed true equity and inclusion within every facet of the workplace.

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Unlock the hidden potential within the disability sector as we uncover the transformative work of the Zero Project. I had the privilege of engaging with Sabine Wachernig, whose passion for disability inclusion and development work sheds light on forging paths for innovations that uplift the lives of persons with disabilities worldwide. Our conversation navigates the strategic methods the Zero Project employs to identify and scale impactful innovations, and we share an intimate look into their upcoming Vienna conference—a melting pot for sharing ideas and cultivating networks. Sabine's commitment to the cause illuminates the collaborative spirit necessary for true advancement, and together we examine the critical role of technology companies like ATOS in fostering independent living.

Venture into the intricacies of scaling startups in the accessibility arena, as we dissect the Scaling Solution Program's approach to catapulting candidates onto the global stage. We scrutinize the essence of internal organization, the power of an expert network, and the significance of educating investors on why the disability sector warrants attention—especially for disabled and female founders. The chapter divulges into the disparities between venture capital and impact investing, highlighting the latter's potential to enact societal change. And we don't shy away from confronting the internal challenges facing the disability community itself, including visibility and representation issues, ensuring that our discussion is as inclusive as it is insightful. Join us to embrace the change-makers redefining the landscape of disability inclusion.

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Join the riveting conversation as we host James Thurston, an eminent figure in the world of accessible technology. Thrust from the halls of Washington DC into the high-tech sector, James has shaped a career that bridges policy and innovation. Across the evolving landscape of accessibility, his tales from Microsoft to his ongoing ventures at ATOS are not only insightful but also punctuated with a spirit of collaboration that is as heartwarming as it is strategic. His narrative is a testament to the power of inclusive design and the shared commitment across sectors to dismantle barriers and enhance technology for everyone.

This episode is a deep probe into the responsibility corporations bear in society, weighing the balance between profit and purpose. James Thurston’s perspective on the matter is sharp, echoed by his experiences across different continents. We confront the reality that businesses are increasingly expected to front the charge on societal issues, with an eye on the variances in approach from the US to Europe. The discourse winds towards the potential of companies to effectuate enduring societal change, challenging the often transient nature of political will with the steadfast vision of corporate strategy.

To cap off, we scrutinize the journey of accessibility in tech, questioning the industry's commitment to integrating inclusivity within the mainstream. The episode showcases strategies to embed accessibility at the foundation of innovation, stressing the value of elevating disabled professionals into leadership roles. With an optimistic view, we investigate the role of maturity models in tracking organizational progress, underscoring the strides being made towards the inclusion of accessibility data in ESG reporting. Thurston's dialogue is a beacon of progress within the industry, signaling a future where technology and accessibility are synonymous.

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When we consider the fabric of our society, it's easy to miss the threads that are only partially woven into the whole, particularly when it comes to the inclusion of individuals with disabilities. Join Antonio, Debra and Neil from axschat to unravel the misconceptions and realities of partial inclusion, where tokenistic gestures often replace genuine integration. We scrutinize the current legislative landscape, examining its efficacy and questioning whether it inadvertently overlooks those in dire need of support. With a reflective eye, we peel back layers to reveal the stark difference between meeting minimum standards and embracing true inclusion.

Venturing further into the heart of the matter, we confront the monumental challenges of creating inclusive experiences within corporate structures. We acknowledge the pivotal role that design plays in mental health and the essential need for equivalent access to products and services. The conversation pivots to consider the weight of responsibility designers and companies bear when their creations fall short, potentially fostering negative self-perceptions and mental health crises. It's a candid discussion on the broader societal implications of these systemic issues and the urgency of strategic shifts to avoid perpetuating exclusion.

In our final segment, we tackle the disparities present in healthcare systems and their impact on families touched by disabilities. From personal anecdotes to global investment trends, we explore how equitable resource distribution is often more of an ideal than a reality. We confront the punitive nature of systems that discourage employment among those with disabilities, and advocate for systemic changes that support rather than stifle individual potential. With a nod to the importance of accurate data in addressing healthcare challenges, we close by acknowledging the support that keeps our conversations alive and our community engaged.

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Unlock the transformative potential of blending accessibility with sustainability as we welcome Mike Gifford back onto AXSChat for a riveting third appearance. Prepare to redefine your understanding of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria through our discussion about the essential role of accessibility in sustainable practices. Mike, a seasoned strategist from Civic Actions, draws from his extensive knowledge gathered at a Barcelona conference to illuminate the profound synergy between these sectors. Our conversation ventures into the lessons that accessibility can teach us about forging a more sustainable world, and we explore the shared strategies, resources, and advocacy that can propel both fields forward.

As we shift our gaze to design and technology, we grapple with the concept of planetary-centered design and its implications on industry norms, especially with the rise of AI. Mike offers invaluable insights into the political hurdles and practical challenges of adopting solutions that cater to both human and environmental needs. From the paradox of greener websites endorsing fossil fuel consumption to the potential for AI to shape the future of accessibility, this episode will challenge your perceptions and inspire action. Join us for a thought-provoking journey that not only questions the status quo but also celebrates the innovations driving us towards an inclusive and sustainable digital future.

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Be ready to immerse yourself in a riveting journey of workforce development as seen through the lens of simulation, with our extraordinary guest Lindsey Spalding, Director of Workforce Development at the National Centre for Simulation. Lindsay not only unveils the behind-the-scenes of the intriguing work she's leading but also underscores the significance of dismantling silos in STEM education. We probe into her organization's mission of bridging the educational-workforce chasm, by empowering students with hands-on learning experiences that make them proficient problem solvers, using a diverse set of tools & technology.

In the second part of our conversation, we unmask the potential and challenges of using VR for learning with Lindsey. She deciphers how digital twins are being utilized in VR environments and underscores the pressing need for inclusivity and advanced research. We move from human-machine collaboration to Lindsey's fascinating encounters with robotic dogs, taking a detour to discuss how AI and machine learning can be harnessed to benefit neurodiverse individuals. Wrapping up, we spotlight the crucial aspect of fostering future-ready skills amongst individuals with disabilities, prepping them for the current industry demands. It's a dialogue that will leave you pondering on the transformative power of simulation in shaping workforce development. So stay tuned!

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Ever wondered about the barriers and opportunities in the corporate world for people with disabilities? Join us as we revisit a conversation with Alexandra Nothnagel, our cherished team member at Atos and a fervent disability activist. We trace back our connection initiated via social media and Alexandra's key contributions to our accessibility initiatives. Key discussions revolve around the essence of corporations going beyond mere tokenism to genuinely integrate individuals with disabilities. Alexandra provides her unique insights into the corporate challenges and limitations while acknowledging the commendable efforts of Atos, the CEO engagement with the Valuable 500 mentoring program.

As we steer the conversation towards promoting workplace inclusion and job opportunities for those with disabilities, we ask ourselves - is it just the obligation of corporations or does the onus also lie with the disabled community to assert their worth in the job market? We investigate the need for skill development initiatives by employers to bridge the disability employment gap. The episode brings to the fore the importance of sharing personal narratives and showcasing the unique value people with disabilities bring to the society. We emphasize building a community thriving on kindness and inclusiveness within the disabled population. We invite you to tune in, engage with us on social media and take forward this essential dialogue towards a more inclusive corporate world.

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How can Artificial Intelligence revolutionize job opportunities for individuals with disabilities? We're exploring this question and more with our guest, Jourdan Saunders, CEO and founder of The Resource Key. With her background in speech language pathology, passion for marketing and technology, she brings a fresh perspective to this complex discussion. We also consider the potential implications of AI on job displacement, emphasizing the need for inclusivity in job access.

We move onto the role of AI in crafting jobs specifically catered to those with disabilities. The conversation circles around the necessity for supportive measures and accommodations, the power of diverse data, and how it can help monitor and track inclusion efforts. We discuss the crucial responsibility of governments to ensure non-discrimination and accessibility in AI tools and propose an AI technology approval process, similar to what we see in app stores.

Our discourse then leads us to the opportunities and challenges that present themselves when including people with disabilities in tech development. There's a need for wider representation in the VC community, and we discuss the importance of partnerships in effecting change. We acknowledge the strides made by major software vendors like Microsoft in creating more accessible technology. But, the need for these models to be designed with accessibility standards as default is still evident. Join us as we advocate for a future that is more inclusive and accessible.

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Get ready to take a deep-dive into the oft-overlooked field of alt text and its innate role in content accessibility. Our guest for this enlightening conversation is Caroline Desrosiers, the brains behind Scribly, a trailblazing company that provides top-notch alt text writing services. Hear her riveting journey into the realm of accessibility and her motivation to create Scribly, which is helping numerous organizations perfect their content accessibility initiatives.

The conversation doesn't stop at the importance of alt text. We also explore the many hurdles organizations face when integrating alt text across various platforms. Add to that the urgency for a more efficient workflow, and you have a pressing issue on your hands. We then shift gears to discuss how crucial it is to move with purpose in the fast-paced world of technology. It's a critical reminder that every new technology should be made accessible. Together, with Caroline's profound knowledge and Scribly's ingenious solutions, we hope to place the emphasis where it needs to be - on alt text and content accessibility. So, come along on this journey as we continue the dialogue for a more inclusive digital world for everyone.

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Imagine having a front-row seat in an enlightening conversation about accessibility and inclusive design. That's exactly what we offer you in our latest episode with our guest, Daniella Decker. Drawing from her unique experiences as a caretaker for her aunt with schizophrenia, Daniella brings the world of disability inclusion into sharp focus. We ponder over the importance of aligning internal systems, culture, and the need for authentic representation and human-centric design in promoting inclusive products or employment. Daniella's metaphor of the octopus, describing the transversal nature of accessibility work within organizations, is a standout moment you won't want to miss.

As we advance into the episode, we delve into the invaluable role of employee feedback. We discuss how global listening can drive change, and the power it holds in understanding the experiences of employees with disabilities. Don't miss our discussions on the role of brand stories and language in shaping a company's approach to inclusivity. We share valuable strategies and examples from companies that have successfully championed inclusivity. We caution against the pitfalls of relying on just one person to drive disability inclusion and stress the importance of asking the right questions. This episode is a treasure of insights for anyone with an interest in promoting disability inclusion and accessibility in the workplace. Tune in for an enlightening, thought-provoking journey into the world of disability inclusion.

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Have you ever wondered about the intricate world of soccer and the role of play in nurturing creativity? Imagine a heartfelt conversation with Scott Martin, an ardent football coach and storyteller. Listen as he takes you on a nostalgic journey into the authentic days of the North American Soccer League. Scott shares how ethnic backgrounds played a pivotal role in the formation of clubs and how the genuine love for the sport soared high above the allure of money. He passionately advocates the significance of unstructured play in fostering creativity, a lesson he highlights with a nod to the Finnish education system.

Shifting gears, we enter an essential discourse on the cutting-edge field of prosthetics. Did you know that many disabled veterans lack insurance for repairing their artificial limbs? We discuss how such challenges impact their lives, throwing light on the need for durable, repairable, and culturally fitting prosthetic options. The conversation gets even more interesting as we talk about the importance of user involvement in the design process of these devices, a factor that could lead to more beneficial results.

Finally, we navigate through the intriguing universe of assistive technology, highlighting the challenges and costs associated with it. Ever considered why the price tag on these devices is sky-high, especially in the global north? Or how governmental subsidies can exclude individuals who can't afford to pay? We bring a fresh perspective by comparing the healthcare costs between the US and Portugal. Wrapping up, we share a sense of optimism for the future generation, believing that they hold the power to bring about a positive change in the world. A rich blend of stories, insights, and thought-provoking discussions, this episode is one you shouldn't miss!

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We bring you an uplifting discussion with a change-maker in the neurodivergent community, Gregory White. Founder of 'Drop the Mask CIC', Gregory's personal experience led him to establish this revolutionary enterprise aimed at creating opportunities and accessibility for all, irrespective of age, color or ability. Right before the world was hit by the pandemic, Drop the Mask CIC was born and has been making waves ever since, serving clients from private to public sectors, while maintaining its financial self-sufficiency.

Ever wondered how web design can be a platform to empower the neurodivergent? Drop the Mask CIC has the answer. Gregory and his team have been working tirelessly to equip individuals with communication challenges with a unique tool - the prompting tool. This tool has played an instrumental role in teaching these individuals not just how to create content, but how to bring a distinctive perspective to their work. In doing so, Drop the Mask CIC is making significant strides in reducing the digital divide, with a firm belief in the power of technology and a supportive environment.

Running a small business is not without its challenges, especially within a large bureaucracy. Gregory enlightens us on the importance of prompt payments and how instrumental they are for business sustenance. With a successful venture like Drop the Mask CIC, he emphasizes the value of having a 'float' upfront for long-term sustainability. Join us, as Gregory shares his insights and offers a fresh perspective on navigating a business in a world that often overlooks the neurodivergent community.

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What does it take to write a story that not only grips its readers but also sparks empathy and resilience? Join us as we unravel this mystery with the talented author and speaker, Carol Van Den Hende. Carol's Goodbye Orchid series has woven these themes into a compelling tale shaped by her personal experiences raising a son with special needs. She shares the transformative journeys of Orchid Page, living with PTSD, and Phoenix Walker, recuperating from a life-changing accident, reminding us of the power of literature as a mirror of humanity's struggles and triumphs.

We also take a fascinating detour into the realm of science and technology, as presented in Carol's series. Hear about the intricate details of Phoenix's varying prosthetic needs, and Carol's poignant perspective on how the lack of insurance coverage for expensive prosthetics can be a socio-economic barrier. We discuss why it's crucial to mainstream assistive tech for a more inclusive society. Additionally, we touch upon a critical topic - how empathy and prejudice are shaped during childhood, and the role adults play in molding these attitudes. Concluding with Carol's valuable insights about writing, diverse representation, and her drive to inspire hope through her work, this episode is a treasure trove of emotional intelligence, technological innovation, and the power of storytelling.

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Are barriers truly insurmountable? Explore this question and more in our deep-dive discussion with Mai Ling Chan, CEO of Xceptional Lab. We unravel the multifaceted aspects of disability and its position in the entrepreneurial landscape. Mai Ling, using her experience as a speech therapist, eloquently frames the narrative of disability as a source of creativity and strength, rather than a setback.

Delving into Mai Ling's background in communication and education, we see the transformative role of speech, language, and occupational therapists in the lives of disabled individuals. We also look at the intersection of artificial intelligence and therapy, which promises a potential game-changer in this realm. Our discourse further extends to challenges that entrepreneurs with disabilities face, including the hesitation to disclose their disability to investors. Mai Ling's insights provide a valuable perspective on flipping the script about disability, empowering unconventional talent to thrive in attracting investments.

As we pivot towards the Exceptional Alliances Epic Online Accessibility Event, we shed light on the aims of this conference - to bring together public and private stakeholders for rich discussions on investment, growth, and policy. We also peek at the accessibility measures put in place for the event and the modest stipend for presenters. Our conversation wraps with a note of gratitude towards Amazon for their enduring support for this conference. Remember, after every significant event, it's essential to pause, reflect, and recharge.

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Spark your curiosity as we introduce you to Stephanie Sheehy, the devoted founder of Costa Rica Accessible Network. Stephanie has been blazing trails in transforming Costa Rica into an accessible destination for all. Her journey began with setting up the first travel agency in the country specializing in accessible travel, and now she’s working hand-in-hand with the government to ensure accessible tourism laws are in place. What's more? Her innovative funding strategies operate without any government or community funding. Join us as we unravel Stephanie's ambitious plans to make Costa Rica's accessibility even better.

Ever wondered how designing a bathroom can make a difference in accessibility? Stephanie Sheehy takes us through her solution-oriented approach to creating a fully accessible bathroom in Costa Rica. Learn about her inventive brainchild, La Inspiración, a sustainable business model aimed at designing adaptive clothing for people with disabilities. Stephanie's spirit of collaboration shines through as she shares her experiences working with Will the World in Chile to create accessible beaches, all with recycled plastic. Stephanie's work is a testament to what can be achieved with passion, dedication, and a solutions-focused mindset. So, let's jump in, and stir a conversation about carving a world that's accessible for all.

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Ever wondered how grassroots organizations amplify the voices of marginalized communities? Join us as we shed light on BillionStrong, a global identity organization co-founded by our host, Deborah. This episode offers an insight into their inspiring journey, their recent recognition by LinkedIn, and their future plans. It further elaborates on their mission of making the global disability community more visible to corporations and programs.

As the conversation progresses, we tackle the challenges of consuming global information and the implications of AI databases. The episode underscores the need for a unified voice and the importance of inclusion and diversity in the workplace. You'll hear about the commendable efforts of organizations like Zero Project and companies like Atos, and our perspectives on the importance of systems that foster self-support and independence. So join us, and be part of this enlightening discussion.

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Are you ready to redefine self-love and acceptance in a world that often emphasizes our differences? This enlightening conversation with Amit Ghose, a passionate advocate for individuals with visible differences, will challenge you to do just that. Born with neurofibromatosis, a condition that causes tumors to grow on nerves, Amit’s journey has been one of courage, resilience, and transformation. From finding his identity and confidence on his school cricket team, he has become a global voice of empowerment and acceptance, using his story to inspire others to embrace their uniqueness.

Our conversation goes beyond Amit's personal triumphs to discuss broader issues of self-acceptance and the complexity of human identity. We question society's focus on 'inspiration porn', the phenomenon of turning people with disabilities into sources of inspiration for overcoming adversity. Instead, we argue for understanding the human experience in all its dimensions and recognizing the values embedded in it. We look at the power of self-validation, acknowledging our worthiness, and how small, consistent improvements can help us navigate life's challenges.

We also delve into the critical role of disability inclusion in business, exploring the potential impact of having leaders with disabilities at the C-suite level. We challenge the prevalent tick-box approach and call for a more comprehensive strategy that genuinely values equity. We touch on the issue of unconscious bias, looking at how media and films often perpetuate stereotypes and biases. This episode is a call to action to redefine self-love, acceptance, and disability inclusion. So, join us on this journey with Amit Ghose, and let's start making a difference together.

Amit's new website: https://www.amitghose.co.uk/

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Join us as we journey into the world of corporate diversity and inclusion with our esteemed guest, Nasir Ahmed; an inspiring leader who engraves his footprint as the current chair of Atos' Adapt Employee Network for Persons with Disabilities. Prepare to be enlightened as Nasir pulls back the curtain on his experiences, providing an insider's perspective on promoting inclusivity and mental health recognition in the workplace.

Nasir narrative is a testament to real-life progression, as he navigates us through his growth at Atos, from his tenure in the Global Digital Workplace Practice to the Social Value Team. He lays bare the crucial role of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) in maintaining continuity and fostering growth within organizations. Nasir invaluable insights emphasize the significance of maintaining an inclusive environment, ensuring an equal voice for all, and addressing mental health issues among employees, all of which, he argues, are core contributors to business success. So, join us for this eye-opening conversation that promises to change the way you view diversity, inclusivity, and mental health in the workplace.

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Ready to challenge the status quo in accessible travel? Join us for a candid conversation with Carrie-Ann Lightley, Head of Marketing at Accessible. Carrie brings a depth of personal and professional insight as we unpack the necessity for a progressive, rather than perfectionist, approach to accessibility. We tap into the significance of bespoke experiences and information, the fallacy of aiming for "fully accessible" destinations, and the promise of inclusive travel.

Moving the dialogue forward, we discuss the need for inclusive design for disability. Carrie underscores the importance of not just consulting, but co-designing with the disability community. We delve into the dangers of tokenism, the benefits of having internal focus groups, and the immense value of compensating disabled contributors for their invaluable input.

Rounding off our heartfelt exploration, we broach the shifting social model of disability, and the dual impact of technology as a tool and barrier in accessibility. We unpack the biopsychosocial model's recognition of the enduring nature of impairments, even amidst heightened accessibility. We muse over the potential of emerging technologies, and, as always, we extend our deep gratitude to our listeners and encourage continued engagement. So, tune in for this enlightening conversation that champions genuine, considerate, and forward-thinking approaches to accessibility.

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Ready to challenge the status quo in accessible travel? Join us for a candid conversation with Carrie-Ann Lightley, Head of Marketing at Accessible. Carrie brings a depth of personal and professional insight as we unpack the necessity for a progressive, rather than perfectionist, approach to accessibility. We tap into the significance of bespoke experiences and information, the fallacy of aiming for "fully accessible" destinations, and the promise of inclusive travel.

Moving the dialogue forward, we discuss the need for inclusive design for disability. Carrie underscores the importance of not just consulting, but co-designing with the disability community. We delve into the dangers of tokenism, the benefits of having internal focus groups, and the immense value of compensating disabled contributors for their invaluable input.

Rounding off our heartfelt exploration, we broach the shifting social model of disability, and the dual impact of technology as a tool and barrier in accessibility. We unpack the biopsychosocial model's recognition of the enduring nature of impairments, even amidst heightened accessibility. We muse over the potential of emerging technologies, and, as always, we extend our deep gratitude to our listeners and encourage continued engagement. So, tune in for this enlightening conversation that champions genuine, considerate, and forward-thinking approaches to accessibility.

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Imagine a world where inclusion isn't an afterthought but a priority. A world where no one is left out, irrespective of their abilities. This episode brings you Bernd Schramm, from GIZ, a private entity working on behalf of the German government, who shares his insights into creating such a world. We dive into the journey of GIZ in prioritizing disability inclusion, discussing the challenges faced, and the progression made ever since the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

We also highlight the power of collaborations, with organizations such as Atos, Zero Project, and Enable India, that are truly transforming the discourse around inclusion. Be ready to discover how these partnerships are creating more jobs for people with disabilities and how they're leveraging technology to drive global change. We round off by exploring the upcoming third Global Disability Summit and its potential to advance the cause of inclusion. Tune in to enlighten yourself about the possibilities of a future unmarred by discrimination and fear, where everyone has an equal playing field.

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Get ready for an enlightening and stimulating conversation with Stephane LeBlois from Valuable 500. Stefan brings us an inside view of their transformative initiative, Generation Valuable, a ground-breaking program aimed at catapulting the careers of aspiring disabled leaders. This initiative doesn’t stop there; it also provides an eye-opening perspective to existing leaders about the unique hurdles faced by the disabled community. Through their innovative leadership course laced with inspiring guest speakers from a myriad of sectors, Generation Valuable is firing up impactful dialogues, triggering actionable change, and even turning the heads of global CEOs!

Moving beyond the usual rhetoric, we dive into the practicalities of disability inclusion, emphasizing the need to not just amass data, but to translate these numbers into tangible actions. We talk about the diverse key performance indicators, from disability representation to cultural and ergonomic objectives. This is not just about ticking boxes; it’s about understanding the benefits of disability inclusion and how it can shape ESG metrics. Stefan explains how collaborations with ratings agencies and investment firms are playing a crucial role in tracking progress.

We wrap up our conversation with an exploration of the relationship between the Valuable 500 community and corporations. Shifting from legal action to a focus on creating shared value, Valuable 500 is transforming its approach to disability inclusion. Companies are no longer just targets of criticism; they are partners in the process, receiving invaluable support to engage the disability community in meaningful ways. Stefan also highlights the resources available for SMEs and the importance of a collective approach to foster a positive growth mindset. So, tune in as we unpack the future of disability inclusion with Stephane LeBlois.

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We're thrilled to have Andrew Rogoyski from the Surrey Institute for People-Centered AI join us for a deep and insightful conversation about the transformative power of AI. Andrew brings with him the weight of the University of Surrey's three decades of AI research and a potent vision for harnessing this technology for the betterment of human lives. We embark on a journey, examining a new project dedicated to training the next generation of AI PhDs, with a special focus on creating social benefits and accessibility.

The conversation gets even more intriguing as we navigate the nuanced layers of AI, weighing its potential against the challenges it presents. Andrew helps us deconstruct the importance of keeping AI low-resource, democratizing access, and judiciously regulating its use. We delve into a fascinating exploration of how AI can be a game-changer for inclusive media, particularly for individuals with neurodiverse needs. From simplifying narratives and modifying information presentation to decluttering video content, the possibilities are endless. And finally, we mull over how AI could be the missing link that bridges different scientific disciplines, heralding a new era in academia.

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You'll be fascinated by our guest, Catherine Perry, the CEO of BATA UK, as she sheds light on the critical role of Assistive Technology (AT) in international development and health fields. We tackle misconceptions that AT is a 'scam' and delve into how we can better advocate for AT as a community. Throughout our enlightening discussion, we also grapple with the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on Bata and its response to recent policy changes.

This episode is a powerful exploration of the need to include people with lived experiences in the dialogue surrounding assistive technology. Together with Catherine, we confront the difficulties of gathering the right information about AT and the challenges that arise in reaching out to communities outside our own. Hear firsthand experiences, insights from experts in the field, and understand the importance of providing tangible solutions to the issues at hand.

Finally, we turn our lens to the media's portrayal of assistive technology and the dangers of promoting a one-size-fits-all narrative. Catherine helps us understand the critical importance of recognizing the lived experiences of people with intellectual disabilities. We probe into the potential of techno-solutionism and the importance of ensuring that solutions are accessible for those who need them. Join us for this stimulating conversation as we investigate the challenges and stigmas associated with AT and the responsibility employers have in supporting people with disabilities.

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This week we talk with Adrian Pickering from Robotica. Robotica's main goal is to make all of the world's information and entertainment available in sign languages, starting with British Sign Language. Adrian explains the challenges of translating sign languages due to the chronic shortage of interpreters and translators. Robotica uses AI to create avatars that perform queued speech, a simpler form of sign language, to bridge the communication gap. They are also working on creating avatars for British Sign Language, using motion capture and AI to break down individual component parts for better understanding. The ultimate goal is to provide sign language translations for various aspects of life, such as public transport, healthcare, and utility bills, to empower sign language users and ensure inclusivity. Robotica aims to create deaf jobs, not take them, and make translations available everywhere through responsible and respectful AI. Check out Robotica to learn more about their groundbreaking work in sign language accessibility.

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Just imagine stepping into a leadership role where you don't tick all the boxes. Quite daunting, right? Well, Natalia Oropreza did just that, stepping into her role as the Chief Cybersecurity and Diversity Officer at Siemens, and in this chat, she shares her journey and the importance of taking risks. Alongside Natalia, we have Rita Nkuhlu, the Executive Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at Siemens, who sheds light on the unique diversity within Siemens in South Africa, a place where 11 different languages are spoken and many cultures coexist to enrich the organization.

As we advance, Natalia and Rita guide us through the commendable initiatives they're spearheading to promote gender equity on a global scale, such as the Girls Can Code initiative. This initiative empowers young girls with quality education in coding and cybersecurity, and is a testament to the power of diversity. We also delve into the critical role mentoring plays in fostering diversity and inclusivity in organizations, and how it can yield substantial returns. Finally, we get a sneak peek into the world of cybersecurity, the job opportunities it presents, and why it is crucial to back organizations that are making a difference. Buckle up and join us in exploring the transformative power of diversity and inclusivity in the corporate world.

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Have you ever questioned how disability inclusion is making strides in the corporate world? We have brought a distinguished guest, Lucy Ruck from the Business Disability Forum, to shed light on this significant topic. Lucy, equipped with fresh data from a recent workplace adjustment survey, offers a close perspective on the difficulties individuals face when seeking accommodations, the aspirations of disabled workers to climb the corporate ladder, and the alarming statistic that 38% of disabled individuals have encountered bullying, harassment, or discrimination at work.

Turning our focus to global data, we examine the role of corporate brands in disability inclusion. Lucy emphasizes the importance of understanding the findings from a global viewpoint. She illustrates how corporate brands can volunteer their resources to create inclusive programs, tools, and procedures under the effective model of the Business Disability Forum. We also delve into the need for more comprehensive research to grasp the experiences of disabled individuals in the workforce.

In the latter part of our chat, we delve into the potent combination of collaboration and innovation in advocating for disability inclusion. We touch upon the importance of inclusive language and lucid communication in discussions around disability. Listen in as Lucy shares her personal experiences as an amputee and how to foster positivity in conversations about disability. We conclude our chat by highlighting the necessity of mainstreaming disability inclusion conversations and reinforcing the power of inclusive language. Don't miss this enlightening conversation on the evolving landscape of disability inclusion in the workplace.

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Have you ever felt defined by your limitations? Our guest in this episode, Puneet Singhal, certainly has. Growing up with a stammer, he knows firsthand what it's like to feel different, misunderstood, and judged. But instead of letting this define him, Poonit turned his adversity into advocacy, founding SSStart and becoming a global ambassador for Billion Strong. He's turning heads, challenging societal assumptions and working towards normalizing stammering as a disability.

In the journey of SSStart, you'll discover the power of community and resilience. Even with limited resources, this organization has managed to make a significant impact and build a strong community of empowered individuals. But this isn't just about stammering; it's a broader conversation about inclusivity and acceptance, celebrating our differences rather than fighting against them. The goal? A truly inclusive world.

What happens when we replace competition with collaboration? When we trade a scarcity mindset for a growth mindset? Puneet Singhal shares his insights on the importance of partnerships in the disability and charitable sectors. He paints a picture of how connecting with international networks has helped spread the word about their cause. And we discuss the power of community in enabling SSStart to grow and thrive. So, tune in, get inspired, and join the conversation on challenging societal perceptions and empowering individuals with disabilities. This is a story of resilience, empowerment, and community support you won't want to miss.

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How can we make healthcare technology more accessible and inclusive for all, especially older adults? Join us as we welcome back Cordelia McGee-Tubb, now a staff design technologist at Color Health, who shares her valuable insights on navigating the complex US healthcare system and the importance of digital inclusion.

In this fascinating conversation, we explore Cordelia's unique journey from an MFA in comics to a Masters in Gerontology and how her eclectic skill set helps her champion accessibility and inclusion for older adults. We discuss the significance of using plain language, personalizing tablet interactions, and designing easily recognizable icons to create a more user-friendly healthcare experience. Cordelia also shares her thoughts on bridging the gap between physical and digital experiences with QR codes and the importance of guiding people through digital accessibility settings to find the best option for their needs.

We wrap up the episode by examining the implications of design changes in products and the ongoing conversations around accessibility and inclusion in the digital space. Discover how we can ensure these changes are inclusive of all users, particularly older users, and join the discussion on Twitter and other social media platforms. Don't miss this engaging episode with Cordelia McGee-Tubb as we dive into the world of designing for change and making healthcare technology truly accessible for everyone.

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How can assistive technology transform the lives of people with disabilities? Join us as we chat with Charlie Danger, director of Global Symbols, to explore this fascinating world and its impact on individuals with physical, complex disabilities and cognitive difficulties. From his own experience working with electrical disabilities to the advancements seen across various platforms and features, Charlie sheds light on matching devices to an individual's physical access skills and the incredible progress made in the field.

We also uncover the groundbreaking work of organizations such as the AceCentre, which provides Assistive Technology and Augmentative and Alternative Communication services for people with complex needs, and CENMAC, one of the world's oldest AT organization. Plus, discover how Charlie Danger has collaborated with UNICEF to democratize symbols used in assistive technology, ensuring they are culturally appropriate. This insightful conversation not only delves into the technical side of assistive technology but also highlights the life-changing impact it has on those who rely on it. Don't miss this episode that explores the future of accessibility and the difference it makes in people's lives.

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What happens when a professional singer and language teacher pivots into the world of accessibility? Meet Dan Sommer, COO of Empire Caption Solutions, who shares his fascinating journey and how he's working to balance the quality of human captioners with the scalability of technology. Discover how his unique background has shaped his approach to accessibility and the vital role of AI and speech-to-text tools in creating meaningful audio descriptions.

In this captivating episode, we explore the complexities of audio description and the challenges involved in creating them, as well as the platforms that are excelling in this area. Find out how the progress of ASR over time has impacted the captioning process and how emerging technology can be used to build on top of quality products. Join us as we dive into the future of accessibility services and discuss the intersection of accessibility, technology, and language with our insightful guest, Dan Sommer.

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Do you ever feel like companies and organizations are only giving lip service to their commitment to inclusion? Join us as we dive into an enlightening conversation with Dr Anthony Giamnumis, founder of Inclusive Creation, to uncover the crucial importance of transforming inclusion promises into tangible action. We discuss the powerful impact language can have on fostering creativity and performance and the essential role mission statements play in promoting anti-exclusion practices.

In a stimulating dialogue with hosts Neil, Debra and Antonio, we reveal the significance of active listening and validation in cultivating a trusting and inclusive atmosphere. Neil shares his insights on the transformative power of exchanging vulnerability for validation and its role in building strong, cohesive teams.

Lastly, Dr. Giamnumis shares his invaluable expertise on the necessity of diverse perspectives in entrepreneurship and technology. We explore how diversity and inclusion hiring should not be solely about qualifications but also about the unique perspective each individual brings. As we delve into data connectivity challenges in certain parts of Africa and their effects on assistive tech delivery, Dr Giamnumis imparts key lessons he's learned throughout his entrepreneurial and consultative work. Don't miss out on this engaging episode!

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What if we could revolutionize patient care through digital health technology? Join us as we explore this fascinating topic with our guest Dipu Patel, the Vice Chair of Innovation at the Department of Physicians and Assistance Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Together, we unravel the potential of digital health technology to bridge social gaps in healthcare and discuss the importance of balancing technology and humanity.

From making doctor appointments to cross-pollination between different professions, we dive into the challenges and opportunities in creating a digital system that enhances the healthcare experience. Listen in as Dipu shares insights on improving digital literacy, adopting a consumer-focused approach, and fostering quality improvement initiatives to create better medical practices.

As we wrap up our conversation, we delve into the world of healthcare collaboration and design, emphasizing the need for a more human-centric approach. We discuss the widening digital divide and the need for leaders to champion better technology and collaboration between medical professionals and other industries. Don't miss this engaging episode, and join the discussion on how digital health technology can transform the future of patient care.

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Betty is a Transformational Leadership and Career Coach, and a speaker with the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team. She is also an author of a book Against All Odds where she shares her journey of overcoming odds when she was abandoned at the tender age of fourteen years and thrived until she got her desire to attain a University Education at one of Africa’s Premier Institution Makerere University in Kampala Uganda. She has since become a multi-award-winning human resource practitioner with over 18 years of experience and has worked in international corporations such as Oil and Gas as well as Management Advisory.

Her life slogan is there is greatness in everyone. She uses her skills, talents, and experiences to inspire hope and challenge people to discover their life’s purpose and maximize their potential.

Currently, she is serving as a Master Facilitator with EQUIP’s Beyond Success program which is a non-profit organisation of the Maxwell Enterprises. She also serves in the Maxwell Leadership Certified team members President’s Advisory Committee where she inducts new members and helps them as they navigate the maze of becoming a Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with the MLCT.

As a Transformational Leadership and Career Coach, Betty uses her personal story of overcoming the odds of brain injury, paralysis, speech loss and impairment after she suffered a horrific motor accident in 2006. By the grace and mercy of God and her resilience, she was able to revive her career, and follow her Calling in life.

Having experienced the desire to have a quality education and see the benefit of destiny helpers and sponsors, Betty started the Betty Ogiel Foundation. Proceeds from the work of the Foundation go to helping the girl child to attain an education and thrive. To date, the Foundation has been able to help six orphans and was able to see the first girl child graduate in May 2022 becoming the first graduate in her village.

In order to fulfil her life slogan and bring out the greatness in people, Betty started the life-transforming Against All Odds Talks which are held every month. To date she has held over 40 editions, where she invites highly experienced speakers to speak on different topics that inspire hope and builds resilience among the participants.

In spite of suffering COVID-19 twice, Betty again overcame the odds against her and successfully competed and for the first time brought to the African Continent the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Members DNA Culture Award for 2021and the Nurture Transformation award.

Betty also continues to excel in her profession as a Human Resource Expert. In 2016 and 2017, she won the Human Resource Excellence Award in employee engagement from the Human Resource Managers Association of Uganda. In September 2017, she received the Global Prosperity and Peace Initiative’s Peacemaker Award in Kampala. Betty was also named as one of Uganda’s Top 40 under 40 Most Inspirational Women by the New Vision, one of the leading newspapers in Uganda.

She is married to Julius Rubanga’s and together they have three (3) biological sons.

Betty believes that our past does not have to determine our future.

http://www.bettyogiel.com/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bettyogiel

Facebook: @BettyOgiel: Twitter: @BettyOgiel: Instagram: @bettyogiel

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Oksana Chuchunkova is an advocate for employment for people with disabilities, accessibility and blindness awareness. She has served asthe had of the PR department of the business center for blind and visually impaired persons and an employment program coordinator at DPO Perspektiva in Moscow. She’s the accessibility expert at one of the largest Banks in the country. Together with a team, she helps to adapt online and offline banking services for visually impaired clients as well as for clients with different disabilities.

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Dr. Michael Lorz (43) is the founding managing director of EnableMe Foundation. The foundation empowers more than one million people with disabilities annually across the world by providing enabling information, self-help peer communities & digital services.

Michael is also the managing director of the Stiftung MyHandicap that focuses on digital inclusion services in Switzerland. He is passionate about societal impact in the domain of non-visible disabilities. Previously, he has inter alia been the founding managing director of the foundation at the University of St.Gallen (HSG Foundation).

He is a graduate of the Ashoka Visionary Programme and completed five academic degrees at renown universities.

Michael started his career in a leadership development program of an international FMCG company working in multiple locations worldwide. Today he also teaches regularly value-based fundraising at the University of St.Gallen and has a keen interest in alternative assets. He is also advisory board member of the Center for Disability Integration at the University of St.Gallen.

Michael lives with his family in the wonderful city of St.Gallen (CH).

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Charlie Triplett is an experienced accessibility coach and author of TheBookOnAccessibility. Based in the United States, Charlie has dedicated their career to helping individuals and organizations create more accessible digital experiences for people with disabilities.

With over a decade of experience in the tech industry, Charlie has become a leading voice in the accessibility community. Their expertise covers a wide range of areas, including web and mobile accessibility, assistive technology, and inclusive design.

Charlie's passion for accessibility began after experiencing firsthand the difficulties that people with disabilities face when accessing digital content. As a result, they decided to shift their focus to helping others create more inclusive and accessible digital experiences.

In addition to their work as an accessibility coach, Charlie is the author of TheBookOnAccessibility, a comprehensive guide to creating accessible digital content. The book covers everything from the basics of accessibility to advanced techniques for ensuring that digital content is accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities.

Charlie's work has been recognized by leading organizations in the tech industry, and they have been invited to speak at conferences and events around the world. Through their coaching, writing, and speaking engagements, Charlie has become a prominent figure in the accessibility community and a valuable resource for anyone looking to create more inclusive digital experiences.

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My name is Bright M Bwalya, a 30-year, Software Engineer, Mental Health and Epilepsy Advocate. I have a strong passion for Epilepsy & Mental Health Advocacy, with a strong desire to use technology to address common issues in many chronic conditions noticed here in Zambia.

I am the 3rd born in a family of 7 and growing up, I didn’t know about Epilepsy, I only got to hear of it after meeting one person who had it, later in grade 8. Fast-forward 2011 I was enrolled at the Copperbelt University to pursue a Degree in Information technology and as my studies went on, my love for technology grew. When I was researching on what project to work on for my 5th Year dissertation in 2016, I started experiencing seizures and I was later diagnosed with Epilepsy in March of 2016. Struggles arose brought by the condition ranging from the stigma name calling and mocking to people not knowing what to do when I suffer a seizure, a significant incident is when I suffered a seizure and I woke up to an exorcism. That opened my eyes to the fact that people di not know what this condition which was affecting many, actually was.

My struggles with Epilepsy inspired me to switch my final year project to one which could help me help those around me know what to do when I suffer a seizure. I call it “Seizure Assistant”, a mobile phone application built to be a health management and experience sharing platform which also allows patients to get help before or during a seizure. This help can be requested for either by a button push or auto seizure detection through a synchronized smart wrist band. The application then does three things; Send a preset SOS Message to a Set Emergency Contact alerting them of the seizure, with the patient’s location included for easier tracking. The patient’s phone will then play an SOS Sound to gain the attention of the people around. In response to the noisy phone, someone will pick it up and what they will find is a series of instructions on how to provide First Aid care to the patient experiencing a seizure with their Name, Condition Type and Emergency Contact Details included. This and many other features help Epileptics better manage their condition while teaching the masses about the condition thereby reducing the stigma surrounding it. The application houses a feature called “Community Feeds”, a feature that allow users to communicate and share the issues they are struggling with and get expert help right on the application, as well as response of encouragement and advise from fellow patients. The Feature works different from other platforms in that a user is free to share their complaints or queries in anonymity, if need be, however the help to them is still provided. This is useful for those not ready to open up about the conditions they are struggling with. This would help address the high rates of suicides which have rocked the country recently.

Due to a misunderstanding of my condition and effects of medicine, I was fired from a job and out of desperation, I took on another which had me working for 6 months with no pay and in that light, it has been a struggle to finish this project from the little I make in freelance work. The non-working time was however a needed low for it helped me research and find out what the people living with Epilepsy needed and hence create a solution tailored to their needs and when I presented the concept to Ministry of Science and Technology, they gave me a grant throug

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Alexa Child, co-founder of Dateability, graduated from Georgetown Law in 2015 and currently works as a public interest attorney. Through witnessing her sister’s experience with disability, Alexa has become an advocate and ally for the disability community. She is passionate about social justice, enjoys TV and film, and loves all things Halloween.  

Jacqueline Child, co-founder of Dateability, has turned her experience with disability and chronic illness into a new venture. She created Dateability with her sister after years of discouraging ableist experiences on the mainstream dating apps. When she isn’t managing her health, Jacqueline enjoys playing the guitar, reading, and volunteering at the local animal shelter. 

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Dr. Tomczak is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Management and Economics, Gdańsk University of Technology in Poland, and a visiting scholar at the University of North Texas, College of Health and Public Service.

As the first Polish researcher in the field of management to conduct research on neurodiversity and work, Dr. Tomczak is a leading expert in Human Resources Management. He has authored and co-authored over 50 publications in the field, focusing on technology-based and non-technological solutions for the inclusion and well-being of employees with autism and the assessment of employee competencies.

As a Principal Investigator and co-investigator of several projects funded by the National Science Center (NCN) and the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR), Dr. Tomczak has developed a set of innovative solutions for employers, aimed at improving Human Resources Management processes and optimizing the work environment in terms of the needs of people with autism.

Join us on the podcast to hear Dr. Tomczak's valuable insights on neurodiversity and work, and how businesses can create a more inclusive and supportive work environment for all employees.

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Hunny Bhagchandani is a social innovator and entrepreneur who is passionate about empowering people with disabilities (PwD) with the power of independence. He is the founder of Torchit Electronics Pvt. Ltd., a company that develops affordable and innovative assistive devices for PwD, such as Saarthi, a mobility device for blind people. He is also a director of Dot Inc., a company that produces braille smartwatches.

Hunny Bhagchandani has a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU), India. He has also been a fellow at the Royal Academy of Engineering, UK and the MIT Media Lab, US. He has received multiple accolades for his work, including the National Award from the President of India and being featured on Shark Tank India.

Hunny Bhagchandani

Hunny Bhagchandani was inspired to create assistive devices for PwD after witnessing a terrible accident involving a visually impaired person during his internship at the Blind People’s Association (Gujarat) in 2013-14. He realized that existing devices were inaccurate and unreliable, and decided to use his technical skills to make a difference. He came up with a prototype that later became Saarthi, which uses ultrasonic sensors to detect obstacles and provide haptic feedback to users. Hunny Bhagchandani is also a member of Meaningful Business, a global community of leaders who are combining profit and purpose to help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. He is also an ambassador of One Young World, a global forum for young leaders. He is also a business mentor at Founder Institute, an accelerator program for aspiring entrepreneurs.

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Lainey is a disability rights lawyer who has worked to make the digital world more accessible since 1995. She helped negotiate the first web accessibility agreement in the United States in 2000. Since then, she has brought together people with disabilities and public and private sector organizations across the United States to improve digital accessibility. Her negotiating partners have included Bank of America, Major League Baseball, the City and County of San Francisco, and CVS.

Lainey developed and practices Structured Negotiation, a dispute resolution and collaboration strategy that avoids lawsuits and focuses on lasting change and relationship-building. Structured Negotiation has been used to advance accessibility for more than a quarter-century. Lainey is also the author of Structured Negotiation: A Winning Alternative to Lawsuits (2d edition 2021). Her book shares stories and strategies for using Structured Negotiation both to avoid lawsuits and to make filed lawsuits less contentious. It also explores examples of advocates using Structured Negotiation tools outside of a legal context.

Lainey is also a consultant and an international speaker and trainer on topics including collaborative problem-solving, the digital accessibility legal space, accessibility ethics, accessible procurement, and best practices for baking digital accessibility into policies and practices of organizations large and small. In 2017 Lainey was selected as an American Bar Association Legal Rebel – a group of “innovators who are remaking the legal profession.” She has twice been named a California Lawyer Magazine Attorney of the Year, and in 2022 received the Jim Thatcher Lifetime Achievement award during the Axe-Con conference. More information on Lainey’s website.

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David Pérez is a distinguished organizational leader with an MBA and a deep commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion. He possesses extensive expertise in digital transformation, team leadership, and communication, which he has honed over the course of his career. David has a proven track record of developing effective communication strategies and organizing events that promote cultural diversity, and he is dedicated to creating inclusive environments that drive positive change.

Key to his mission to promote disability inclusion in the Latin American Region is his passion for advancing disability inclusion has earned him a reputation as a leader in his field, and he continues to work tirelessly to create a more equitable society for all.

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Rocío Bernabé Caro holds a professorship in barrier-free communication at the International University of Applied Science of the SDI München. She has a MA in Translation (UGR) and a MA in Accessible Documents, Technologies and Applications (UNIR). The topic of her PhD was easy audiovisual media services for all (UAB). She is Deputy Head of the Professional College of Translation and Interpreting of the SDI in Munich (Germany). She was the project leader of the EU co-funded project Live Text Access, which aimed to create certified learning materials for real-time intralingual subtitlers by respeaking and velotyping. She was project partner, accessibility manager, and leader of the Intellectual Output (IO) 2 of the EU co-funded project EASIT, Easy Access for Social Inclusion Training. She is a partner and IO leader of the EU co-funded project Train2validate. Her newest research focuses on easy Internet and end-user-centered validation processes. She is also involved in the ISO standard for Plain Language and the German DIN standard for Easy-to-Read

Óscar García is project manager at Plena Inclusión Madrid and leader, a third-sector organisation that supports and defends the rights of people with intellectual disabilities. Óscar García has a degree in Journalism and a postgraduate in Universal Accessibility. He has been translating contents into easy-to-read for 12 years. In this time, he has published handbooks in Spanish such as “Lectura fácil: métodos de redacción y evaluación” (Easy-to-read: writing and assessment methods) and “Guía práctica de orientaciones para la inclusión educativa: lectura fácil” (Handbook on guidelines for educational inclusion: easy-to-read). He translated into Spanish the IFLA publication “Guidelines for easy-to-read materials”. Among the contents that he has translated into easy-to-read, he produced the Spanish Constitution, several acts, museum publications (Museo del Prado, among others), medical leaflets and vocational training handbooks. He is also member of the Spanish standardisation group that published the standard UNE 153101 EX about easy-to-read contents production.

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As co-founder of Braided Communications, where we develop communication tools for astronauts on deep space missions and use the same technology to provide better team collaboration on Earth, I am enjoying putting my passion and expertise for astrophysics, telecoms and healthcare to good use.

Rob completed a degree in astrophysics and then worked in commercial leadership positions across the telecoms and technology sector nationally and internationally. Moving into digital health, he gained expertise in physical and mental health care. With the creation of Braided Communications, Rob has been able to blend his experience in technology and communications with his passion for healthcare and astrophysics. Rob has long been a passionate advocate for workplace inclusivity and feels extremely fortunate to be part of a neurodiverse founding team.

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Antonio Santos is a Social Media Business Evangelist and Senior Workplace Expert at Atos, focusing on Digital Inclusion, Social Media Engagement, and Social Business. He is a Sociologist with expertise in Applied Research; he previously worked in the Media, Military, Public Sector and Telecom before joining Siemens IT in 2006 in Cork and Atos in 2011. According to Onalytica, which measures online presence and influence, Antonio is the 3rd most influential employee in the world in Consulting based on data from Twitter and LinkedIn and number one on Sustainability amongst employees of the 48 most important consulting companies globally.
Antonio collaborates with Meghan M. Biro on Talent Culture, an award-winning website and podcast on the future of work. They have interviewed and hosted Twitter chats with industry leaders from the Enterprise and Academia.

More recently, Antonio co-founded the Digital Transformation Lab at the University College of Cork. The Lab focuses on digital innovation, entrepreneurship and technology in various enterprises within the private and public sectors. DT-Lab aims to provide leadership in digital strategy, innovation and execution.

Debra Ruh is a seasoned entrepreneur that focuses on Global Disability Inclusion, ICT Accessibility, EmployAbility, Marketing and Communications Strategies and Digital Media. She has provided global leadership to governments, corporations, NGOs and DPO’s (Disability Persons Organizations) all over the world supporting research, outreach, marketing strategies, policy and standards initiatives with public- and private-sector. Policy, Legislative and Technical Experience includes the United Nations Convention of Rights for People with Disabilities (CRPD), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 503, 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, W3C, WCAG 2.0 and ISO. Debra is also a seasoned Entrepreneur (founder of three firms): Ruh Global Communications, TecAccess, Strategic Performance Solutions.

Debra is passionate about Social Media and a Thought Leader and Blogger on ICT Accessibility and Disability Inclusion on social media channels with over 130,000 followers. Social media mediums include Twitter, Linked-In, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, G+ and other platforms. Work featured in major mediums including CBS, CNN, PBS, ABC, NBC, NPR, INC, Publishers Weekly, Fortune Magazine, US News & World Report, America’s Best, Washington Technology, and Bloomberg Business Week. Debra has published many white papers, is a newsletter editor for IAAP and a Published Author of two books:

Neil Milliken is Vice President & Global Head of Accessibility & Digital Inclusion at Atos, a member of the Atos Scientific Community & Atos Distinguished Expert, an invited expert for the W3C Cognitive Accessibility Taskforce.

Neil is a member of the Board of Directors for the World Institute on Disability, a Non-Exec Chair of the Board at Genius Within, a member of the advisory board of the Valuable500 & Board member of Billion Strong and was Chair of the Diversity Board for the Institute of Coding from 2019 – 2021.
Neil was named in the top ten of the Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 list in 2018 and D&I practitioner of the year in the 2019 Disability Smart Awards.
Neil is dyslexic and has ADHD; he advocates for people with neurodivergent conditions as well as other disabilities and additional needs.

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Catherine Nichols is the VP of the Office of Accessibility at Salesforce and an experienced disability rights advocate. At Salesforce, her teams strive to ensure its products, workplaces, and virtual experiences are accessible to all.

Connect with her on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinecnichols/ 

Find out more about the Office of Accessibility at Salesforce.com/Accessibility and join the conversation on Twitter @SalesforceA11y

AXSChat is Supported by Amazon. 

Captions are kindly provided by MyClearText.

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Rachel lives in Nelson with her husband Scott, and before entering Parliament, worked as a Health and Safety Coordinator for the Anglican Diocese of Nelson. In her previous role as an Organiser with FIRST Union, she negotiated collective employment agreements with large companies like Nelson Pine, lifting wages for hundreds of workers in the Nelson region.

Rachel previously volunteered on the Boards of Nelson Women’s and Children’s Refuge and the Nelson Environment Centre. She was the Chair of Labour’s Policy Council leading up to the election. A trained singer, she has a Music Degree from the University of Auckland and was a member of the New Zealand Youth Choir. She also enjoys spending time at Tahunanui beach with Scott and their Labrador, Phoebe.

Rachel is passionate about ensuring all Kiwis have the opportunity to be the best they can be. She knows it starts with dignity at work; affordable, warm homes; quality education and a responsive, accessible health system. She knows working people need the security of knowing there will be a pension there for them at an age they can still enjoy it.

Rachel loves Nelson’s fantastic natural environment, outstanding creative industries and unrivalled community spirit. Rachel is honoured to have been elected as the MP for Nelson and looks forward to working hard in Parliament in 2020.

Rachel’s priorities for Nelson are:

Affordable housing for first-home buyers and families,
Working to end “Sunshine Wages” in the region,
Improving Mental Health services,
Better public transport,
Preserving our environment; and
Working closely with our two Councils to address Climate Change.

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Michael joined the W3C in June 2006 as a Web Accessibility Specialist. Michael is the Team Contact for the Accessible Platform Architectures Working Group which supports accessibility of W3C technologies, the Accessible Rich Internet Applications Working Group which develops accessibility semantics to support assistive technologies, and Accessibility Guidelines Working Group which develops authoring guidelines and techniques to create accessible content. He supports task forces in these groups to address accessibility for users with cognitive or learning disabilities, low vision, or users of mobile devices; research accessibility issues of upcoming technologies, and explore new technologies. Key specifications include the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA), and Framework for Accessible Specification of Technologies.

Prior to joining W3C, Michael worked at Watchfire as Accessibility Product Manager, responsible for automated and tool-assisted manual accessibility evaluation software. He focused on supporting harmonized international standards via this software and supported customers to achieve those standards. Previously Michael was the product manager at CAST for Bobby, an early accessibility evaluation tool which was purchased by Watchfire in 2002. At CAST he also worked on technical approaches to providing self-adaptive learning materials for students with disabilities. Before entering the field of Web accessibility, Michael worked in the disability services office at the University of Denver, providing academic accommodations and technical training for students with disabilities.

Michael holds a Master of Education degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Denver.

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Kathy West-Evans is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) who is fluent in American Sign Language. She has her MA in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science. Kathy started in the field of rehabilitation in 1978. She has worked in a community agency, for the Washington State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, at the federal level with the Rehabilitation Services Administration and now leads the National Employment Team (NET) at CSAVR (Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation). The NET is a cross state team of VR business specialists working through a dual customer approach to develop strategies with business to employ and retain the talents of individuals with disabilities across the company or organization. Kathy was also part of the team that developed the Talent Acquisition Portal (TAP) in response to businesses who wanted to easily access the talent pool of candidates with disabilities and individuals who were interested in accessing career opportunities with companies across the country.

Kathy is a past member and Chair of the Veterans Advisory Council on Rehabilitation and a former Commissioner on the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification. In addition to impacting and drafting legislation focused on VR’s work with business, she is a frequent speaker and has co-authored articles focused on working with business to employ the talents of people with disabilities.

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Rob has played a highly significant role in developing accessibility over decades we are delighted to welcome him to AXSChat in his new role. He describes himself and his role below:

“My mission is to create solutions that profoundly improve how people of all ages and abilities work, play and experience the world around them. From a business perspective, this is the best way to create customer value, brand loyalty and differentiation in today’s market. From a personal perspective, I cannot think of a more valuable way to spend my time.

I have had the opportunity to work with many talented & passionate people over the years. Perhaps the most impactful, so far, has been the years spent building Microsoft’s accessibility effort from a small team into an enterprise-wide program and global strategy tightly integrated with the company mission to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. That journey required deep investments in the platforms, tools, design philosophy and engineering practices. It meant rethinking how to work closely with the community and partners to create and support inclusive solutions. And, it taught us you cannot achieve these goals without hiring people with disabilities and integrating inclusive thinking into every aspect of your way of doing business (HR, Support, Marketing, Sales, M&A, etc.).

After taking a break from the corporate world and exploring startups related to clean water and wildlife conservation technologies, I’m happy to be back in the tech industry, working to accelerate the industry’s pursuit of fully accessible and inclusive digital workplaces. I chose to join Atlassian because products like Jira, Confluence and Trello are used by teams of all sizes – from one or two people up to enterprise organizations with hundreds of thousands of employees. This is an enormous opportunity to ensure every person can fully participate in today’s digital work environment.

I think we can all agree that the world is facing unprecedented challenges. Our best hope for the future is to ensure we benefit from the ideas, insights, and expertise of every person on the planet.”

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Chris has over 20 years of experience working with government agencies worldwide, international brands, neighbourhood businesses, mom-and-pop’s, and everything in between. In his current role at Pega, he is a UX Manager, and the Design Ops Lead. He helps drive their design system, Constellation, toward accessibility out-of-the-box for Fortune 100 companies.

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Marisol Villena manages inclusion, accessibility and equitable product and program development across Accenture’s enterprise metaverse, the Nth floor — enabling experiences that allow all employees to participate and thrive.

Prior to that, Marisol spent the last two decades working in various roles across the company’s global IT team. Marisol has proven expertise in working in diverse, complex environments, helping teams unleash their potential to achieve desired outcomes.

Marisol is originally from Peru; moving to Spain early in her career, she now has two children and a husband and calls it her home. She loves volunteering at schools, teaching students about technology and coding.

Connect with Marisol on LinkedIn to learn more.

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Game accessibility specialist with a 16-year background in raising the bar for gamers with disabilities, though advocacy and awareness raising – writing, speaking, organising events, community building – and consulting, working with studios from the smallest indies to the largest AAAs, with publishers, platforms, industry and government bodies. Co-director of GAconf and coordinator of gameaccessibilityguidelines.com.

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John has a PhD in Cognitive Science from the University of Edinburgh.  Since 2003 he has been working in the field of digital accessibility in France.  His particular interests are in the effects of transformations (such as accessibility) on organizations and the notions of viability and communication as stipulated by the early cyberneticists (Ashby, Beer, et al).  He has been with Atos in Paris since 2021 promoting accessibility both within the company as well as for clients, working towards compliance with the French RGAA law.   He is also a keen follower of guitar circles and samba schools.

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Charlotte Dales is the founder and CEO of Inclusively.  After working for five years at Deutsche Bank, Charlotte co-founded CAKE Technologies, a mobile payment app that was acquired by American Express in 2017.  
In 2020, she launched Inclusively, the professional network and employment platform for candidates with disabilities to connect with inclusive employers. She was inspired by her cousin, Cameron Northup, who became the first licensed aesthetician in Florida with Down syndrome. Inclusively has established partnerships with several Fortune 500 companies and placed candidates across the US. Charlotte graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder and lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband, daughter, and son.

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Shay Senior is the founder of Palta. Born in Israel, raised in Papua New Guinea and Guatemala.
Shay’s background is in the unmanned vehicle's industry in which he worked in a variety of fields worldwide, since UAV pilot was his job in the military service. After his personal injury – being in a rehabilitation center he realized the gap between people with disabilities and the rest of society and found fashion as one the first causes for that.
Together with his co-founder, they created Palta, first as a research group in the community. Thousands of people worldwide have joined the movement and form part of the Palta community for inclusive experience design. Palta is the leading global inclusive product certifier. With the vision of creating an innovative shopping and dressing experience, they develop hand in hand with global fashion brands and organizations a variety of solutions merging tech & fashion based on the daily needs of individuals with disabilities. The enterprise is community-based, leading and supporting activities of awareness and innovation bridging between people with and without disabilities through education and design.

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Stephanie Cadieux is a change leader, an advocate for diversity, accessibility, disability inclusion and an entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience in planning and leadership roles.

Her four-year appointment as the Government of Canada’s Chief Accessibility Officer began on May 2, 2022.

Before her appointment, Ms. Cadieux was a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2009 to 2022.  She was the Minister of Children and Family Development from 2012 to 2017, and between 2010 and 2012, held various positions, including Minister of Social Development; Minister of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government; and Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development.

Prior to her engagement in provincial politics, Ms. Cadieux was the director of marketing and public relations for the BC Paraplegic Association from 2004 until 2009. She was also the provincial peer coordinator for this organization from 2001 until 2004.

Ms. Cadieux is a member of the disability community, using a wheelchair since the age of 18.  Her lived experience allows her to have a deep understanding of accessibility issues faced by people with disabilities.

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Axel Leblois spent over 20 years at the helm of information technology companies in the United States including as CEO of Computerworld Communications, CEO of IDC – International Data Corporation, Vice-Chairman of IDG – International Data Group, President of Bull HN Worldwide Information Systems – formerly Honeywell Information Systems, CEO of ExecuTrain and President of W2i, the Wireless Internet Institute. Axel Leblois served as a Senior Special Fellow of UNITAR, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, and is a founding trustee of its North American affiliate CIFAL Atlanta. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of USICD, U.S. International Council on Disabilities, and GAATES, Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments. In addition, he serves on the Advisory Board of Mada, Qatar Assistive Technology Center, and on the Scientific Advisory Board of Cloud4all. He is an adjunct professor at OCAD University/Inclusive Design Institute. He served as chairman of the board of the Atlanta International School and is chairman of the board of CASIE, the Center for the Advancement and Study of International Education. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars on ICT accessibility for persons with disabilities organized for policy makers, civil society and the private sector to foster collaboration among multiple stakeholders. In his capacity, Mr. Leblois oversees all the publishing, capacity building and advocacy activities of G3ict. Mr. Leblois holds an MBA from INSEAD and is a graduate of Sciences Po Paris.

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Molly Joyce has been deemed one of the “most versatile, prolific and intriguing composers working under the vast new-music dome” by The Washington Post. Her work is concerned with disability as a creative source. She has an impaired left hand from a previous car accident, and the primary vehicle in her pursuit is her electric vintage toy organ, an instrument she bought on eBay which engages her disability on a compositional and performative level. Molly’s creative projects have been presented and commissioned by Carnegie Hall, TEDxMidAtlantic, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Bang on a Can Marathon, Danspace Project, Americans for the Arts, National Sawdust, Gaudeamus Muziekweek, National Gallery of Art, Classical:NEXT, and in Pitchfork, Red Bull Radio, and WNYC’s New Sounds. She is a graduate of Juilliard, Royal Conservatory in The Hague, Yale, and alumnus of the YoungArts Foundation. She holds an Advanced Certificate in Disability Studies from City University of New York, and is a doctoral student at the University of Virginia in Composition and Computer Technologies. She has served on the composition faculties of New York University, Wagner College, and Berklee Online.

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Kate Nash OBE is creator & CEO of PurpleSpace (www.purplespace.org). Established in 2015 it is the world’s only leadership development membership hub for disability employee resource groups [ERG] / networks.

PurpleSpace delivers leadership know-how to disability employee resource group leaders who want to accelerate the pace of cultural change for employees with disabilities. The global community now stands at 2,000+ leaders across 200 organisations who together employ 1 million employees with disabilities. The community was born by demand following the publication of her first book ‘Secrets & Big News’ in 2014: https://www.purplespace.org/home?myhub&selected=530.

PurpleSpace leads the #PurpleLightUp – a worldwide global movement to celebrate the economic contribution of disabled employees and drive inclusive work practices – as part of the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December each year. In 2021, the movement reached 253 million connections with content viewed over 186 thousand times.

She is External Advisor to GSK’s Global Disability Council, Strategic Disability Advisor to Post Office Ltd and a member of the UK Government’s Minister’s Disability Confidence Business Leaders’ Group.

In 2007 she was awarded an OBE for services to disabled people.

Her second book ‘Positively Purple’ is published on 3rd October 2022 by Kogan Page.

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David Brun
Founder Gateway Navigation CCC Ltd. Specialist designing indoor and outdoor audio based navigation networks. Drawing on my past experience as a small business owner, twenty-years with TD Canada Trust in the Branch Network and Pacific Regional Office and my authentic experience as a blind person both as an advocate and not-for-profit board member, provided me with the perspective, passion and resources to work with a dynamic team of like-minded colleagues and partners to enhance mobility, employment and social independence for blind and disabled persons. Join us in creating real change for all Canadians.

Jeremy R. Cooperstock is a professor in the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, a member of the Centre for Intelligent Machines, and a founding member of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology at McGill University. He directs the Shared Reality Lab, which focuses on computer mediation to facilitate high-fidelity human communication and the synthesis of perceptually engaging, multimodal, immersive environments. He led the development of the Intelligent Classroom, the world’s first Internet streaming demonstrations of Dolby Digital 5.1, multiple simultaneous streams of uncompressed high-definition video, a high-fidelity orchestra rehearsal simulator, a simulation environment that renders graphic, audio, and vibrotactile effects in response to footsteps, and a mobile game treatment for amblyopia. Cooperstock’s work on the Ultra-Videoconferencing system was recognized by an award for Most Innovative Use of New Technology from ACM/IEEE Supercomputing and a Distinction Award from the Audio Engineering Society. The research he supervised on the Autour project earned the Hochhausen Research Award from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and an Impact Award from the Canadian Internet Registry Association, and his Real-Time Emergency Response project won the Gold Prize (brainstorm round) of the Mozilla Ignite Challenge.

Cyan Kuo is a research professional with an eclectic background in education, information technology, and the arts. In the past, they have worked on projects such as a benchmarking paradigm for walking interfaces in virtual reality and using virtual reality for rehabilitating those with vestibular system sensory disorders. At McGill University’s Shared Reality Lab, they manage user testing, participant and community outreach on the IMAGE project, as well as making sure day-to-day lab activities run smoothly. They have an interest in multisensory aspects of video games and interactive media, and are a strong believer in technology for social good and engineering for inclusivity. Cyan has an Honours B.A. in Dramatic Arts and Humanities, an Honours B.Sc in Cognitive Science and Computer Science and an MSc in Computer Engineering.

Jeffrey R. Blum has worked in mobile software for over 25 years, starting as a Program Manager on Microsoft’s Windows Mobile team, followed by his role as Director of Product Design at Mindsurf Networks, a startup building PDA software for use in schools. After developing several mobile products for professional photographers, Jeff joined McGill University’s Shared Reality Lab, where he leads research projects ranging from medical and accessibility tools, to using mobile devices to improve information delivery and connect people through non-visual mechanisms such as haptics. Jeff holds a B.S.E. in Computer Science from Princeton University, and is completing a PhD in McGill University’s Electrical and Computer Engineering department.

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Furrah Syed is an Artist and Educator based in London. A strong advocate for making art accessible to all, Furrah’s abstracts are focused on texture, movement and colour energy which can not only be seen but can also be experienced using the sense of touch. Her inclusive approach to sharing art led her to design and develop her Art Appreciation Workshop for the Blind and Partially Sighted in 2009 which she has delivered to organisations in Hong Kong,

Malaysia, Singapore UK, USA, India and Australia. Furrah has also delivered adapted versions ofher workshop at schools for children with additional needs as well as mainstream schools.

The way Furrah’s art is experienced is also unusual: the paintings can be viewed in any orientation, they change with the light, and they are all intentionally untitled to avoid influencing the viewer’s perspective. This is a liberating experience as viewers are free to interpret what they see or feel knowing that there is no right or wrong response. This approach values the viewers interpretation and encourages a dialogue, which are key tenets of Furrah’s ethos for making art accessible to all.

Furrah continues to explore the use of tactile engagement in areas outside of her art,empowering people by showing them the technique of distinguishing colour energy without the need for sight. Furrah’s workshops, available to sighted participants as well as those who are blind or visually impaired, provide a space for dialogue regarding accessibility and improvement of existing products and services to benefit those with additional needs.

Furrah also actively promotes the technique of using art to practice mindfulness which increases a sense of well-being both emotionally and physically and assists those who are dealing with mental health issues.

At every event that Furrah hosts her aim is to create an inclusive environment for all to feel empowered and valued. She feels that “We all have different and unique perspectives and can learn a great deal from each other.”

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Heather is the Founder of Equivalent Design, the leading global accessible graphics firm for advancing disability inclusion and equality. Her more than 20 years of leadership experience driving accessible design was ignited by challenges she experienced having motor and vision disabilities.

Ms. Neff leads a team of talented and diverse individuals, including people with disabilities, who are working to build a more inclusive digital world. She is also an educator focusing on accessible graphic design and adaptive, responsive and accessible SVG files. Heather is a thought leader and advocates for disability inclusion, gender equality, and LGBTQ representation in technology. She is a member of the IAAP and is available for international speaking engagements.

At Equivalent Design we have a vision for a more diverse, inclusive and an equitable future. We believe that we can make a positive social impact by the use of intelligent, responsive graphic files and thoughtful accessible graphic design practices. We have a growing team and are always looking to hire talented accessible design professionals. 

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Denise Reed Lamoreaux has 30+ years of experience in Learning and Development, Marketing and Communications, Leadership, and Diversity and Inclusion.  SHe has won over 40 international awards for her efforts, and is a sought after speaker across the globe.  One of her career highlights was presenting at Copenhagen 2021, the world's largest human rights conference, on the topic of Transgender rights in the workplace.  Denise is currently the Director of Equity and Belonging at Zillow, and consults regularly with AARP, parity.org, Valuable 500, Inside OUT, Textio, and the Hispanic Promise.  She is the former President of SUNY Geneseo's Alumni Association, and is active in her community, supporting Western NY's Cystic Fibrosis Organization and NY's Warrior Alliance. 

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Josh is Open's Inclusive Innovation Programme Lead. He is leading our work on a grassroots inclusive innovation for an exciting global initiative being launched in 2022. He also works across the broader Open team on innovation projects we are working on internally and externally.

Prior to stepping into this significant innovation role, Josh had joined Open as our Lead for the Mobility / Dexterity Community. He still ensures that we remain aware of and up to date with the community's concerns, needs, and interests. With the other Community Leads, he continues to help co-design research to ensure that the needs of people with physical access needs are well-considered and incorporated in our work.

As a powered wheelchair user for the last 19 years, Josh got fed up with the lack of dignity, safety and comfort when flying by air and now produces award winning products to improve flying for wheelchair users around the globe, alongside other fantastic innovative products. He is an entrepreneur himself and the Founder and Director of Able Move.

His background is in technology and he takes every opportunity to work in research, design, and innovation on new cutting-edge products and services that look to enhance diverse opportunities and improve inclusive design and outcomes.

Josh has a competitive nature and loves to compete. He is currently on the talent and development squad for Great Britain in Air Rifle.

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Keely Cat-Wells is an Entrepreneur and Disability Activist dedicated to making social, systemic, and economic change. As the founder and CEO of C Talent Keely has been named a One Young World Entrepreneur of the Year 2022, Forbes 30 Under 30 Entertainment honouree, Diana Award winner, an AdWeek Young Influential, GBEA Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and has been appointed as an Advisory Board Member to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation. Keely is a Forbes Contributor and has spoken as a Disability Subject Matter Expert for companies and organizations including, The LEGO Group, United Nations, Google, UCLA, NBC, Vidmob, Advertising Week, No Barriers USA (where she also serves as a Board Member), Cannes Film Festival, The Valuable 500, and Virgin Media’s Ultraviolet event among others. Keely has recently been chosen as a youth participant at the first Mental Health Youth Action Forum hosted by MTV Entertainment Group, in coordination with the Biden-Harris Administration and 18 leading mental health nonprofits. The forum will take place at The White House and drive culture from awareness to action on mental health through storytelling and media.

Keely founded her first company at a young age during her time in hospital, which developed into C Talent.

After noticing the lack of access in the entertainment industry, Keely formed Zetta Studios which is set to be the world’s first-ever studio to be designed with disabled people in mind.

Keely is also working with Sara Hart Weir to eliminate section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, an 80+ year old discriminatory statue that provides the foundation of a system that permits employers of disabled workers to file for certificates that allows them to pay disabled employees subminimum wage – even to this date. We

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Before recently retiring, Yazmine Laroche was Canada’s first Deputy Minister of Public Service Accessibility. In this role, she was responsible for overseeing the efforts of the Canadian public service to meet the requirements of the Accessible Canada Act.  A career public servant with extensive experience, she has served in a variety of leadership roles in many federal departments and agencies.  

Yazmine is proud to have been the Deputy Minister Champion for Federal Employees with Disabilities and the Deputy Minister Champion for her alma mater, Carleton University, from whom she received an honorary doctorate in 2019.  She is a board member and the past chair of Muscular Dystrophy Canada. She was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of her charitable work and her efforts on behalf of people with disabilities.  

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Using his experience in program management, software development, and technical consulting, Cam brings a unique and refreshing perspective on how teams can tackle digital accessibility within their organization. People appreciate his hands-on knowledge of planning, executing, and delivering accessible results with practical, real-world solutions.

Cam sticks to down-to-earth stories and engages groups from the moment he meets them, leaving them with a cool confidence in their ability to handle the ambiguities of digital accessibility. Audiences often appreciate that he can speak the same language as their technical teams or senior business leads.

Cam speaks on recalibrating communication techniques for technical teams and accessibility consultants, ensuring that cross-functional teams include everyone in the conversation. 

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Gareth Ford Williams founded the BBC digital accessibility team in 2005 and in 2010 became Head of UX Design and Accessibility. After nearly 18 years, he decided to leave the BBC to focus on accessibility and inclusive design data with the start-up ab11y.com.

During his time at the BBC the accessibility team delivered a number of ground breaking accessibility projects covering many types of products and services including video streaming, children's games, TV platforms and mobile applications, and because the BBC is publicly funded the resources that have enabled these are always made publicly available.

He also set-up the first Accessibility Champions Network as part of his strategy to embed accessibility into the culture of the organization. While he was at the BBC, he also established the BBC’s Design Research Team, was a Head of UX Design for 12 years, managed the Assistive Technology Team in the last couple of years. 

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In his role as Director of Accessibility, Dave is leading the accessibility portfolio for Surface Products aligning with Windows and product innovation roadmaps to empower users of all abilities. 
Dave is a leadership coach, enterprise agile leader and trainer with over 20 years of product management and leadership experience, which he leverages to drive large-scale transformation in complex organizations. Dave’s practice focuses on scaling change by building up high-performing teams through training & empowering workforces – over the course of his career he has trained over 600 professionals in product management, leadership and agile delivery practices. He has worked with technology companies such as OpenText, PTC, and MCAP; in many cases improving delivery times by over 150%. Dave also spends a significant portion of his time coaching well-seasoned executives and is very proud that he has played a role in the development of nearly 20 SVP-level and C-level executives.

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Jim is currently the Head of Accessibility and Digital Inclusion for UK&I at Atos. In this role he manages a team that provides both accessibility services to clients and also to the internal Atos staff. He has worked in the accessibility field for almost eight years, having previously been part of the Quality and Learning and Development programs at Atos and Siemens for nine years. Prior to joining Siemens he worked in academia.

Jim has always had an interest in the way people consume and process information and he sees equality of access and opportunity not only as a basic right, but something that a society needs in order to flourish. 

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Tara is currently the Xbox Game Studios Accessibility Lead. In this role, she conceptualizes strategic programs and spearheads development initiatives to establish and promote a superior yet accessible gaming experience across all Xbox Game Studios titles. She is also the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Game Accessibility Conference (#GaConf), a two day conference fully dedicated to accessibility in game development. She also has a passion for horror media and would love to see more accessible horror games in the market. 

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Meryl Evans, CPACC (she / her / deaf) is an author, professional speaker, and accessibility marketing consultant with over 20 years of experience who happens to be born hearing-free aka profoundly deaf. She’s an accessibility marketing consultant who helps her clients in different industries with their projects to achieve their marketing and accessibility goals.

Meryl is a highly sought and regarded speaker on accessibility and inclusion with a focus on people with disabilities and accessible communication. She has spoken at TEDx, AccessU, ID24, Content Marketing World, axe-con, PCMA Convening Leaders, and many companies’ internal events. She’s a member of the core research team at XR Access and a group member of the W3C Immersive Captions Community. She’s also the co-host of A11yNYC and A11yVR, meetups that explore different aspects of accessibility. You can follow her on social media for content related to accessibility. 

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Andy Garrett is GSK global programme director - Workplace Adjustments Service – enabling employees to request and receive the adjustments/accommodations/accessibility solutions they need to be their best selves at work, including for working remotely. 

Andy is member of GSK Global Disability Council (GDC) in his capacity as co-lead for GSK’s global Disability Confidence Network employee resource group. Providing employee voice and disability subject matter expertise support to key disability inclusion workstreams led by the Disability Council.    Andy is also a founding ambassador for Purple Space (www.purplespace.org) 

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Jose Rubinger is a mission-driven serial entrepreneur that creates sustainable businesses that have benefited the Social, Education, and Health sectors for the past 15 years. His love for technology led him to conceptualize Key2enable Assistive Technology in the past years, together with his business partners in Brazil , filling a gap in the EdTech industry for Special Education.

With K2E, he was highly awarded: Singularity University, GSVC BerkeleyHaas, Kryptolabs, Gitex, are some of the recognitions our CCO received, among many others. Jose envisions innovation in the digital accessibility field, empowering people with motor, physical and intellectual disabilities to develop their skills using exponential technologies.

Esha Khurshid is a Psychologist, behavioral therapist and Social entrepreneur. She started her education in dental surgery and soon moved on to pursue her degree in psychology. She completed various certifications in ABA (applied behavioral analysis) in teaching speech and independent skills for people with learning and social interaction difficulties. She also completed certifications in CLM (competent learner model) for people with learning difficulties.

In 2022 she joined Key2enable, an innovative educational assistive technology for POD. Key2enable is a 35 times international award winning startup. Esha joined in the capacity of chief visionary officer and advisor to CEO. Her role is to grow the company’s vision through curating special projects and collaborations.

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Joschi Kuphal has been active as a web designer, developer and creative entrepreneur for over 25 years. Starting in the mid-90s, while studying interior design, he developed his first websites in HTML, and later Flash. With his diploma in his pocket, he founded the web and advertising agency tollwerk (https://tollwerk.de) in 2000, which he continues to shape to this day. He has shared leadership of tollwerk with his team in an equal, cooperative and self-organizing way since 2022. Accessibility has been the focus of his work for almost 10 years, and it keeps him increasingly busy as a consultant, auditor and lecturer.

In 2013, Joschi founded the Open Device Lab Nuremberg (https://odl-nbg.de), which marked a turning point in the previously quiet work environment at tollwerk. For the first time, Joschi turned his focus towards an international community – and soon found himself leaving his mark on this young, but growing network. Connecting with and being connected to this community became his new passion (obsession?). This encouraged him to found numerous community initiatives and event series, which he continues to do to this day. These include:

• the Accessibility Club (https://accessibility-club.org): a flexible, international format around web accessibility and assistive technologies (2014 – present)
• the CoderDojo Nuremberg (https://coderdojo-nbg.org): an open programming school for children and young people between the ages of 5 and 17 (2016 – present)
• the Material Conference Series (https://material.is) in Rekyjavík, Iceland (2017 – present).

Joschi’s efforts are characterized by his tireless drive to make information and knowledge as accessible as possible and to train everyone to be able to use the tools of our time sustainably and confidently. None of his initiatives are commercially oriented; rather, they all thrive on volunteerism and the unflagging efforts of passionate communities. He is convinced that things get complicated as soon as money comes into play!

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Stéphanie is a User Researcher and Designer who focuses on building user-centered, inclusive and accessible products and services. She spent the last 12+ years helping her clients deliver successful projects in different industries (banking, financial, automotive, healthcare, press, travel, etc.) 

She likes to share her passion for her UX work all around the world. She has taken this beyond her successful blog, conferences and workshops. She discusses a wide range of topics, including mobile UX, enterprise UX, cognitive biases, inclusive design, design process and designer – developer relationship. You can follow her on social media for qualitative curated UX design content. 

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Jodie Greer is the Founder of Be #PeopleSmart, a disability inclusion and accessibility consultancy based in the UK, supporting businesses around the world. Jodie has been passionate about disability inclusion ever since she can remember, and has made it her mission to put more human-centricity back into the workplace. Jodie describes herself as currently non-disabled and believes disability inclusion isn’t really about disabilities, it’s simply about people. Jodie says there’s no diversity without disability, and the value of equitable workplaces just makes for smart business.

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Jutta Treviranus is the Director of the Inclusive Design Research Centre (IDRC) and a professor in the faculty of Design at OCAD University in Toronto (http://idrc.ocadu.ca ).  Jutta established the IDRC in 1993 as the nexus of a growing global community that proactively works to ensure that our digitally transformed and globally connected society is designed inclusively.  Dr Treviranus also founded an innovative graduate program in inclusive design at OCAD University.  Jutta is credited with developing an inclusive design methodology that has been adopted by large enterprise companies, as well as public sector organizations internationally. Among her work in accessibility standards, she chaired the Authoring Tool Accessibility Working Group of the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative. Since 2013 she has raised awareness of the implications of AI decision systems for people with disabilities. 

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Bruno Osório is the CEO of Adamastor Studio, a game development studio based in Portugal. He was born with cerebral palsy, which forces him to use a wheelchair to move. Is life objective is to be an inspirational icon for new companies and entrepreneurs, showing that, despite all the difficulties, it's always possible to make things happen. He is passionate about entrepreneurship, and his goal was always to create a business.

"I believe I'm able to change the world and be successful!"
Bruno Osório

Since childhood, Bruno's relationship with video games has always been an umbilical one. With video games, he could kick a ball and become whatever he wanted! Video games are one of his greatest passions, not only for entertainment but mainly because it was with them that he accepted my physical condition. He pretty much owes everything that he is today to video games! Therefore, the creation of Adamastor Studio is a way for him to thank the industry for everything it has done for him.

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Jennifer Nikoro is the director of LBD FOUNDATION. Jennifer Nikoro was recently appointed as a disability task force member in International Arbitration by the International Court of Arbitration in Paris.  She is also a member of the Board of Appeal of Classification at the International Paralympics Committee, Germany, aimed at classifying athletes with disability for the Olympics. She is an Advisory Board Member of Future Additive Manufacturing in Africa (FAMA). She is a Board Member of the African Diversity & Inclusion Center – ADIC, Uganda. Jennifer is a lawyer trained in Mediation and Arbitration. Born without the right arm, Jennifer is a jealous lover of young adults and children with disabilities in Africa, He desires to see them harness their potential. Jennifer currently studies at Ulster University, Birmingham where she is undergoing her master’s degree in International business with human resource management. 

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Ali Ingersoll is a day trader, disability strategy consultant, Ms. Wheelchair North Carolina 2022,  writer, blogger, editor, and public speaker. She started her advocacy mission after being repeatedly denied medically necessary equipment by insurance companies over the last 10 years since becoming a C6 quadriplegic and full-time wheelchair user after a shallow water diving accident.  Ali’s passion lies in coaching people with disabilities on how to improve their quality of life by teaching them to self-advocate in order to live a life of independence, dignity, and grace.

Disability  Inclusion in our society is a priority Ali focuses on improving every day.   Ali has a firm philosophy of paying it forward by giving back to the community through working with stakeholders in the government, non-profit world, and partnering  organizations to create a more inclusive society and disability employment environment. She believes it’s important to band together as one in order to affect the greatest change on the national stage and in local communities.

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Diane Lightfoot is CEO of Business Disability Forum, a not-for-profit membership organisation that supports businesses to recruit and retain disabled employees and to serve disabled customers. Business Disability Forum’s 450+ members employ c.20% of the UK workforce and 8 million people worldwide. They range from FTSE 100 companies and central Government departments to technology and construction companies, retailers and public services bodies.

Diane is co-Chair of the Disability Charities Consortium and a member of the Disability Confident Business Leaders Group. She is a member of the Steering Group for the Global Business Disability Network, hosted by the ILO and is passionate about the role of good work in transforming people’s lives.

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Yuval Wagner – President & Founder at Access Israel Org Accessibility, Inclusion, Accessible Technology, Assistive Technologies, Smart cities Accessibility.
Michal Rimon – since 2007 CEO of Access Israel.

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Ricardo García Bahamonde is the Head of Accessibility & Digital Inclusion for the Iberia Region at Atos. He has worked in the field of Digital Accessibility and Disability Inclusion since 2004 and has broad experience in consulting, project management, business development and training assignments in the United States, Latin America, the Middle East, and Europe helping companies, governments, universities, non-profits, and governments advance in their digital accessibility and inclusion policies and strategies.

Between 2004 and 2015 Ricardo worked for the National Organization of the Spanish Blind on global accessibility, employment, and education-related projects. Between 2015 and 2018 Ricardo worked as Director of Strategic Development and Researcher at the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation, CIDI (formerly, AMAC Accessibility) at Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, USA). Since 2018 and before joining Atos, Ricardo worked as an independent consultant in Digital Accessibility and Disability Inclusion for the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the G3ict (USA).

An IAAP Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC), Ricardo holds a MA in Economics from the Universidad Complutense of Madrid, Spain and obtained his Project Management Professional (PMP) certificate from the Project Management Institute (PMI). He is a regular speaker at international conferences, having presented at over 60 events worldwide.

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Shaun Mosley is a Designer / Researcher at Nava Public Benefit Corporation. With seven years of experience in Product Design, he applies technology in order to create a more equitable society. As an active member of the civic tech community, Shaun fills his time pushing for prison abolition, mentoring new technologists through Code for Atlanta, and making Georgia the best state for Black people to live in. You can find him emoji-reacting to comments in many Slack channels and on Twitter as @ShmosKnows.

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John Samuel is the Cofounder & CEO of Ablr, where he focuses on helping organizations be more inclusive by removing the barriers that have hindered people with disabilities from accessing education, retail, entertainment, and employment. John’s passion for his work is very personal as he is blind and wants to make sure the obstacles he has faced are removed for others. Over the past 15 years, John has held leadership roles domestically and internationally. While launching and serving as the CEO for Aster Cameroon, a global telecom infrastructure Joint Venture, he built a $45 million business bringing internet access across Africa. Afterward, he became an early member of Homestrings, a USAID backed crowdfunding platform, where he helped raise capital for startups in emerging markets. John holds his MBA from George Washington University, BS in Accounting from North Carolina State University. John is a former Triangle Business Journal’s 40 under 40 award recipient and was selected to the Business Journal’s Influencers: Rising Stars, a national list of 100 young influential business leaders. In 2021, John received the Triangle Business Journal’s Leader in Diversity Award, and earned a certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the workplace from the University of South Florida.

He also serves on the Board of Directors of Aravind Eye Foundation, the world’s largest eye care provider, and the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County.

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Rama Gheerawo is an international and inspirational figure within design. He won a ‘Hall of Fame’ award for his work at the Design Week Awards in 2019 and was named a 2018 Creative Leaders by Creative Review alongside Paul Smith and Björk, As Director of the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, he uses design to address issues around age, ability, gender and race. He is a serial innovator in the fields of Inclusive Design, Design Thinking and Creative Leadership having personally led over 100 projects working internationally with governments, business, academia and the third sector with clients such as Samsung, Toyota, AgeUK and Panasonic. He champions inclusive and empathic approaches for individuals and organisations through his pathfinding work in Creative Leadership, with training delivered globally to thousands of people including over 700 civil servants. He is in high demand as a keynote speaker, and writes, curates exhibitions and runs workshops for audiences that range from students to business executives. Rama sits on a number of advisory boards and committees for awards, universities and organisations such as the UK Design Council, The International Association for Universal Design, the Design Management Institute, The Bhavan Institute for Indian Culture and the RSA Decolonising Design Initiative. He has been a Visiting Professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and the Katowice Academy of Fine Art.

Melanie Flory is a psychologist and neuroscientist whose research enquiry is at the intersection of design, systems thinking and cognitive neuroscience.

Melanie is the first appointed Associate Director of Research of The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design. Her role involves leading the growth and development of the Centre’s inclusive design and creative leadership research and knowledge exchange portfolios, as well as co-developing and launching the Centre’s first doctoral and Master's by research programmes (2022–3). She is the neuroscience lead on the Centre’s creative leadership project.

She has a strong focus on fostering and incorporating the Centre’s inclusive design methods in cross-disciplinary research, innovation and knowledge exchange programmes and projects, with the RCA’s four Schools and other Research Centres.

Before joining HHCD in 2021, Melanie founded (2009), and is the Director of MindRheo, an organisational development consultancy intersecting neuroscience, design and systems thinking to enhance human, organisational and business performance and experience. Prior to MindRheo, Melanie held clinical, senior academic and research leadership positions (2000–11) at Westminster University, Ministry of Defence (UK) and the UK government’s Trauma Response Unit. She has led global cross-disciplinary research in war-related PTSD and the role of brain plasticity in emotion regulation and processing. Her research exploration seeks new insights into the interplay between emotion and cognition

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Susi Miller – eLearning accessibility expert and author

Susi Miller is an industry-leading expert on accessible learning design and the founder and director of eLaHub (www.elahub.net). The author of Designing Accessible Learning Content (Kogan Page, 2021), Susi has more than 30 years of L&D experience in public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She is a skilled instructional designer, eLearning accessibility trainer, and passionate advocate for digital accessibility. Her accessible learning content has been shortlisted for the Learning Technologies Awards.

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Influencer, business leader, campaigner, Co-Author of “Net Positive: how courageous companies thrive by giving more than they take”, recently published October 2021.

Paul Polman works to accelerate action by business to tackle climate change and inequality. A leading proponent that business should be a force for good, Paul has been described by the Financial Times as “a standout CEO of the past decade”.

As CEO of Unilever (2009-2019), he demonstrated that a long-term, multi-stakeholder model goes hand-in-hand with excellent financial performance. Paul was a member of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel which developed the Sustainable Development Goals and which he continues to champion, working with global organizations and across industry to advance the 2030 development agenda.

Paul’s new book, “Net Positive”, is a call to arms to courageous business leaders, setting out how to build net positive companies which profit by fixing the world’s problems rather than creating them. He Chairs IMAGINE, a social venture dedicated to systems change, and Saïd Business School, and he is Vice-Chair of the UN Global Compact as well as a B Team Leader. Paul is Honorary Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce, which he led for two years.

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Christopher Patnoe is the Head of Accessibility and Disability Inclusion for EMEA at Google. He leads Google’s efforts around the accessibility of product, people, policy and partnerships – with a new focus on Emerging Markets. He has more than 25 years experience in Tech working at companies like Apple, Sony Ericsson and Disney where he’s built hardware, software, and services. His current passion is Accessibility at the intersection of immersive technologies (AR/VR) and consumer hardware. He is the chair for the Immersive Captions Community Group with the W3C, is a co-Chair of the XR Association Accessibility Working Group, and sits on the Board of Trustees for the American Foundation for the Blind and for the GAAD Foundation. Christopher has a degree in Music from UC Berkeley.

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Joan O’Donnell is a longstanding advocate for inclusive employment practices. She is the author of the Future of Work a Remote Opportunity for Open Doors in Ireland and also evaluated the effectiveness of Irish employment policy as part of an EU study for Eurofound. She is the Project Manager of FreedomTech, which aims to ensure that we develop a comprehensive ecosystem of supports around AT, conceived of the concept of the AT Passport which has since gained recognition internationally as a way to put users in control of their own technology and Assistive Technology. Joan has a background working with complex social issues associated with disability from a social policy perspective. She lectures in Systems Thinking in Practice MSc programme with the Open University and is a doctoral researcher with the ALL Institute, Maynooth University.

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LaMondre is a motivational speaker, mentor, and professional figure in the area of people with disabilities. As CEO of Billion Strong, he leverages skills that enable him to inspire audiences to embrace diversity and create communities where people feel more welcome.

By his second birthday, LaMondre was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, which compelled him to take steps to improve himself regardless of the incongruity, into new circumstances, and even in every situation.

LaMondre was recently inducted into the Susan Daniels Company's Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame, Class of 2020, for his commitment to civil liberties, social justice, and care for the disabled community.

Her belief is, "When people come together and learn about the world of individuals with disabilities, it produces a shared sense of trust, optimism, and unity for the whole community."

In disability communities, individuals with disabilities can give form to their personal stories, developing confidence. Focusing on experience is most significant when we can dive deep into our identities.

We all benefit from sharing our stories and informing others of what's going on globally. A great deal of progress has been made, but a lot more work remains to be finished.

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Helen Wilson has worked in the digital community for over 20 years as a Digital development and Web designer, Learning Technologist, Digital Design FE Teacher and more recently in local authority digital content at Worcestershire County Council. 

Helen has Masters degree qualifications in Education, as well as Online and Distance Education. Her passion is focused on the experiences of the end-user and those everyday practitioners who create content. This could be documents created by local authority staff for residents or handouts and guides created by teachers for their learners on a VLE.

She is the creator of SCULPT for Accessibility that came out of research she conducted at Worcestershire County Council. Her aim with SCULPT was to support a whole workforce approach to wider awareness of digital accessibility and digitally inclusive practice. Helen advises on accessibility best practices as well as develops and supports the development of inclusive web content.

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As IBM Z’s Chief Penguin, Dr. Melissa Sassi created her own IBM job title, job description, and leads Student & Entrepreneur Experience worldwide within the IBM Z division of IBM. This role includes being the Founder & Global Head of IBM Hyper Protect Accelerator, an IBM program focused on empowering early-stage startups to build and scale via business and technical enablement. Dr. Sassi has 100 startups in her existing portfolio with 40% early-stage fintechs. Dr. Sassi’s Accelerator also includes celebrity Producer & multiple-Grammy award winning startup – Beatclub – Timbaland’s latest music startup.

Dr. Sassi is also a Call for Code Judge – a tech4good hackathon, startup competition, and coding camp rolled into one – focused on solving the world’s wickedest challenges such as climate action via tech innovation.

Prior to IBM, Dr. Sassi was an impact investor at Microsoft focused on building and scaling internet and energy access solutions and bringing digital skills to the newly connected.

As Founder & CEO of MentorNations, Dr. Sassi created a youth-led digital skills movement teaching tens of thousands of youth changemakers to code in twelve countries. Dr. Sassi is Chair of IEEE’s Digital Skills & Readiness Working Group and Founding Member of Coalition for Digital Intelligence with WEF, OECD, IEEE & DQ Institute. She holds several Board positions in digital inclusion nonprofits.

Dr. Sassi’s doctoral research is on the digital inclusion of underserved and underrepresented communities and the tie that access, skills, and utilization of technology play to make meaningful use of the internet. She serves on a UN Round Table for the High-Level Panel for Digital Cooperation, chaired by Jack Ma and Melinda Gates with advisory leadership from Vint Cert – the Father of the Internet. Dr. Sassi is an avid speaker on startup innovation, digital skills and inclusion, tech entrepreneurship, tech4good, community building, youth empowerment, imposter syndrome & personal branding. You can find Dr. Sassi on Twitter at @mentorafrika.

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Sumita Kunashakaran

Zero Project Manager, Civil Society

Sumita Kunashakaran is the Manager of Civil Society outreach at the Zero Project. In effect, she manages the civil society engagement portfolio at the Zero Project, which boasts partners in over 180 countries. In addition, she actively manages the Impact Transfer program, a joint program between the Essl Foundation, Fundación Descúbreme and Ashoka. The program is the first accelerator to support the internationalization of innovative disability solutions for a barrier-free world.

Sumita is the former Advocacy Lead with the Disabled People’s Association (DPA) based in Singapore. As such, she is interested in policy matters regarding intersectionalities and marginalised communities. She led the working group for Singapore’s first ever parallel report for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and has also published several papers for Universal Periodic Review (UPR) processes, Gender Equality Reports, and position statements for policy and legislative issues in Singapore and ASEAN. With her background in Terrorism and Security, her past research has also been featured by the Contemporary Security Policy journal.

Sumita Kunashakaran holds an M.Sc. in International Relations from the University of Edinburgh, and a B.A. in Sociology from the University at Buffalo, SUNY.

Craig Spence

Chief Brand and Communications Officer at International Paralympic Committee

Spence previously worked as communications manager for the Rugby Football League (RFL) until May. Within the IPC he is responsible for the creation and implementation of a comprehensive communications strategy as well as acting as the official spokesperson for the organization.

Educated at the University of Central Lancashire, Spence also has experience working as an account manager at public relations agency Ptarmigan and PR executive at major UK-based water company Yorkshire Water.

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Jenny McLaughlin has worked within the airport industry for over 19 years. This began at East Midlands Airport as an Environment and Safeguarding Officer achieving ISO14001. The last 14 years have been at Heathrow Airport in a number of departments including Environment, Airside and now Infrastructure as a project manager. 

Jenny has delivered a number of business changes, from new aircraft de-icing process, introducing new IT applications, building a remote coaching gate in the middle of a live terminal, to significant maintenance work to the Northern runway. 

Jenny is the Lead for Heathrow’s Disability Network and brings that to her PM role. Jenny advocates that each person should have an equitable seat at the table and creating a safe environment to challenge and improve the way we interreact and build the world around us.

Jenny is dyslexic and has ADHD and believes that “the way that my brain is wired differently is an asset”. Finally, Jenny is a speaker at a number of industry events on ‘Systematic Inclusion’, bringing to life the criticality of accessibility if we are to truly ‘Build Back Equitable’.

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Maria Ferraro was appointed Member of the Executive Board and Chief Financial Officer of Siemens Energy AG and Member of the Executive Board and Chief Financial Officer of Siemens Energy Management GmbH effective May 1, 2020. Prior to her appointment, she held several senior management positions in Corporate Finance within Siemens in the United Kingdom, as well as in Canada, Germany and the United States. Before being appointed Chief Financial Officer of Siemens Energy, Maria Ferraro held the position of Chief Financial Officer for the Operating Company Digital Industries as well as Chief Diversity Officer at Siemens AG. Maria Ferraro was born and educated in Canada. She is a designated Chartered Accountant and spent her early career with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Nortel Networks, holding a variety of roles in Canada and on a global level whilst gaining in-depth experience in European and Asian markets. 

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Kathy Martinez an internationally recognized and disability rights leader, joined Disability Rights Advocates as President/CEO in March 2021 after having spent six years as SVP, Head of Disability and Accessibility Strategy for Wells Fargo. While with Wells Fargo, Kathy helped to weave disability into the overall diversity agenda to expand the bank’s capabilities and programs to better serve both employees and customers with disabilities.
Previously, she served as Assistant Secretary of The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) at the U.S. Department of Labor. Martinez led ODEP in putting policy priorities into practice through several innovative grant programs. These include Add Us In, through which a nationwide consortia worked to increase the capacity of small businesses to employ people with disabilities. The grant program also included the Employment First State Leadership Mentor Program, through which several states received support to promote community-based, integrated employment as the primary outcome for people with significant disabilities.

She is currently serving on the board of The American Association of People with Disabilities and has served on the boards of The National Council on Disability, the U.S. Institute of Peace, and the State Department’s advisory committee on disability and foreign policy.
A graduate of San Francisco State University, Martinez speaks and publishes on a wide array of topics related to disability employment, including the emergence of disability as an essential component of workplace diversity and inclusion and the importance of expectation in ensuring youth with disabilities grow up with an assumption of work—a topic on which Martinez, who herself was born blind, offers compelling and personal perspective.

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Phyllida is an appearance activist and CEO of Face Equality International. After sustaining life-changing facial scars in a car accident in 2015, she set out to reshape the negative narratives that dictate the public perception of scars and facial differences. She is a passionate face equality campaigner, aiming to gather momentum for the equity and inclusion of the facial difference community. She is a TEDX speaker, occasional artist, and a model with Zebedee Management.

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Morten Bonde is a skilled senior art director with twenty years of experience developing advertising campaigns for brands in Denmark and abroad. He’s worked with both large and small companies and most recently has been responsible for a number of successful LEGO commercials and animated short films. Oh, and he’s legally blind!

Morten has an incurable eye disease, causing him to slowly lose his sight. In 2016, his vision was so severely reduced that his life couldn’t continue as before. His whole world collapsed.

In his book Sentenced to Blindness – Now What? Morten shares how he decided to see possibilities rather than limitations. With research into the human mind, the practice of mindfulness behavior and meditation and four challenges in four months to reprogram his subconscious mind, he shares how he decided to grow bigger than his greatest life-challenge. BLINDNESS!

Today Morten has an active career in the LEGO Group, and is a published author and motivational speaker on self-management and self-motivation.

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Beatriz Gonzalez Mellidez is an inclusive user experience professional based in Germany, Certified Professional in Web Accessibility CPWA (IAAP's WAS+CPACC) and User Requirements Engineer (CPUX-UR). 
Her current role is Principal Product Designer at SinnerSchrader, an Accenture Interactive company. She has worked as a UX consultant across several countries and in five languages. Her passion is problem solving for all, no exceptions. As a member of the German UPA (UXPA) she is mostly active in its accessibility working group, which she leads, contributing to best practice publications and the fronta11y.org article series for GAAD in German. Her interest in accessibility dates back to her teenage years creating websites with plain HTML in Spain. 

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Hector is a Subject Matter Expert in accessibility, assistive technology and disability issues.

Microsoft Tech Evangelist for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Subject Matter Expert in accessibility, assistive technology and disability issues.

Previously, co-creator of the learning curve for eye gaze technology, a pedagogy for children (and often adults) to embrace technology despite complex physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities.

Specialties: Corporate Responsibility, Linking People, Sales, Sales Management, Product Launches, Public Speaking, Product Management, Market Analysis. 

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Graduated from Frankfurt Goethe University in Biochemistry, Alexandra Nothnagel worked in parasitology for the German Federal Agency of the German Federal Ministry of Health Paul-Ehrlich-Institute and as an Early Stage Researcher in Molecular Neurobiology with a Marie S. Curie Fellowship at ENS Paris. Alexandra is founder of the ResearchAbility initiative, an international multi-association project fostering inclusivity by supporting the careers of students and researchers with disabilities and assisting in making their professional environment accessible. Alexandra quickly became the Co-lead of the Diversity & Inclusivity working group in Marie Curie Alumni Association, since 2019 she is in the Board of directors of the French federation for students and young professionals with disabilities “100% Handinamique” where she leads the working group for students interested in science careers. Since 2020, Alexandra has a Proxy mandate for the French National Advisory Council for People with Disabilities in the working Group “European and international questions, application of conventions”. Alexandra joined Atos as Java techno-functional consultant and became certified Agile Scrum Product Owner naturally providing Accessibility consulting in her client projects with Public Sector and Defense as well as Health & Life Science client projects. As a consequence of her passion and activities for Accessibility and Inclusion, Alexandra became Assistant Program Manager of Atos Global Accessibility & Digital Inclusion Governance. In accordance with her scientific profile. Making use of her deep knowledge in Life Sciences and Biotechnology, being the former President of the Young European Biotech Network, Alexandra also joined the Atos Scientific Community focusing on the Augmented Humans & Co-Bots track. Alexandra lives with a chronic rare disease and is a Zebra in the autism spectrum, she advocates for inclusive societies and is working on the exchange between different groups of people with disabilities searching for conditions that favour the inclusion for all.

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Judge Ginger Lerner-Wren was elected Broward County Court Judge, (17 th Judicial Circuit,
Florida) in 1997; where she pioneered America’s first specialized Mental Health Court; dedicated to the decriminalization and diversion of persons arrested with mental illness, and neurocognitive disorders.

The Court is a national and global model; and has diverted over 23,000 women and men out of Broward County’s jail.

The Court was the model for The American Law Enforcement and Mental Health Project. This Congressional legislation piloted 100 mental health courts in the U.S. (2000).

Judge Wren has received many honors for her pioneering work: She was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on The President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. (2002). Voted Top 3 Finalists for the 2013 “Innovating Justice Awards” by The Hague
International Institute for Innovation of Law Foundation (HIIL Foundation) for the Mental. In 2015, The National Council for Behavioral Excellence in Advocacy Award for Elected Service in 2015.

Judge Wren is a Professor at Nova Southeastern University, College of Psychology and Neuroscience, and NSU Criminal Justice Institute.

She is an Author, A Court of Refuge: Stories from the Bench of America and First Mental Health Court; Judge Wren is a global speaker on Mental Health & Criminal Justice, Problem-solving Justice and Leading Cultural Change.

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Jessica McKay, Anthony Vasquez, Erica Braverman – 19th of October 2021, 8 pm GMT

Before becoming Knowbility’s Director of Community programs, Jay started her journey in education. First as a music therapist and then as an assistive technology specialist, with the goal of building inclusive learning environments for all. She serves as an advisory member for the National Center for Accessible Educational Materials, the Center on Inclusive Technology & Educational Systems and the State Leaders of Assistive Technology in Education.

With experience in community organizing, Jay understands the value of people power, building relationships and holding each other accountable to create more equitable and inclusive spaces.

She will graduate from California State University Northridge with a Master of Science in Assistive Technology and Human Services in December 2021

Erica is from Michigan and moved to Austin to serve in AmeriCorps. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Michigan, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Wayne State University and a certificate in UX Design from UC San Diego.

Erica started as a volunteer with Knowbility and competed in AIR in 2019 before joining the team. Prior to this she was a teacher working primarily with English learners. One of her first experiences with internet accessibility involved learning about the types of barriers that her students experienced when they interacted with English language mobile apps.

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Gavin Neate Founder and CEO of Neatbox

18 years working directly with disabled people in the charity sector combined with his determination to address the challenges his clients were facing on a daily basis led Gavin start his own solution led company. His unique skills and passion for positive change make him a superb evangelist for equality, diversity and inclusion.

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Genius Within CIC is a social enterprise established by Dr Nancy Doyle in 2011 to help neurominorities unlock their talents, whilst acknowledging and celebrating that this diversity forms part of the rich tapestry of human experience.

Genius Within is aware that many Neurominority children and their families remain unsupported. For this reason, they created Blooming Genius, an independently run subsidiary of Genius Within CIC.

The team behind Blooming Genius come from various backgrounds and experience, but they all share the hope and passion to support neurodiverse / neurodivergent youth in the UK.

Blooming Genius wish to support neurodiverse / neurodivergent youth to reach their full potential at any level of education, and to lead healthy, successful lives. Blooming Genius also aim to help parents/carers and professionals create a secure and inclusive network of support for every child or young adult.

Before Blooming Genius begin supporting the community, they are asking those who are neurodiverse / neurodivergent and under 21 years old, or their parents/carers/guardians/SENCos/advocates, to complete a short survey that will highlight the priorities for Blooming Genius to include in their work.

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Kate Nicholson, JD, is a health policy and civil rights attorney and a nationally-recognized expert on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She served in the U.S. Department of Justice’s civil rights division for 18 years, where she litigated and managed cases, coordinated federal disability policy, and drafted the current ADA regulations.

Kate developed intractable pain after a surgical mishap left her unable to sit or stand and severely limited in walking for many years. During those years, she used opioid pain medication integrated with adjunctive therapies in order to continue to work and function. She gave the TEDx talk, What We Lose When We Undertreat Pain, and speaks widely at universities and conferences and to physicians groups.

Kate has published pieces on this topic in The Washington Post, the LA Times, The Chicago Tribune, the Miami Herald, the Hill, and STATnews, among others, and is writing a book. She has appeared on public radio, Stand Up with Pete Dominick, and The Roy Green Show, and has given interviews to Fox News, Vice, BBC, and others.

She is Co-Chair of the Chronic Pain/Opioid Task Force for the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) and was recently appointed to the Opioid Workgroup of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She regularly collaborates with drug policy, civil rights, disability rights and pain awareness organizations. She is also a 2019-20 Mayday Pain & Society Fellow.

Kate was a Senior Fellow at Dartmouth College and is a graduate of Harvard Law School.

Dawn Gibson is a health writer and disability activist best known for her work with arthritis patients, chronic pain, less evident disabilities, and eldercare. Dawn live tweets her advocacy trips and vacations to normalize chronic pain, disability travel accommodations, and highlight disabled folks moving freely through society.

She founded the Spoonie Chat Twitter community in 2013 and remains active in various disability communities. Some of her favorite things include Detroit Tigers baseball on the radio, hand raising butterflies, and Christmas trees and faux gingerbread houses. Dawn dyslexia, spondyloarthritis, and serious food allergies.

Charis Hill is an award-winning queer disabled chronic disease advocate, writer, speaker, and model living with Axial Spondyloarthritis (formerly Ankylosing Spondilitis), autism, major depressive disorder, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Charis’ story has been featured in dozens of publications and media outlets including Arthritis Today magazine, Mother Jones, CNBC, the Associated Press, and in the documentary film Becoming Incurable. Charis has also been instrumental in creating spondyloarthritis disease treatment guidelines; designing and conducting patient-centered rheumatological research; forming international criteria for disease treatment outcomes; and creating research guidelines. They are involved in national/international advocacy, and are the co-founder of #HighRiskCovid19.

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Felipe Betancur, inventor, social innovator, passionate about technology, innovation, entrepreneurship. Postgraduate in Accessibility and Design for all. Rebel against social inequality, I constantly seek to creatively help people with disabilities, the elderly and those who may need a boost in their ideas and projects to improve their quality of life. 

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June Lowery is Head of Unit and Deputy to the Director at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content & Technology (DG CNECT). She has worked for the EU institutions in Luxembourg for the past 25 years in a wide variety of fields including publications, finance, logistics, and digital inclusion. Her current responsibilities include web accessibility, language technology and online safety for children. She is also the CNECT equality coordinator. She is passionate about her job, and about making the digital world safer for children, and more accessible, inclusive and multilingual for all. 

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Antonio Santos is a Social Media Business Evangelist and Senior Data Intelligence Expert, at Atos, focusing on Digital Inclusion, Social Media Engagement, and Social Business. He is a Sociologist with expertise on Applied Research; he previously worked in the Media, Military, Public Sector and Telecom before joining Siemens IT in 2006 in Cork and Atos in 2011. According to Onalytica who measures online presence and influence, Antonio is the 3rd most influential employee in the world, in Consulting based on data from Twitter and LinkedIn and number one on Sustainability amongst employees of the 48 most important consulting companies globally.

In 2014 with Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken he creates axschat. A weekly Twitter chat on diversity and inclusion, who become the most popular twitter conversation on that topic over the last six years. AXSChat was chosen by Valuable 500 CEO Caroline Casey to become one of their primary media partners and to support their efforts to create a community to revolutionise disability inclusion through business leadership and opportunity.

Debra Ruh is a seasoned entrepreneur that focuses on Global Disability Inclusion, ICT Accessibility, EmployAbility, Marketing and Communications Strategies and Digital Media. She has provided global leadership to governments, corporations, NGOs and DPO’s (Disability Persons Organizations) all over the world supporting research, outreach, marketing strategies, policy and standards initiatives with public- and private-sector. Policy, Legislative and Technical Experience includes the United Nations Convention of Rights for People with Disabilities (CRPD), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 503, 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, W3C, WCAG 2.0 and ISO. Debra is also a seasoned Entrepreneur (founder of three firms): Ruh Global Communications, TecAccess, Strategic Performance Solutions.

Neil currently works for Atos as Head of Accessibility & Inclusion where his role is to help make the world a better place by delivering better technology for our customers and staff, embedding inclusive practice into the Business As Usual Processes of organisations with thousands of employees and turnovers numbering in billions.

He created the Atos Centre of Competence encompassing Accessibility, Inclusive Design and Assistive Technology Services. This team now services multiple accounts and delivers best practice, support and consultancy for the organisation. www.atos.net/iux

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Gregg Vanderheiden is Professor and Director of Trace R&D Center at the University of Maryland. He has been in the field of technology and disability for 50 years, authored the first computer and the first web accessibility guidelines, was an author and chair of the WCAG guidelines working group, and his accessibility techniques and technologies are built into every copy of Windows, macOS, and iOS. His accessibility work is also found in kiosks, voting machines, airline terminals, ticket machines, and automated postal machines across the country.

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Christine is the Founder and Managing Director of Open Inclusion. She’s an economist by trade, a disability inclusive researcher, designer and innovator by practice, and practical problem solver by nature. She helps organizations better understand and improve experiences across all brand touchpoints (digital, physical, customer service and communications) through a deeper understanding of the needs of consumers or employees who sense, move, think or feel differently. This is provided by conducting high quality inclusive user research engaging Open’s diverse insight community. Christine has been leveraging digital capabilities, specifically including emerging technologies for over two decades to solve unmet consumer needs, solve them better, or more efficiently. She leads the global Inclusive Design for XR community for XRAccess, is an advisor for a number of innovative digital startups in fintech, health tech and robotic mobility, and is an advisor to the British Standards Institute committee for wayfinding. Open Inclusion is a proud partner to the Valuable 500 and for pan-disability research for the RNIB. Christine has a BEc/BA (Asian Studies), from the Australian National University and MBA from the Australian Gradate School of Management. She is an active member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and is involved in building the inclusive research skills development capability at Unlimited, the new disability inclusive community there. She holds a CPACC from the International Association fo Accessibility Professionals. 

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Matt Gibson & Ramon Lapenta – 17th of July 2021, 8 pm GMT
Matt Gibson is a Director at Cyber-Duck, a user-centric digital transformation agency based out of the UK.

He helps oversee all aspects of the production lifecycle, including research, design, and delivery of products and services, for organisations like Sport England, Compare the Market, and the Bank of England.

As a BIMA Hot 100 top creative in the UK, he is a champion for inclusive design, and accessibility best practices, levelling up Cyber-Duck’s team and clients’ awareness and knowledge. He truly believes in the universality of the web, and the power that inclusive design has in creating better experiences for everyone.

Ramon Lapenta, also works at Cyber-Duck, and he is a technical lead and senior front-end engineer. He spent the best part of the last 20 years building things for the web, and most of his life involved in the design industry. Working at Cyber-Duck allows him to interact with people from very different backgrounds, and to learn to adapt is work to cater for many different needs, which eventually turned me to working with Accessibility.

As a champion for Accessibility in his company, with Matt, they get to help their team to understand those needs and to work with an open mind for inclusive design, and building a web that’s helpful for everyone.

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Meghan McLean is the Senior Vice President of Sports for the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games. She is responsible for planning and executing a sport competition in 19 Olympic type sports for 4300 Special Olympics participants across North America. Meghan is leading the charge to increase participation by 50% regard to both the number of participants and the number of sports offered at USA Games. With a specific focus on increasing the athlete experience Meghan has identified and negotiated 10 sport venue contracts at state-of-the- art sport facilities across central Florida. Meghan and her team are responsible for planning and executing every aspect of the athletes’ competition experience to ensure athletes have the platform to compete and succeed. Prior to joining the 2022 USA Games Organizing Committee, she served as Senior Director of Sports and Programs for Special Olympics Florida. Her accomplishments while at SOFL include increasing Special Olympics athlete participation 120% by growing the program from 26,533 to 58,466 athletes served Meghan’s ability to not only handle, but enhance and expand, important programs for Special Olympics made her made her a vital team member of the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games bid team that won the bid to host the 2022 USA Games.

She is an experienced non-profit executive with a demonstrated history of working in the sport management industry with a particular focus on event management and operations. Meghan also has experience as a consultant for Special Olympics North America where she advised Special Olympics programs across North America on best practices in coach education and event execution. Meghan is driven by the belief that sport can change lives and looks forward to using the 2022 USA Games as a platform to transform the lives of people with disabilities across North America.

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Richard is Head of Accessibility at CDDO (Central Digital and Data Office). He focuses on building accessibility capability and culture in central government and the wider public sector through Accessibility Empathy Lab sessions, clinics, training, talks and webinars, and manages the cross government accessibility communities.

Until April 2021 the accessibility monitoring and capability functions were within GDS (Government Digital Service), and this work now continues through CDDO. 

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Debra Ruh is a seasoned entrepreneur that focuses on Global Disability Inclusion, ICT Accessibility, EmployAbility, Marketing and Communications Strategies and Digital Media. She has provided global leadership to governments, corporations, NGOs and DPO’s (Disability Persons Organizations) all over the world supporting research, outreach, marketing strategies, policy and standards initiatives with public- and private-sector. Policy, Legislative and Technical Experience includes the United Nations Convention of Rights for People with Disabilities (CRPD), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 503, 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, W3C, WCAG 2.0 and ISO. Debra is also a seasoned Entrepreneur (founder of three firms): Ruh Global Communications, TecAccess, Strategic Performance Solutions.

Debra is passionate about Social Media and a Thought Leader and Blogger on ICT Accessibility and Disability Inclusion on social media channels with over 130,000 followers. Social media mediums include Twitter, Linked-In, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, G+ and other platforms. Work featured in major mediums including CBS, CNN, PBS, ABC, NBC, NPR, INC, Publishers Weekly, Fortune Magazine, US News & World Report, America’s Best, Washington Technology, and Bloomberg Business Week. Debra has published many white papers, is a newsletter editor for IAAP and a Published Author of two books:

Neil currently works for Atos as Head of Accessibility & Inclusion where his role is to help make the world a better place by delivering better technology for our customers and staff, embedding inclusive practice into the Business As Usual Processes of organisations with thousands of employees and turnovers numbering in billions.

He created the Atos Centre of Competence encompassing Accessibility, Inclusive Design and Assistive Technology Services. This team now services multiple accounts and delivers best practice, support and consultancy for the organisation. www.atos.net/iux

He delivers strategy and services working with a wide range of clients internally and externally helping them to develop policies, processes and technology solutions to meet the needs of their staff and customers. These clients include: BBC, Department of Health, Ministry of Justice, Insolvency Service, and NHS.

He is the Atos representative on the Business Disability Forum Technology Task Force and has successfully instigated the adoption of and implemented the Accessible Technology charter.

Neil is also an invited expert and contributor to theW3C Cognitive Accessibility Taskforce.

Antonio Santos is a Social Media Business Evangelist and Senior Data Intelligence Expert, at Atos, focusing on Digital Inclusion, Social Media Engagement, and Social Business. He is a Sociologist with expertise on Applied Research; he previously worked in the Media, Military, Public Sector and Telecom before joining Siemens IT in 2006 in Cork and Atos in 2011. According to Onalytica who measures online presence and influence, Antonio is the 3rd most influential employee in the world, in Consulting based on data from Twitter and LinkedIn and number one on Sustainability amongst employees of the 48 most important consulting companies globally.

In 2014 with Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken he creates axschat. A weekly Twitter chat on diversity and inclusion, who become the most popular twitter conversation on that topic over the last six years. AXSChat was chosen by Valuable 500 CEO Caroline Casey to become one of their primary media partners and to support their efforts to create a community to revolutionise disability inclusion through business leadership

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Jourdan Saunders, MS, CCC-SLP, has been a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) for over 10 years using her expertise  as the CEO & Founder of The Resource Key which focuses on Inclusive Branding to ensure People with Disabilities are included, and making meaningful connections with brands. 

Jourdan was awarded LinkedIn Top Voices 2020: Equity in the Workplace, established one of the first resource websites for students interested in the field of Speech Language Pathology (www.futureslps.com) which has received recognition worldwide, owner of one of the largest SLP resources groups on LinkedIn with over 18,000 members. Her work has been featured in USA Gymnastics, American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA), MarketWatch, Fast Company, PopSugar, Association of University Centers on Disability, and Kennedy Center.

Jourdan has developed inclusive gymnastics programs, reading literacy programs, and is the author of Our Reading Literacy Kitchen: Fresh Approaches to Target Reading Literacy Skills. Her creativity, leadership, and diverse skillset is evident from her work as an advisor to companies and organizations ranging from digital speech therapy, gymnastics, international reading literacy initiatives, culinary industry technology platform, and many more.  

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Mark Wilcock is an Accessibility Specialist at Atos, CPWA Certified, an ex-contributing member of the W3C WCAG Working Group for WCAG 2.1 in the W3C Cognitive Accessibility Taskforce and an Atos Expert for Immersive Experiences.

He is the co-chair for the development of the Digital Accessibility Specialist Apprenticeship standard, the first apprenticeship standard globally solely for Accessibility.

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Action researcher, social entrepreneur, equality advocate.

Anthony’s work focuses on technology policy and practice. He is an internationally recognized expert in universal design of information and communication technology (ICT). He leads several large-scale research and innovation projects based in over 27 countries.

Anthony is an Associate Professor of Universal Design of ICT at the Department of Computer Science at Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet). He maintains several international appointments including at the Harvard Law School Project on Disability at Harvard Law School, the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, the Department of Science and Informatics at the University of Eduardo Mondlane, and the Department of Education at Roma Tre University.

He works with the United Nations (UN) International Telecommunications Union (ITU) as the Vice Rapporteur for the subcommittee on ICT Accessibility and Research Coalition lead for the EQUALS Global Network. He is founder and Chair of the Board for the Global Universal Design Commission Europe AS, and Ser Innovation AS. He is a member of the board for Mfano Design Lab, the Global Universal Design Commission, Inclusive-IT, and Humans for Humans. He has been a member of the Association for Computing Machinery’s (ACM) Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion and was awarded a Marie Curie Fellowship as part of the DREAM research network.

Since 2014, Anthony has acted as a principal investigator for research and innovation projects with budgets totaling over 11 million EUR. He has authored over 47 peer-reviewed academic publications in leading international journals. Anthony has taught over 3,000 students. He has mentored over 23 startups, half of which have been led by women.

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As CTO, Ryan is responsible for leading and directing Texthelp’s team of engineers to deliver assistive technology and accessibility products that are used by tens of millions of people every day around the world. With a customer base that spans educational institutions and corporates alike, he ensures that Texthelp’s products are safe, secure and easy to use.

Texthelp believes in a world where difference, disability or language are no longer barriers. It is focused on helping all people learn, understand and communicate through the use of digital inclusion and accessibility tools.

Having started his career as a software developer, Ryan is passionate about all aspects of technology and the innovations that can be created with it. He carries this enthusiasm across Texthelp’s suite of products and hopes to help even more people around the globe to understand and be understood.

Believing it’s important to have purpose and give back, Ryan regards himself as incredibly fortunate to work in a sector that has such a positive impact on society, while using technologies that are so compelling to work with. 

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Access Israel, established in Israel in 1999, is the first non-profit organization in Israel whose main mission is to promote accessibility and inclusion to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities and the elderly

Access Israel strives to make Israel a place where people with various disabilities are integrated into society with dignity, respect, equal rights and maximum independence.

Since its establishment, Access Israel has revolutionized the quality of life and accessibility for hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities and elderly in Israel, and has become a leading organization worldwide and a model for making businesses, governmental, academic, and non-profit organizations fully accessible.

These achievements result from a wide range of innovative projects, ongoing awareness activities, and improvement of business models aimed at making Israel an accessible place.

Access Israel makes it an issue to act in all sectors of life, in all geographical areas in Israel with an emphasis on the periphery to make Israel more accessible and inclusive for 100% of its population (and possible guests from abroad).

Over the years, the organization has succeeded in promoting the topic of accessibility and giving a voice to the disabled population. Promoting legislation, raising awareness, unique accessibility consulting methods, web portal, complaint center, accessibility training, accessibility in education, accessible culture, tourism, and more.

We are now aiming to enable the future digital era, making sure it's accessible and usable on day one for people with disabilities and the elderly.

Access Israel also aims to share its experience and knowledge regarding accessibility so that countries from all over the world can learn and implement.

Accessibility and integration of people with disabilities in Israel have come a long way since Access Israel was founded, but there is still much to do.

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Neil has been recognised as one of Britain’s most accomplished entrepreneurs. Alongside his business successes he is well known on the international disability stage, himself being blind.​
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GoodMaps revolutionary indoor navigation solution transforms the built environment into an inclusive space for everyone. Making a wide variety of locations; office, transport hub, educational setting, hospital, shopping mall; along with countless other examples, entirely accessible. Delivering upon the Access For All ethos celebrated in Global Accessibility Awareness Day. 

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With more than a decade of experience developing and demonstrating accessible technology in mobile, web and artificial intelligence, Heather Dowdy is passionate about connecting the dots across disability, race, and tech. She currently manages Accessibility Skilling at Microsoft, with a focus on making the future of work more inclusive. Heather is responsible for the global partnership strategy to scale skilling opportunities that lead to employment for people with disabilities.

Before relocating to Redmond, she was the Senior Product Manager of Accessibility Engineering at Motorola Mobility in Chicago. Heather has served as Chair of the Accessibility Working Group (AWG) of the Mobile Manufacturers’ Forum (MMF) and Chair of the Board of Directors of the World Institute on Disability (WID).

As the oldest daughter of Deaf parents, Heather is fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). She loves using the design thinking process to create solutions that empower marginalized communities and improve usability for everyone. A strong believer in empowering communities through education and benevolence, Heather is the co-founder of Microsoft Ninja Camp and a Board member of deaf Kids Code providing STEM leadership training to high school students with disabilities. Heather obtained her Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A native Chicagoan, she can now be found exploring the beauty of the Pacific Northwest with her husband and three young children. Heather also enjoys reading, journaling, and interacting with different cultures while traveling abroad

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Dr. LaMondre Pough

LaMondre is a passionate speaker, mentor, and a recognized leader for the community of People with Disabilities.

As CEO of Billion Strong, he brings to the position his natural ability to empower audiences to embrace diversity and create environments where people genuinely belong.

Diagnosed before his second birthday with spinal muscular atrophy, Pough challenges people to find purpose and ways to improve themselves in every circumstance.

In addition to his role as CEO of Billion Strong, he serves as the Chief Sustainability Officer for Ruh Global IMPACT, Chairman of Arts Access South Carolina.

LaMondre was recently inducted into the Susan Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame, Class of 2020, for his unwavering work supporting disability justice, racial justice, and COVID-19 related issues that impact the disabled community.

Her believes that developing a positive disability identity is a key component to uniting and elevating the community.

He says, “it is vital to create environments where people with disabilities are invested and supported and can learn about the experiences of others with disabilities.

A community by people with disabilities for people with disabilities. Focusing on identity is critical when we can talk about our lived experiences with disabilities.

We all benefit by sharing our stories and letting others know what is happening worldwide. Much work has been done, but there is still a lot more that needs to be accomplished.”

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Orla has been involved with live captioning delivery for nearly 30 years. 15 years with the BBC as part of the team managing 5%-100% subtitled content across the BBC. Orla was responsible for managing captioners and researchers, delivery and project management looking at the varied broadcast content on the channel: drama, game shows, political chat shows, 24-hour news, music festivals, sports coverage, children’s programmes and writing protocols, that are still in use today, for successful live captioning of each genre. Moving on from the BBC into events and direct to client delivery, Orla set up MyClearText with Elaine McCarthy to support clients and captioners to deliver high standards of live captioning and technical expertise in the delivery to ensure the best end product to end users. Working with Dan Dexter for many years to remove and overcome barriers to adding captioning accessibility to livestreams for MyClearText, AccessLOOP was created to simplify the delivery of captioning, sign language and language caption translation.

Dan is a highly experienced webcast engineer and producer who has worked for over a decade providing high quality streamed events, including product launches for OnePlus (1m+ viewers), Facebook, Asos, Atos, Body Shop, Care Quality Commission, Adobe and Harvey Nicholls plus many more. He has a particular interest in Diversity and Inclusion and has been working for a number of years to make live streaming more accessible.

Dan has been working very closely with Orla and Elaine at MyClearText to work on solutions to make streaming much more accessible. This has resulted in the creation of AccessLOOP. AccessLOOP is the only tool on the market which allows the easy addition of live captioning, multi-language captions and sign language onto any streamed event.

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When Cigdem Knebel struggled to find decodable “big-kid” chapter books a young dyslexic could painlessly read, she began to write one herself for her son. Cigdem is the founder of Simple Words Books. Her mission is to help young dyslexics and early readers with fluency, comprehension, but most importantly, reading-confidence.

She accomplishes this by using many carefully chosen words in her books with the skills of young dyslexics in mind. The attention is put into using many:

-short and one syllable words

short vowels, digraphs and blends
• closed syllables words

high frequency sight words 
• short sentences. 

Cigdem believes that all children love to read. This is no different for children with dyslexia; they just need to find that right book for them. 

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Rosemary Musachio’s life has been based on miracles and dreams. Like any other birth, Rosemary’s was a miracle but with a twist. Since she developed cerebral palsy at birth due to brain damage, Rosemary was presumed a vegetable by the doctor who delivered her.

Yet, another miracle happened when Rosemary proved that doctor dead wrong. For every limitation she has, she has been able to overcome it in one way or another. Although she cannot walk, she dances in her wheelchair to music. Although she cannot talk, she uses a word board to communicate quite eloquently. Although she cannot use her hands to perform daily tasks, she uses a head pointer to type on a keyboard.

Despite all her challenges, Rosemary has been able to accomplish a great deal during her life so far. She has made many of her dreams come true, one of which was becoming a writer. A year after graduating Cleveland States University Magma Cum Laude with a B.A. in Communications, she became a monthly columnist for Sun Newspapers in Cleveland, Ohio. Her column, Bit of a Challenge, was the paper’s most popular column, running for ten years. She also had articles published in The Plain Dealer and Italian Gazette. Additionally, she edited and published two monthly disability-related newsletters, The Able Informer and Ability Age. Issues still roam around the Internet. In her spare time, Rosemary writes poetry. In fact, one of her goals is to publish a book of her poetry.

Besides establishing herself as a writer and a poet, Rosemary has pursued another dream of traveling and setting new heights…literally. She has visited Italy (5 times so far), Germany, Austria, France, and Spain. During one of her visits to Italy, she even met the Pope! She also has a daredevil spirit. Several years ago she did tandem hanggliding in Ridgley, Maryland, where she went up twice at 2500ft and 5000ft. A year afterwards she took a ride on a customized motorcycle through eastern Metroparks and Chagrin Falls in Ohio. She even rode horses on a dude ranch in Colorado. No wonder her motto is “If you don’t accept challenges, you are not living.”

In September 2001, Rosemary saw an ad by TecAccess, a Virginia-based technology company, in a disability newsletter. It needed web testers, so she applied for the position. That commenced her fifteen-year career as an electronic and information technology (E&IT) accessibility analyst. Besides TecAccess, she also has worked for two other similar companies. Working for those companies has allowed Rosemary to present at major disability conferences including California State University, Northridge (CSUN), United States Business Leadership Network, and National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA).

Now that Rosemary is the Chief Accessibility Officer for Ruh Global Communications, she has realized another of her dreams. She is following her father’s footsteps since he was a local public relations man. She also loves the creativity that is involved in being a marketing specialist, crafting content and developing campaigns to convey important messages and ideas to the world. Particularly, Rosemary wants to help persons with disabilities like herself get their voices heard loudly.

When people say how inspiring Rosemary is, she shakes her head and rolls her eyes. Of course, she is humbled by and grateful for the compliment. Yet, she feels there’s nothing inspiring about living life to the fullest despite disabilities. Ironically, her parents and friends have been Rosemary’s inspirations. Without their love and support, she might have ended up where that doctor at the naval hospital insinuated to place her.

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Elaine Katz oversees Kessler Foundation’s comprehensive grant making program and its communications department. During her tenure, the Foundation has awarded $49 million for national and community-based employment programs. Katz works with non-profit organizations in board development, fundraising, marketing, and business development. She serves on the boards of JESPY House, New Jersey Association of People Supporting Employment First, Essex/Newark Disabilities Issues Committee, and program committee of the Council of NJ Grantmakers. She is an appointed member of Empower NYC Advisory Board, Workforce Matters National Steering Committee, ReelAbilities NY Advisory & Council, ReelAbilities 2020 Selection Committee and the NJ Veterans and Community Collaborative Network (VCCN). Elaine served as a member of the Human and Children Services Transition Advisory Committee for Governor-elect Phil Murphy. Elaine received the Community Access Unlimited 2019 Humanitarian Award, 2016 GI Go Fund Jackson Drysdale Civilian of the Year Award and the 2015 Betty Pendler Award from Community Options, Inc.

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Dr. Rachele Hendricks-Sturrup is a health scientist and Health Policy Counsel at the Future of Privacy Forum. Dr. Hendricks-Sturrup’s work involves exploring and addressing ethical, legal, and social issues and implementation barriers at the forefront of health policy and innovation. Her research centers on generating best practices for the use and processing of health and genetics data across the patient-consumer spectrum.

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After graduating from the Vienna University of Economics, Michael Fembek (born 1961) joined GEWINN, an Austrian business magazine, serving between 2000 and 2007 as editor-in-chief.

In 2009 he initiated “Sinnstifter”, a project by Austrian philanthropists, and launched the annual Austrian CSR-Guide on corporate responsibility. In 2010 he joined the Essl Foundation as Programme Manager and – until 2014 – the bauMax group as its Head of Social Affairs.

Since 2011 he is the Director of the Zero Project, a project of the Essl Foundation, and organizes the annual Zero Project Conference in the UN Headquarters in Vienna.

In 2014, he co-initiated the Verband für Gemeinnütziges Stiften, the Austrian philanthropic association, where he serves as Vice President. In 2015, he became the Chair of the Thematic Group on Disabilities within the European Foundation Centre (EFC), in 2016 he co-initiated the Haus der Philanthropie in Vienna, and in 2019 he co-initiated the Sinnbildungsstiftung, a foundation focusing on innovations in education, and now serves as a Board Member.

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Kate Nicholson, JD, is a health policy and civil rights attorney and a nationally-recognized expert on the Americans with Disabilities Act .

She served in the U.S. Department of Justice’s civil rights division for 18 years, where she litigated and managed cases, coordinated federal disability policy, and drafted the current ADA regulations.

Kate developed intractable pain after a surgical mishap left her unable to sit or stand and severely limited in walking for many years. During those years, she used opioid pain medication integrated with adjunctive therapies in order to continue to work and function.

She gave the TEDx talk, What We Lose When We Undertreat Pain, and speaks widely at universities and conferences and to physicians groups.

Kate has published pieces on this topic in The Washington Post, the LA Times, The Chicago Tribune, the Miami Herald, the Hill, and STATnews, among others, and is writing a book. She has appeared on public radio, Stand Up with Pete Dominick, and The Roy Green Show, and has given interviews to Fox News, Vice, BBC, and others.

She is Co-Chair of the Chronic Pain/Opioid Task Force for the National Council on Independent Living and was recently appointed to the Opioid Workgroup of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She regularly collaborates with drug policy, civil rights, disability rights and pain awareness organizations. She is also a 2019-20 Mayday Pain & Society Fellow.

Kate was a Senior Fellow at Dartmouth College and is a graduate of Harvard Law School.

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Antony has been part of the AT industry since 1999, working with manufacturers, publishers, standards organisations and service providers to deliver first class products and customer experience.

In addition to being the co-founder and CEO of Aventido Limited, he has also provided volunteer support for the British Standards Institute, co-created ATEC (the Assistive Technology Exhibition and Conference), been Chair of BATA, and is the first co-Chair of the newly formed DATEurope.

In 2015 Antony was elected Chair of BATA (the British Assistive Technology Association), a UK membership organisation for AT publishers and manufacturers, service providers, the Assessment community, Trainers, AT users, and Blue-Chip organisations. BATA campaigns for the rights and interests of those needing Assistive Technology, working in collaboration with Government departments such as the Cabinet Office, the Home Office, DfE and DWP.

During his tenure at BATA, and recognising the changing commercial and political landscape in Europe, Antony has worked with colleagues from the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to found DATEurope – a new European association to represent the digital assistive technology industry.

Antony has presented on the advancement of assistive technology and the AT industry at events such as ATIA, BETT, ATEC, OneCPD, ATF Switzerland, and The Workplace Health and Wellbeing Show. 

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Nataliya is passionate about an idea of creating a partnership between AI and human intelligence, fusion of a machine and a human brain. She obtained her Ph.D in 2015 in the domain of non-invasive Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) as a part of EHCI team of Université Grenoble-Alpes, France. Most of her projects are focused around EEG-based BCIs in the context of consumer grade applications. Before joining MIT Media Lab – Fluid Interfaces group in 2017, she was a post-doc at Hybrid team (VR/AR), Inria Rennes, France. Nataliya has published and served as a program committee member in conferences and journals such as Nature Scientific Reports, CHI, ACM IDC, Ubicomp, INTERACT, TOCHI, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Plos ONE, IEEE EMBC and ACM AutomotiveUI. She gave 2 TEDx talks. Nataliya worked for the past 12 years on designing solutions to control drones, rolling robots, home appliances using brain activity. These projects were presented to general public and were tested by more than 4000 people in 2015-2019. Nataliya won multiple awards for her work, among which is L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science award she received in 2016. Nataliya was also named as one of 10 Top French Talent 2017 from MIT Innovators Under 35. 

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Kate is the world’s leading authority in ‘Networkology’. 

The science behind the growth of workplace networks and resource groups. 

In April 2014 her book ‘Secrets & Big News’ was published tackling the issue of ‘disclosure’ of disability and what employers can do to help people be themselves at work. 

Kate launched PurpleSpace in October 2015 as the world’s first and only professional development hub for disabled employee networks and resource groups. 

In 2017, Kate created #PurpleLightUp, the global movement that celebrates and draws attention to the economic contribution of the 386 million disabled employees around the world. 

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Matt is the founder of Kakana, a ground-breaking streaming fitness platform for people of all abilities.  Matt previously founded Fitbound and Nvision.  He is also the founder of Fitbound for All, a non-profit that’s mission is to impact the health and well-being of individuals with and without disabilities and make sure all individuals have the opportunity to be included in the health and wellness conversations. Matt is an experienced entrepreneur with a history of creating cutting-edge fitness content, having founded four companies over the past decade.
Resides in Washington, DC

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Married to Jennifer and father of two children Georgia & Noah, and as a family, Michael enjoys travelling, going to the theatre and cinema, as well as live music and scouting events. He first became interested passionately in health service provision when his son was diagnosed with Autism in 2009.

The following year, Michael was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease the following year and quickly became involved in the sphere of rare disease as well. Living as a family with disabilities also fuelled his passion for social enterprise and he formed the first disability reviewing website in the UK – tripability.net. This allows disabled people to add access reviews of places they have been to or hotels they have stayed in and more importantly offered employment to disabled people in Northern Ireland.

Being interested in policy, he became a patient member of the Royal College of GP’s and was quickly asked to join policy groups at the Department of Health and currently chair a group working with patients in the co-production of Multi-Disciplinary Teams for primary healthcare. In 2017, he was awarded an MBE for services to the disabled community in Northern Ireland and appointed chairman of the Centre for Independent Living Northern Ireland.

Most recently he launched AccessoLoo, which is a mobile high dependency restroom (changing places) facility for outdoor events, which will offer inclusion, with dignity for those people with disabilities that require a toilet at outdoor festivals.

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Originally from the Los Angeles area, Joan started her career with KPMG before relocating to Paris, France where she embarked on a 25+ year international career with Disney. A seasoned commercial finance executive, with a CPA, she has held leadership roles across a wide range of businesses – from Film Distribution & Acquisitions to Consumer Products & Retail – at both the Regional and local office Market level, working in Paris, London, Amsterdam & Brussels.
In 2016, inspired by her son, Joan launched “Dysnie” a Social Intrapreneur venture geared toward empowering Dyslexic children to unlock their potential through innovative & inclusive product, inspiring content and community engagement. An eye opener and total game changer, Joan is now taking the professional leap into Social Innovation. In 2020, she was awarded a Fellowship from the Aspen Institute focusing on increasing business value and making the world a better place.

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Simon Minty has delivered consultancy, training and public speaking in the field of diversity, specialising in disability, since early 2000s. Based in London, his work is international. He works with many clients from a small NGO to a multinational corporation. This international work has helped Simon develop a broader under-standing of different cultural approaches to disability. He also has a creative side, helping im-prove the portrayal of disabled people in media and has worked with BBC, Channel 4, Endemol Shine, All Three Media, Warner and Sky. He’s produced numerous videos and co-produced and performed in the sell out Edinburgh Fringe comedy show Ab-normally Funny People in 2005 and 2015. Abnormally Funny People performed virtually for London’s Southbank Centre in 2021 via Zoom. He co-hosts two podcasts, BBC Ouch! and The Way We Roll. His client list is substanAal and includes BBC, Barclays, BriAsh Council, Buckingham Palace, Google, Lloyds Banking and Open Society FoundaAon. In addiAon, Simon is a Non-execuAve director of Motability Opera>ons. He is on the board of The National Theatre and is a trustee of Improbable Theatre and of StopGap Dance. He is an Ambassador to the Business Disability Forum and Busi-ness Disability Interna>onal. He also helped establish the Disability Media Alli-ance Project in California. Simon has a Post Graduate diploma in Dis-ability Management at Work and a BSc (Joint Hons) in Philosophy and Sociology, both from City University in London. A keen traveller, he won the Travel X Travel Writer of the Year 1999 – Best Television Feature for his Channel 4 travel pro-gramme in China. In 2016 GQ named him as one of the 100 best connected men in the UK. He has fea-tured on the Power 100 List of disabled people for many years. He has personal experience of disability being of short stature and limited mobility. He uses a mobility scooter for distance.

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Sarah Stites is the Development Officer for Caritas Aregak Foundation, an organization devoted to supporting young people with disabilities in Gyumri, Armenia. Originally from the Washington, D.C. area, Sarah is passionate about communication, human dignity, cultural exchange and empathy. 

Their primary fundraising needs right now are for three projects, in order of highest - lowest need (in other words, we have more potential fundraising possibilities for projects 2 and 3 than we do for 1): 

1. Renovation of our bakery's cellar

2. Special activities and therapies for children with autism

3. Rehabilitative care for wounded soldiers  

They have written proposals for all three projects, but currently no special "fundraiser" sites.They have a general donation button on our website. We also have ongoing fundraisers on my DonorSee page here. 

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Paul Carter is a journalist who works as senior producer and technology reporter for the BBC. 

He was born without lower arms or legs. He has produced BBC Newsnight, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Travel Show and is a regular member of the team at BBCCLick the flagship technology show for the corporation.

Click has a worldwide audience of around 80 million and is shown on BBC News and BBC Worldwide.  The show regularly covers accessibility and inclusive technology and has a yearly special on accessibility.

Paul cares about technology, diversity and accessibility but is keen to point out that his role is reporting on all technology not just disability specific tech. He was involved in the BBC Leadership Development Programme 2020

You can find Paul on BBC iPlayer or on Twitter
https://twitter.com/paulcarterTV

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Andy Imparato began work in February as the Executive Director of Disability Rights California (DRC) after a high impact career in Washington, DC in disability advocacy and policy. DRC is the federally funded legal services agency that serves Californians with all disabilities across the age spectrum.  While in DC, Imparato served as the Disability Policy Director for Chairman Tom Harkin on the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and as President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, among other roles.  Since joining DRC, Imparato has worked in coalition to protect vital programs and services for people with disabilities and older adults and to prevent discrimination on the basis of disability and age as the State develops crisis care guidelines for rationing ventilators and other limited resources in response to the pandemic.  He grew up in Southern California and is a graduate of Stanford Law School.  His perspective is informed by his lived experience with bipolar disorder. 

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Tara Moss is a Canadian-Australian author of 13 books of fiction and non-fiction, a documentary maker, and an outspoken advocate for human rights and the rights of women, children and people with disabilities. She is an Edna Ryan Award winner and UNICEF Australia’s National Ambassador for Child Survival, and has visited hospitals, maternity wards, refuges and schools as well as Syrian refugee camps in her UNICEF role. In 2014 she was recognised for Outstanding Advocacy for her blog Manus Island: An insider’s report, which helped to break information to the public about the alleged murder of Reza Barati inside the Manus Island Immigration Detention Centre. 

As a disabled woman and ambulatory wheelchair user diagnosed with CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) after a hip injury in 2016, Tara has used her public profile to help de-stigmatize disability, chronic illness and chronic pain. In 2020 she accepted the honorary role of Pain Champion with Pain Australia. In the media and through her page ‘Tara and Wolfie’ (named for one of her first mobility aids), she brings advocacy and visibility to issues of disability and chronic illness, and the need to normalize mobility aids. 

Her latest book is the internationally best-selling novel The War Widow, featuring feminist 1940s PI Billie Walker and her disabled war vet assistant, Sam Baker.

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The James Emmett brand is one of the most recognizable in the field of disability inclusion. James has worked on many of the most visible disability inclusion initiatives with companies like Walgreens, Best Buy, Office Depot/Max, PepsiCo, and Mercy Health. James is the Founder of James Emmett & Company (www.jamesemmettandcompany.com) that provides disability inclusion services to major companies.  He helped plan & execute initiatives that have resulted in over 80,000 jobs for people with disabilities and numerous awards for innovation related to company-owned disability inclusion. James’ career vision is to forever change the business and disability communities by helping hundreds of companies create disability inclusion brands. 

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On this episode of axschat, Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken do a short review of 2020 and changes occurred in relation to accessibility and future of work

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Diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of nine, Abi has used computers and technology to help her succeed throughout her education and in employment. Driven by her own experiences Abi has spent the past 2 decades working to make technology accessible and inclusive for everyone including leading R&D projects into assistive technology innovation and supporting organisations in the public, private and education sector to meet digital accessibility standards and embed inclusive design. She also collaborates with researchers and policymakers to identify best practices for developing assistive technology, improve accessibility standards and regulations.

Abigail James

Abi recently joined the accessibility the Digital Accessibility team at Barclays, responsible for ensuring that the bank’s digital services work for everyone, including disabled customers or colleagues.Barclays has been actively pursuing an accessibility programme for several years and has a public ambition to become the most accessible FTSE company, sharing what works with other businesses. They’re focused on leveraging inclusive technology that enables and empowers everyone to work, bank and reach their full potential. Barclays has seen that their investment in accessible services and support for disabled and older customers has helped hugely during the COVID crisis as customers increasingly do their banking digitally and staff work from home. Abi will be discussing some of the additional support Barclays has added in response to COVID, include proactively contacting potentially vulnerable customers and prioritising them in telephone banking queues or offering cash delivery services and volunteer shopping devices to help customers who are shielding at home pay carers. She will also be reflecting back on how this exceptional year has affected digital channels which has seen millions more customers using more features on their online banking website and mobile banking app and focussed the need for digital banking to be accessible for all.

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"I’m Bianca Prins, Global Head of Accessibility at ING Bank. I’m working on disability inclusion and an accessible ING for all. Ever since 2010 I’ve been working as an activist for disability rights in The Netherlands. My role was political advice impacting new disability legislation. In 2015 the UN CRPD was signed by The Netherlands, that year I started my journey at ING. I started with the disability hiring program ‘Unknown Talent’ as Environment and Social Risk Advisor within Global Risk. My European activities in Brussels, in my advocacy role, showed me the opportunities for disability Inclusion. When I got the question to write a plan for accessibility I jumped on, and before I knew I was pitching for our CIO and found my new role within ING. My world of disability inclusion really opened when I visited my first M-Enabling Conference in Washington. The possibilities I had been reading about became reality, meeting other accessibility leads in global businesses. It was also the moment to realize we’ve got a long road ahead. Because the European market differs quite hugely from the US market when we talk about accessibility and disability inclusion. Ever since, I’ve been working on the masterplan to roll out one global accessibility strategy for ING customer and employees. Making sure we include the disability community in our business and employment, both from a market perspective as well as hiring the best avaible talents.

Key advice: Just start with projects as you go, as we did with the accessible card in 2017. After a small test with ING customers we got advice improving our card, and this led ING Netherlands to launch the first accessible ING debit Card in April 2020.

Key lesson: accessibility is not just HR; accessibility belongs all over the place!

My biggest question: the effect Corona brings to accelerate accessibility and disability inclusion, and risks when business do not include disability inclusion?"

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Aya Abdullah Jibreal – Inclusion and Accessibility Consultant

An Inclusive Design and Accessibility Consultant/Trainer with 7 years of experience in inclusion and accessibility.

• Worked with many entities around Saudi Arabia, exploring successful accessibility adoption for different business environments.
• Saudi Arabia representative at G3ict/Smart Cities for All global initiatives.
• First CPACC certified in Saudi Arabia.
• Certified in Disability Case Management.
• IAAP Strategic Leader in Accessibility (SLiA) initiative committee member.

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Tony Ellis: I am a semi-retired award winning professional Inventor and have licensed 65 products/inventions Worldwide some selling in multi-millions across the Globe like Cube World that I licensed to Mattel.

Tony Ellis

My work is currently in 2 care sectors, Assistive Technology and Assistive Care Robotics (“Tech for Good innovation”) devices for the elderly/disabled – I want to make a big difference in these areas and further use technology to enrich and improve the lives of people (that would benefit from the tech) around the World. I have always wanted to give something back to Society so decided to dedicate my skills to develop radically new (low cost) Assistive Technology. I have now developed 9 unique innovational AT devices. As an example of my AT work, my (low cost) MBT – Turning breath alone into speech/control devices/typing text (emails etc) and enabling gaming also Non-Verbal control of Alexa, Google Home etc.

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Matt May is Adobe’s head of inclusive design. His work includes integrating more equitable design practices across every aspect of the Adobe user experience, training and mentoring the Adobe Design team, and advocating principles of accessibility and inclusive design to the public at large. He lives in Seattle.

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Mei leads the Access and Inclusive Environments team in Arup, specializing in accessibility and inclusion within the built environment. Mei assesses the compatibility of the design in relation to relevant design guidance, regulations and best practice. This includes looking at trends and changing demographics, to consider the impact of current design on future populations, accommodating good design with regard to the lifespan of the building and futureproofing for changes in need.

Mei-Yee Man OramMei has been involved in work both nationally and internationally, and has also been involved in the writing of standards and policies, actively shaping the world of accessibility. Mei is passionate about inclusion in design, and the implications that this has on health and wellbeing, sense of belonging, and opportunity. She is currently working with the International WELL Building Institute as an advisor on their Community feature, challenging the way that buildings are designed to optimize use for all regardless of personal circumstances or identity.

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Megan Lawrence is the Sr. Accessibility Technical Evangelist at Microsoft with 15 years of experience working with the disability community. Dr. Lawrence builds trusted relationships with customers, NGOs, and Assistive Technology partners to further Microsoft’s mission of empowering every person and organization to achieve more through the lens of inclusion. Megan works deeply with customers and the disability community to keep them up-to-date on the latest at Microsoft Accessibility including how we can partner with organizations to help build cultures of digital inclusion and how accessibility is the path to innovation.

Megan Lawrence Dr. Lawrence is the co-chair of the People with Mental Health Conditions discussion group within the Disability employee resource group at Microsoft. She leads the Accessibility User Research Collective (AURC), a partnership with the Shepherd Center, as a way to improve the accessibility of Microsoft products through feedback from people with disabilities. This project engaging the disability community to helps shape the future technology at Microsoft.

Outside of Microsoft, Megan is a board member of the TechSAge Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center focused on developing technology to support people aging-in-place for people living with long term disabilities, and the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Employment of People who are Blind or Have Low Vision.

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Rene Perkins is a serial entrepreneur dedicated to using technology for the good of society and the environment.
She holds an M.Sc. in Finance and investment, and she is a qualified chartered accountant with E&Y and has 8 years’ investment banking experience with HSBC.
Since 2013, she established two start-ups around sustainable transportation solutions in smart cities.

She is now focusing on CityMaaS, using innovative technology to achieve digital inclusion and inclusive travel for people with disabilities and their friends and families.

She has been invited to speak in a number of big conferences across the globe.
In her spare time, she has numerous volunteering, mentoring and advisory positions across the charity and the start-up world.
She enjoys painting, travelling and is a keen foodie especially when it comes to seafood.
Most importantly she is a mum of two young girls who keep her grounded!

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Darryl is an Assistive Technology Innovation Program Manager in the Accessibility Office at Intel.​

He works at the intersection of technology and human experience helping discover new ways for people with disabilities to work, interact, and thrive.​

Darryl’s mission is to connect his passion for AT innovation with Intel’s product development pipeline to make accessible computing experiences available to everyone, regardless of ability.​
 Darryl Adams 

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Candi Castleberry Singleton is the Vice President of Diversity Partnership Strategy & Engagement at Twitter. She is also the founder of the award-winning Dignity & Respect Campaign, which has helped organizations create more inclusive work environments. As an experienced diversity and inclusion leader, she created The Bolt-On to Built-In Model™ featured in her chapter of Crossing the Divide: Intergroup Leadership in a World of Difference. She has developed successful strategies and initiatives in technology, telecommunications, and healthcare including Xerox, Sun Microsystems, Motorola, and UPMC. Candi has served as adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University. She received an MBA from Pepperdine, a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, and completed the Stanford Executive Human Resources program.

Candi CastleberryAndrew is a software engineer at Twitter, in London. He made his first website over 20 years ago, and hasn’t looked back since. Over the course of his career, he has worked in desktop software, publishing, e-commerce, social media, and gaming. He has a passion for building an inclusive and accessible web, and leading with empathy.

When not talking about accessibility and software, you can find Andrew riding his bike, or climbing trees with his family. He’s a big kid at heart

Andrew Hayward

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Antonio Santos is a Social Media Business Evangelist and Senior Data Intelligence Expert, at Atos, focusing on Digital Inclusion, Social Media Engagement, and Social Business. He is a Sociologist with expertise on Applied Research; he previously worked in the Media, Military, Public Sector and Telecom before joining Siemens IT in 2006 in Cork and Atos in 2011. According to Onalytica who measures online presence and influence, Antonio is the 3rd most influential employee in the world, in Consulting based on data from Twitter and LinkedIn and number one on Sustainability amongst employees of the 48 most important consulting companies globally.

In 2014 with Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken he creates axschat. A weekly Twitter chat on diversity and inclusion, who become the most popular twitter conversation on that topic over the last six years. AXSChat was chosen by Valuable 500 CEO Caroline Casey to become one of their primary media partners and to support their efforts to create a community to revolutionise disability inclusion through business leadership and opportunity.

Debra Ruh is a seasoned entrepreneur that focuses on Global Disability Inclusion, ICT Accessibility, EmployAbility, Marketing and Communications Strategies and Digital Media. She has provided global leadership to governments, corporations, NGOs and DPO’s (Disability Persons Organizations) all over the world supporting research, outreach, marketing strategies, policy and standards initiatives with public- and private-sector. Policy, Legislative and Technical Experience includes the United Nations Convention of Rights for People with Disabilities (CRPD), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 503, 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, W3C, WCAG 2.0 and ISO. Debra is also a seasoned Entrepreneur (founder of three firms): Ruh Global Communications, TecAccess, Strategic Performance Solutions.

Neil currently works for Atos as Head of Accessibility & Inclusion where his role is to help make the world a better place by delivering better technology for our customers and staff, embedding inclusive practice into the Business As Usual Processes of organisations with thousands of employees and turnovers numbering in billions.

He created the Atos Centre of Competence encompassing Accessibility, Inclusive Design and Assistive Technology Services. This team now services multiple accounts and delivers best practice, support and consultancy for the organisation. www.atos.net/iux

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken. 

Esther Dakin-Poole is a Council member and Coordinator of the current UK Assistive Products List (UK APL) initiative for The British Assistive Technology Association (BATA) and WHO-GATE Programme, designed to establish which are the most essential assistive products in the UK today. Esther is a Director and Secretary of GAATO, The Global Alliance of Assistive Technology Organizations based in Geneva, Switzerland. She is also Head of Education & Development at Smile Smart Technology, her family’s enterprise who innovate and provide assistive technology to children and adults with complex disabilities and specialise in neuro disability switching, controls and linkages between digital access and mobility training. She has grown up as a carer for her younger sister who has Downs Syndrome and sees her as one of the most enlightening people in her life. Esther’s alma mater is SOAS, University of London where she most recently studied international diplomacy and she has historic regional focus on East and Southern Africa and South-East Asia.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken. 

Andy Black has over 30 years’ experience in tech for learning and inclusion. Renowned in the Noughties for his forty gadgets in forty minutes live demonstration and being digitally resident in most things he should be and some he thinks he now possibly should not have been. He floated the idea of the mobile device (phone) as Lord of the ring’s device or as a tech swiss army knife in the 90’s. He worked as a part of a team horizon scanning emerging technologies in the commercial space with potential uses in education.

Andy as a dyslexic dyspraxia diagnosed in his 50’s but writ large through his whole life experience. Passionate about tech for inclusion be that SMS for deaf learners in further education or specialist stem sign language on 1st gen apple iPod touches back in the early 2000’s.

Andy discovered twitter in early 2008 he believes his live tweeting at events may have got Neil Milliken of #AXSCHAT started on his twitter journey.

He now heads a small but incredibly talented team championing business engagement and accessibility for internal staff in a Government department in the UK.

Andy in 2019 co-founded a Cross Government Group Office 365 Accessibility Group looking at leverage best Accessibility features in O365.

Outside of work he is a non-exec director of a community farm, scout leader passionate is cyclist walker climber lover of the outdoors has two fantastic kids and long suffering talented wife.

He used to shy away from describing himself as a polymath but to be honest I am into a lot of stuff. Maybe too many things for my own good.

Passionate believer in us all striving to be Accessible by Default and that the network human or electronic is the answer to anything, now what is the question.

A colleague once described Andy: “to describe Andy as an out of the box thinker misses the point Andy doesn’t understand what a box is. He will make linkage find opportunities and give that commitment to make a difference to learners.  Frankly at times he is exhausting to work with“

He has in the past been tempted to write an “e- book “entitled “what do when the kit doesn’t work apart from tell jokes (my jokes are terrible by the way). 

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Robert Scoble works with companies that are implementing Spatial Computing technologies, though he is taking time off after finishing “The Infinite Retina” to spend time with his young kids. He is a futurist and technology strategist and the author of three books about technology trends, being the first to report on technologies from autonomous vehicles to Siri. Previous positions include being a strategist at Microsoft, a futurist at Rackspace, Chief Strategy Officer at Infinite Retina, and the producer and host of a video show about technology at Fast Company. 

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Tim Sutton is a 31 year veteran Law Enforcement Officer. After spending 4 years as a patrolman for the Chesterfield County Police Department VA, he was hired by a Sheriff’s Office in the Richmond Metro area of Virginia. Tim then worked as a patrol deputy for two years and then spent four years as a Street Crimes Investigator. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1999 and has been a patrol Sergeant ever since. In 2003, he implemented his agencies Project Lifesaver Program to address the issue of individuals wandering or eloping due to cognitive impairment. He continues to run the program. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from James Madison University.

While overseeing his department’s Project Lifesaver Program, he has interacted extensively with hundreds of families dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia or Autism/Intellectual Disabilities.In 2007, Tim was asked to travel throughout Virginia for the Department of Criminal Justice Services as an instructor for the “Alzheimer’s for First Responders” training. He assisted with the training the training until 2011. In 2011 he was approached by the International Association of Chiefs of Police to assist in teaching the “Alzheimer’s Initiative” throughout the country. As the “Alzheimer’s Initiative ended in 2017, he has continued to travel the United States training public safety officers and conducting Train the Trainer courses on Alzheimer’s Disease. He has partnered with Next Generation Training in co-teaching many of these courses

In 2009, Tim was asked to join the Public Safety Workgroup of Virginia to help develop an Autism Training curriculum for Public Safety in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In the fall of 2010, the pilot class was presented at the Project Lifesaver International Conference in Virginia Beach. He became a member of a team traveling across Virginia conducting the Critical Autism Training (CAT 1). The team was featured in the Washington Post during the spring of 2011 when they trained members of the Fairfax Police Department. As the CAT 1 training ended in 2016, Tim has continued to travel throughout Virginia and different areas of the country conducting Autism/Intellectual Disability Training.

In 2011, Tim’s Law Enforcement agency was involved in one of the largest search and rescue missions in Virginia history. A nine year non-speaking boy with Autism had eloped in a very rural area of the county. For six days a 24 hour search was conducted with the child subsequently being found alive on that sixth day. As the search progressed, there was a pouring out of citizens wanting to help. Tim was assigned to conduct 20 minute classes on Autism for all the citizens who showed up to help with the search. Over the course of 4 days, Tim trained over 6,000 citizens on the unique characteristics of Autism.

Tim continues to work in law enforcement as a patrol supervisor and formed A Better Understanding LLC (www.a-betterunderstanding.com) in 2011 to raise awareness in the area of Special Populations. He continues to travel the country teaching and presenting on topics such as Alzheimer’s Disease, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Intellectual Disabilities, and Developmental Disabilities. Tim has been deemed a subject matter expert by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and The International Association of Chiefs of Police on Alzheimer’s as it relates to Law Enforcement. The Virginia DCJS has also declare him a subject matter expert in the area of Autism/Intellectual Disability as they relate to law enforcement. Tim’s goal with A Better Understanding LLC is to bring a better understanding of these special topics. He is dedicated to promoting “peaceful interaction, leading to positive outcomes”.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken. 

Darren works at Lilly UK (Pharmaceuticals) as a Global Program Manager and Accessibility Lead

He leads a program called Access Lilly, focused on improving accessibility across the globe, in both physical and digital environments

He also leads the Enable Employee Resource Group for the International region, which covers almost every country outside of the US

Passionate about learning and sharing best practices, Darren has sat on various external taskforces with BDF and PurpleSpace. 

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

In 2005 Gareth founded the BBC’s Digital Accessibility Team. Over the course of the first 3 years, the Accessibility Team worked as an integral part of iPlayer’s core Product Team ensuring BBC iPlayer V1.0 launched as an accessible product. The team was joined the UX when the UX Design was founded in 2008.

Gareth Ford WilliamsDavid helps drive consistent quality of visual design and branding across the BBC’s entire online output. He joined the organisation in 2014 after a 16 year career working in the more traditional world of graphic design and branding. In 2012, D&AD included David in its list of ’50 British Creative Greats’ alongside the likes of Paul Smith, Rankin and Terry Gilliam.

David BaileyBruno Maag is an expert typographer with over forty years of expertise in his field. He founded and led Dalton Maag Ltd, the world’s leading studio for typeface design where he worked with some of the best known brands: Amazon, Nokia, Intel, HP, AirBnB, Netflix, Facebook, DHL, FedEx, ABB, BBC, Rakuten amongst many others.

Bruno Maag

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

Susan Mazrui began work in Communications in 1994 at Pacific Bell in Disability Marketing. In 1998, she moved to the wireless field, where she developed corporate strategies for state and federal legal and regulatory compliance. Under her leadership, Cingular Wireless became the first national carrier to offer “talking” cellphones and establish a task force on accessibility. Mazrui worked closely with TDI and the Hearing Loss Association of America and other industry members to address hearing aid and TTY compatibility with digital wireless handsets. At AT&T, Mazrui was instrumental in establishing the Corporate Accessibility Technology Office which has assessed over 50,000 AT&T products and services. She was the architect of AT&T’s Accessibility and Inclusion Program with cross company teams addressing the needs of deaf and disabled employees and their family members. AT&T has consistently received scores of 100 in the Disability Equality Index and the National Organization on Disability’s Leading Disability Employer. Mazrui was named a Corporate Fellow by the Summit on Leading Diversity and inducted into the Spinal Cord Injury Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2013, she was recognized as Employee of the Year by Careers and the disABLED, and in 2014 by AT&T as a Champion of Diversity. In 2016, she received the Digital Accessibility Leadership Award from G3ict and the Stephen Garff Marriott Award for mentoring from American Foundation for the Blind. In 2019, Mazrui was honored by The Community of Connection and TDI for her work in the disability field. She has served several terms on Federal Advisory Committees, is on the boards of the U.S. International Council on Disability, the World Institute on Disability and G3ict. Mazrui lives with her husband, Jamal, and daughter, Nicole, in Seattle. When not working, Mazrui enjoys Dragon Boating, visiting Disneyland and performing stand-up comedy.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

Sophie is an award-winning disability advocate & social entrepreneur who was paralysed in a car crash when she was 18 years old. Determined to channel her adversity into opportunity, she sees her challenges as a unique chance for creativity.

She embodies her values; finding creative opportunity in diversity and adversity, and daring to be different, she proves the value and power of true disability representation in all areas of her work and life.

Sophie can be found presenting most Live Para Sport events on Channel 4 as well as hard-hitting current affairs programs such as Dispatches and Unreported World. She is also a board member for Ofcom, the UK government- approved regulatory broadcast authority.

In spring 2021 Sophie’s debut book will be published with Little Brown. The book is part-memoir, part travel log and part coping strategy on how to adapt too life’s challenges, find resilience and create positive change.

She established Sophie Morgan Creative Ltd and is leading the charge to better representation for disabled people in retail, travel and design consulting for large retailers such as Target Corporation and John Lewis & Waitrose.

Global Brand ambassador for Toyota GB and CanAm, Sophie is a passionate adventurer who believes that the right vehicle can transform your world. Sophie is also a judge for Toyota’s Mobility Prize to be announced in 2020. She is also Global Ambassador for Womens Rights and Inclusive Education for Leonard Cheshire, and on the Special Advisory Committee for Human Rights Watch.

Sophie doesn’t just talk – she enables and creates change. In everything she does, from hosting Global Disability Summits to working along side global mega brands such as Air BnB or GoPro to open their minds to the ‘disability opportunity’ to traveling the world to document abuses in human rights, she lives, breathes and creates the change she wants to see in the world.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

6 years ago, at age 35, Wendy became the Queen of Social Distancing when she became a disabled chronic Lyme disease fighter. Feeling exhaustion, pain and like daily flu with autoimmunity issues that makes Wendy catch what sicknesses others have when in groups — meant she couldn’t travel on a plane, go to work meetings or even go with her boys to their school events.

In 2015 from her recliner, she invented the YES to SEX app, a safe way to learn about sexual consent. It was then that she realized if domestic violence event began around a sexual encounter — no one could just sit-up or run to the bathroom with their phone and have a conversation asking for Emergency help. She also learned that if a person called and hung-up, the Emergency operator would have no idea where they were calling from.

To fix these Emergency Caller issues, in 2016 Wendy invented SafeTracer’s distress transmission: a universal update to the standard “Emergency SOS” caller tools on every smartphone and wearable. This is a completely new user interface designed to stop SOS butt-dials, while it shares every caller’s SOS location and helps protect every victim in an emergency situation, especially people that can’t talk, hear or move when danger strikes.

In 2019, she took on the DisabledCEO title to show the world that even though she is disabled, she can accomplish amazing things — this was inspired by the Valuable 500’s CEOs talking about their invisible disabilities.

Educating the world’s top executives about the problems with Emergency Calls being non-accessible and non-usable to so many millions of victims through social media, while marketing my SafeTracer and disability-focused FastFactsSOS products exclusively online to Apple and Google was a big challenge until COVID-19 hit. Now everyone is working from home, they don’t expect me to fly out to conferences to be able to meet in person — with phone calls and Zoom meetings being commonplace, this works so much better for me!

As a Founder’s Circle member of the Global Alliance Disaster Recovery Acceleration, she ready to help make everyone in this world feel safer and be better protected on every Emergency Call by 2021.

Wendy knows she can make this universal Emergency Caller update happen, and asks for the continued support and backing of the disability community, as convincing big tech’s Public Safety and Accessibility departments about these over-looked lifesaving Emergency Caller needs is not easy, but it is definitely possible — and she patented solutions all ready to help save people from Emergency danger worldwide.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

Lorena Julio is a human rights advocate with a Master in Compared Public Policies and a degree in Social Communication. She worked for more than 14 years in the promotion and protection of human rights in Latin America and the United States.

She participated in multiple high-level events as a speaker on human rights, youth and disabilities in the United States, India, Israel, and many countries in Latin America.

Lorena worked for the Government of Argentina as Head of Press in the Human Rights Secretariat of the Province of Buenos Aires as well as in the Coordination Team of the Vulnerable Groups Assistance Program. In the international arena, Lorena worked in the Organization of American States (OAS) as Program Officer of the Young Forum of the Americas in the framework of the Presidents Summit. After that, she took functions as Communications Officer at the Young Americas Business Trust, leading the youth networks from the Forum. Lorena completed courses on entrepreneurship in Israel and Silicon Valley and a leadership course for social change-makers at Kanthari in India. In 2015 she founded Fundación Comparlante in Argentina to shorten the gap to access education and information for visually impaired persons. Currently, Comparlante promotes equity through universal accessibility.
She was awarded an “Honorable Mention” under Ideas For Action Program by the World Bank and Wharton Business School in 2015 and as “Iconic Woman Creating a better world for all” by Women Economic Forum in 2018.
Fundacion Comparlante was awarded and funded by the Government of Buenos Aires Province and IncluYes by the National Government of Chile in 2018.
In 2020 she joined Jai Jagat Global Peace Campaign. A wake-up call to respond to the current deepening economic, social and environmental crisis.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

Disabled/Wild/Hot AF Exploratory Storyteller and Adventurer. Creating relationships, stories, and magic. A Continual WIP.

Sulaiman is an independent consultant, speaker, and writer on Divergent Leadership, Creativity, and Equitability (characterised by equity or fairness; just and right; fair; reasonable: equitable treatment of all citizens). The igniter of hearts creatively, a disabled wheelchair user exploratory storyteller and adventurer, he loves to create relationships, stories, and magic. Also, Sulaiman is the award-winning Founder and Chief Purpose Officer of ThisAbility Limited, which is a disability-led equity business.

Deeply invested in working towards disability justice and disability solidarity, he works tirelessly to destabilise the accepted narratives of creativity and disability, changing the culture to make equity the default via disabled creativity. And Sulaiman is an active intersectional ally-in-progress and a continual work-in-progress too, relentlessly and unapologetically.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

This Week’s chat is about authoring tools. When we produce content for the web we use authoring tools to publish. How these tools can help produce accessible content can have a profound impact on the overall inclusiveness of the internet.

Mike Gifford is the founder of OpenConcept Consulting Inc, which he started in 1999. Since then, he has been particularly active in developing and extending open source content management systems to allow people to get closer to their content. Before starting OpenConcept, Mike had worked for a number of national NGOs including Oxfam Canada and Friends of the Earth.

Susanna Laurin is Chief Research and Innovation Officer at Funka. Susanna has more than 20 years experience in working with disability-related issues at senior management level. She is a frequent international lecturer and debater and she serves on a number of program committees for conferences in the field of accessibility. In Sweden and Norway, she is a technical expert in several standardisation committees.

Timo Stollenwerk is a Plone core developer and founder of kitconcept, a Plone solution provider from Bonn, Germany. He is a member of the Plone Framework Team, the Plone Release Team, the Plone REST API team and he is leading the Plone Testing & Continuous Integration team.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

Thea Kurdi has nineteen years of experience consulting and teaching accessible architecture with a specialization in universal design. In her role as an accessibility consultant at one of Canada’s oldest and leading specialty firms, Thea has assisted design teams to realize the benefits of universal design and achieve higher levels of accessibility on projects within the education, health care, justice, institutional, commercial, residential, and entertainment sectors. Thea has completed drawing review for over 60 new and renovated buildings, completed building audits for over 150 buildings, and has been a lead or contributing author for over a dozen accessibility standards and manuals.

Thea has participated in the Ontario governments Built Environment forum reviewing accessibility in the Ontario Building Code (OBC) and Accessibility for Ontarian’s with Disabilities Act (AODA), the kick-off forum for the 3rd legislative review of the AODA with his Honour David Onley, federally at consultations on accessibility in architecture for the Canadians with Disabilities Act, and most recently for the new AODA Education standard development committee for both K to 12 and post-secondary accessible building design. She is also a board member with the Universal Design Network of Canada and ArtsBuild Ontario.

Thea Kurdi is a dynamic speaker known for her enthusiasm for teaching. Her most popular course is an Accessibility Bootcamp workshop which empowers participants by teaching them to see the barriers that surround us. She has presented keynote addresses and lectures at local and international events and post secondary design programs. From the human rights code to evidence-based design and increased marketability, Kurdi shares her passion for how accessibility is fundamental to successful architecture.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

Vernon Sankey is a Leadership Coach and Author.

He has been in business for many years during which time he has been the CEO, Chairman and Board member of major international corporations including Reckitt & Colman plc (now Reckitt Benckiser), Pearson plc, Zurich AG, Taylor Woodrow (now Taylor Wimpey), Cofra AG, Firmenich SA, Gala Group plc and Atos SE, where he is a Board member, Chairman of the Audit Committee and Board Member of the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee.

He was also a Governor of Harrow School for fifteen years, a Board member of the UK’s Food Standards Agency, and on the advisory boards of several international companies such as Korn/Ferry International. He is also a former Chairman and co-founder of The Really Effective Development Company (RedCo Ltd) a coaching and mentoring company.

Throughout his career, and enhanced by his years working with RedCo clients, Vernon has applied his cognitive psychology, NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and people skills to mentoring senior executives, celebrities and high profile men and women from many different walks of life and at different stages of their career. As a result of a coaching engagement with a major international company, Vernon was invited to join its Board of Directors.

Vernon has also done and continues to do considerable pro-bono coaching of adults, parents and children. He has lectured extensively on leadership, personal change and development and corporate and individual transformation in the UK and the US, at international conferences around the world and in schools and universities.

In 2018 Vernon published a book called The Stairway to Happiness which includes many of the techniques and lessons of Cognitive Psychology and, in 2019, he co-authored, with Ms Katey Lockwood, a second book called: The Way; Finding Peace in Turbulent Times.

Katey Lockwood is a Personal Transformation Coach and Teacher.

Katey’s personal development skills together with her NLP practitioner background and her knowledge of cognitive psychology and philosophy creates a unique platform for supporting businesses and helping individuals.

Her personal approach is based on two, life-transforming principles, ‘Know Thyself’ and ‘Be the change in the world you want to be.’ Guiding her clients to work introspectively and to discover their true purpose, she helps them find a more effective, happier and successful way of conducting their life and career.

Katey’s clients include business executives, well-known celebrities, sportspeople and people wanting to make changes in their life. She also does voluntary coaching, helping members of the public and friends.

Katey has also been a Trustee of the Katie Piper Foundation, whose vision is to have a world where scars do not limit a person’s function, social inclusion or sense of wellbeing. She worked extensively with Katie herself.

She studied Philosophy at The London School of Economics and has attended numerous courses. Her previous career was in media, during which she has been a model, an actress and on the Harry Potter special effects team.

Katey has been working with Vernon Sankey for several years, has taken part with him in international workshops on stress management, life skills and personal transformation and, in 2019, co-authored a book with him called The Way: Finding Peace in Turbulent Times.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

David is a Costa Rican Political Scientist with his MBA and masters in diplomacy.  He is also a leader, advocate, social media specialist, and communication strategist.  David has experience in public policy implementation, development, and evaluation as well as consultancy services for NGOs like UNESCO and others linked to the European Union. David´s professional background is mainly in work with minorities, ensuring they have access to their rights. 

His primary focus is to expand the vision of Ruh Global IMPACT across the globe and impact the lives of People with Disabilities both in developed and developing countries. He has spoken in Latin America and the US on disability inclusion and accessibility.  He has been asked to be a Visiting Professor on these topics and Future of Work for The University Del Norte in Barranquilla, Colombia. David recently was a keynote speaker at the Future of Work and the Employment of Persons with Disabilities is one of the first conferences on this topic in Colombia.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

E.A. Draffan trained as a Speech and Language Therapist working with those who have complex communication needs and disabilities, before specialising in the use of assistive technologies and issues of digital accessibility. Recent research at the University of Southampton includes ‘AI and Inclusion’ as part of the Alan Turing Institute’s work. This work includes AAC symbol set mapping which links to the work of the W3C WAI WCAG cognitive task force on web-based accessibility for those with cognitive impairments.

E.A. Draffan
E.A also contributes to an EU project for mobile app choices for those with literacy difficulties (A is for App) and a UNICEF project on AAC and Early Intervention. Ongoing commitments with EU AT linked organisations means that the inbox is rarely empty.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

Marcie Roth is Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer for the World Institute on Disability (WID), WID is a highly regarded global public policy centre WID works to advance the rights and opportunities of over 1 billion people with disabilities worldwide by disrupting exclusion and accelerating radical social justice.

Marcie has served in senior and executive leadership roles for national and global disability advocacy and public policy organizations since 1995, establishing and leading coalitions committed to operationalizing disability inclusion as an intersectional imperative for global social justice. Marcie’s focus on improving emergency preparedness and disaster outcomes for people with disabilities and building accessible disaster-resilient communities began in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks while advising the White House on the rights and urgent needs of people with disabilities living in the area around ground zero.

Appointed by President Obama to the U.S Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from 2009 to 2017, Marcie established and directed the Office of Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC). Under her leadership, ODIC led national transformation towards integrating the access and functional needs of the whole community throughout emergency preparedness and disaster response, recovery and mitigation. Ms Roth represented the U.S. government internationally as an expert on whole community inclusive global disaster risk reduction from 2012- 2017, serving as a leader throughout the development and implementation of the United Nations’ Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.

In 2017, Ms Roth established the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies, the only U.S. disability-led organization (DPO) focused exclusively on disability inclusion before, during, and after public health emergencies and disasters.

Marcie is a Harvard University Kennedy School of Government Senior Executive Fellow with a BS in Public Safety Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She maintains offices at WID’s global headquarters located on the Ed Roberts Campus in Berkeley, CA, and in Washington, DC.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

Rajen Nair about himself:

I am semi deaf freelance photojournalist cum writer from Mumbai. I had contributed to Guardian UK and many Indian newspapers. Past 11 years teaching Photography to deaf, disabled and from 7 yrs to cancer kids. Imparted photography skills to more than several thousand students. Also conducted photo workshop over many places in India. Took photo class to underprivileged children of Dharavi. Won award from corporate BPCL. Was selected as one of the Mumbai heroes by radio city. Have several citations given by NGOs and institutions. Started Instagram account for deaf and cancer kids during the lockdown.

Rajen NairRajen Nair teachingRajen Nair teachingRajen Nair teaching

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

James Partridge is the Director of Face Equality International, a Guernsey charity which he launched in November 2018. Face Equality International is an alliance of NGOs and charities around the world — already 35-strong — which work together to campaign for ‘face equality’ and challenge disfigurement prejudice and discrimination. The alliance’s website is here: www.faceequalityinternational.org.

Previously, he was the Founder (in 1992) and was until September 2017, Chief Executive of Changing Faces, the leading UK charity supporting and representing people with disfigurements, www.changingfaces.org.uk. He launched the charity after the positive response to his book (passing on lessons from his experience of severe facial burns at the age of 18), published by Penguin (1990), Changing Faces: The Challenge of Facial Disfigurement (available from JP).

James PartridgeHe writes and presents widely on disfigurement, disability, inclusion and social entrepreneurship in the UK and internationally — and achieved an international profile by becoming the first newsreader with a facial disfigurement on any TV news channel, Channel 5, in November 2009 (https://vimeo.com/23585559).

Before setting up Changing Faces in 1992, James worked as a health economist in public health in the NHS in the 1970s, and in the 1980s, he established a dairy farming business in St Andrew’s in Guernsey and taught A level economics at The Ladies’ College.

He has won a number of national awards such as in 2010, the Third Sector award for Most Admired Charity Chief Executive and the Beacon Prize for Leadership. He has also served on public bodies such as the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and the Dept of Health’s Independent Reconfiguration Panel. He has Honorary Doctorates from both Universities in Bristol, his birthplace, and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

He is also a founding Director of Dining with a Difference, a disability consultancy company (www.diningwithadifference.com), and a long-time Associate of Business Disability Forum and Business Disability International.

Married with three grown-up children and six grandchildren, James lives in Guernsey.

In June 2020, his new book ‘FACE IT: Facial Disfigurement and My Fight for Face Equality’ will be published. TO ORDER with a signature: https://jamespartridge.wordpress.com/ordering-face-it-directly/

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

Zara is proud to be Accessibility Director at HeX Productions and Influencer of Accessibility Nottingham. Living the dream and trying to make the world a better place.

Nurturing businesses in best practice use of the internet through strong foundations of accessible web development.

I aspire to be a top business change leader and change the perception of web accessibility in our industry, whilst supporting, teaching and leading others on their journey.

Zara GemmellPassionate about digital creative, web design, coding and programming. I believe, in order to add value in the future digital world, you need to have accessibility awareness with knowledge in design, coding and assistive technology.

With over a decade of business and process-driven administration experience throughout a range of sectors including Construction, Finance, Print and Digital Marketing and now Digital Accessibility, I like adding structure, form and process to proceedings.

I have common sense – which you cannot teach.

I’m interested in the creative arts, painting, photography. Play (now quite badly) the saxophone and drums and have a rather large motorbike.

I am fascinated by Big Data.

If I could flick a switch and change one thing overnight, it would be to make all software (productivity suites, websites, apps, intranets, extranets) accessible and inclusive.
Anyone know a big blue genie?

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken

Sarah Simcoe is an experienced business leader who held several positions within the private sector before embarking on her own business, DMS (Wirral) Ltd, early in 2018; and Sarah may be familiar to you for having previously worked at Fujitsu where she led the conversation around disability networks and accessibility.  Passionate about responsible inclusive practice that is inherently accessible and collaborative, Sarah now supports organisations such as Purple, enei, Druthers Search and PurpleSpace in providing coaching, consultancy, organisational assessment, access auditing and people development to their members and clients.

Given Sarah’s belief in collaboration being essential to inclusion and accessibility, Sarah created and founded EMBED last year.  This consortium brings together inclusion focused consultants and organisations from across sectors and industries to offer accessible, affordable and inclusion focused services – with clients now leveraging this cross-sector expertise and through partnerships with DCN, Druthers and Cleen already in flight, EMBED is encouraging collaboration as a core value and essential ingredient in helping organisations learn lessons from other sectors as they consider and evolve their own inclusion and accessibility.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken

Chris Grant is AbilityNet’s Area Coordinator in Scotland, or “King of Scotland” as he is affectionately known by the central team. Since starting in May 2018, he has completely transformed their free services in Scotland, generating huge growth in the number of volunteers and the hours of free tech support provided to older people and people with disabilities. He has recruited and now manages a team of 25 volunteers who provide telephone, remote and in-person IT support to older people and people with disabilities, with another 25 volunteers in the pipeline. They fix IT problems, give impartial advice and adapt equipment to suit the clients’ individual needs. Alongside this, Chris motivates and supports his volunteer team offering regular meetups, training and one-to-one support & coaching. In Scotland, he is a networking champion, contacting like-minded organisations and charities to spread the word of their free services and increase their impact. There is not a day goes by that he is not making contact with a volunteer, potential volunteer, client, local organisation, or anyone else he can get his hands on (!) to grow the AbilityNet service in Scotland. All this is despite long term health issues that mean he is in constant pain and discomfort. He’s energetic, reliable and truly committed.

Before Chris joined there were just 6 volunteers in the whole of Scotland. Within just one year, Chris had recruited 25 new volunteers and there are now 50 volunteers in his team.. He has interviewed each of these potential candidates, and communicated with them throughout the process so they feel part of a team before they are even actively making visits. He has also set up eight training sessions in Scotland, inviting experts from other organisations or running it himself, covering topics such as Facebook security, Dolphin, Apple software, etc. He instigated and organised their first-ever Scottish volunteer event. Collaborating with RNIB, he set up the day and organised for volunteers and local charities to attend and take part.

He has helped numerous clients. He personally calls every new client to introduce himself, reassure them, and have a good long chat about their IT issues and anything else that’s on their mind. Chris’ persistence, endless energy and commitment is special.

“In recent years, the Scottish volunteer community had become quite dormant, with very few calls coming through. Chris breathed new life into the area, putting an immense amount of energy into working with the existing volunteer group, finding new volunteers and looking at ways to publicise the service so that we find clients who need our services. He’s pretty much the non-stop human dynamo in this regard! He also carefully finds the right balance between providing a professional service to our clients on the one hand and awareness that the people providing the service are volunteers with many other demands on their time on the other. This is a real skill – to get the best response possible from a volunteer workforce, while keeping everyone feeling that they are making a valuable contribution.” Simon Flower, AbilityNet volunteer

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken

Cordelia McGee-Tubb (@cordeliadillon) is a web accessibility specialist and cartoonist. She is a Principal Accessibility Engineer at Salesforce and previously led Dropbox’s accessibility program. She’s passionate about making technology accessible and enjoyable to all, regardless of age, ability, or circumstances. Cordelia currently co-hosts 13 Letters, the accessibility podcast by Be My Eyes, where she has the extreme pleasure of interviewing accessibility professionals about the work they do and why they do it.

An advocate for digital literacy, Cordelia is a technology tutor for Community Tech Network, where she helps senior citizens build up their iPad and internet skills. She’s also just a few classes away from completing her masters in gerontology and is excited to apply what she’s learned towards building better tech-enabled services for older adults.

When not working on web accessibility or doing her homework, Cordelia can often be found drawing comics. She holds an MFA in Comics from California College of the Arts and loves exploring the intersection of accessibility and comics. Her interest areas include comics for blind & low vision readers and using comics as a tool for teaching about accessibility.

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#AXSChat – 21st of April – Kate M. Sonka & Larry GoldbergHosted by Antonio Vieira Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

Kate M. Sonkais the Executive Director of Teach Access and the Assistant Director of Academic Technology at the College of Arts & Letters at Michigan State University. She holds a M.Ed. in Bilingual/Bicultural Education and a TESOL certificate from DePaul University. She improves teaching and learning with technology through course design and support, experiential learning, and training and mentorship for faculty members and students. Her scholarly areas of interest include disability, accessibility, second language acquisition, the role of language in identity development, and the intersection of accessibility and experiential learning.

Kate’s teaching experience includes a first-year writing course for non-native English speakers; a study abroad about language acquisition and global English in China; a study away to Los Angeles where students explore and meet leaders in the film and creative industries; and a study away to Silicon Valley where students engage and build relationships with tech companies around accessibility.

Larry is Senior Director and Head of Accessibility at Verizon Media. In this role, he directs a dedicated team of accessibility professionals and coordinates with thousands of designers and developers to ensure that Verizon Media’s many products, services and media offerings are as accessible as possible to people with disabilities. Verizon Media brands (Yahoo Finance, News, Sports and Lifestyle; Huffington Post, Engadget, Tech Crunch, Makers, AOL, and many others) all have mobile apps and websites that are designed and developed to conform to the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. The brands also produce dozens of daily original programs – virtually all of which are captioned – and provide captions for thousands of partner videos, including content from Bloomberg, Fox Business News, AP, Reuters, MLB, NFL, Conde Nast, the Discovery networks and more. The Verizon Media Accessibility Team also supports major industry-wide efforts to raise the level of accessible technology awareness and understanding, as well as depiction of people with disabilities in the media, through projects such as The Disability Collection, Teach Access and XR Access.

Larry joined Verizon Media in June of 2014, having previously worked at WGBH Boston, where he founded and directed its National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM). NCAM focused on research and development, public policy initiatives and strategic partnerships for global impact on inclusive media and technology. Larry was directly involved in such ground-breaking legislation as the TV Decoder Circuitry Act, The Telecommunications Act of 1996 and the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. He led efforts to create standards adopted by media organizations and the FCC to implement legislated mandates for accessible technology.

Before starting NCAM, Larry directed WGBH’s Media Access Group and its Caption Center and Descriptive Video Service. He holds a patent for “Rear Window,” a theatrical movie captioning system, and developed the market for captioning in movie theaters.

Larry majored in Cinema Studies at SUNY Binghamton and received a BA with honors in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Southern California.

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Nabil has held several positions and worked with numerous INGOs, civil society networks, UN agencies, governments, private sector, and grassroots organizations to successfully create positive change at global, regional, and national levels.

• 20+ years of experience in disability inclusion strategies. Providing counselling, coaching, researches, evaluation & monitoring and ICT accessibility solutions and assistive technology services.
• Develop policies in the field of development, rehabilitation, integration, and empowerment of persons with disabilities.
• Support inclusive communities, a community of disability services in inclusion, social life skills, accessible services in the fields of education, employment, health, and others.
• Author of 6 books about disability inclusion and ICT accessibility

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken
Mark Bullock – Inclusive Sports Development Advisor
Delivering workshops, seminars and guidance to a wide range of stakeholders in inclusive sport & physical activity utilising more than 25 years of experience in Paralympic/disability sport, sports development & the broader social impact of sport. Former Wheelchair Tennis Manager for the International Tennis Federation. Travelled to more than 80 countries developing wheelchair tennis. Attended four Paralympic Games & two Olympic Games. Extensive experience of delivering sports programmes in developing countries. Wheelchair Tennis Liaison Officer for the Championships, Wimbledon. Advisor to Choice International & International Blind Tennis Association 2017-19. Member of IPC Paralympic Games Committee 2014 – 2017. Ambassador for Parallel Global, the world’s first fully inclusive mass participation event. Disabilities Tennis Co-ordinator for Middlesex LTA. Event delivery for Panathlon. Coach Education Tutor for UK Coaching.

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Hosted by Antonio Vieira Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken
Judith Ellen Heumann "Judy" (born December 18, 1947) is an American disability rights activist. She is recognized internationally as a leader in the disability community. Heumann is a lifelong civil rights advocate for people with disabilities. Her work with governments and non-governmental organizations, non-profits, and various other disability interest groups, has produced significant contributions since the 1970s to the development of human rights legislation and policies benefiting children and adults with disabilities. Through her work in the World Bank and the State Department, Heumann led the mainstreaming of disability rights into international development. Her contributions extended the international reach of the independent living movement

Heumann's commitment to disability rights stems from her personal experiences. She had polio at the age of 18 months and has used a wheelchair for most of her life. Heumann had to fight repeatedly to be included in the educational system. The local public school refused to allow her to attend, calling her a fire hazard. Instead, for three years she was given home instruction twice a week for about an hour each visit. Heumann's mother, Ilsa Heumann, a community activist in her own right, challenged the decision. Judy was then allowed to go to a special school in the fourth grade for disabled children. Per city policy, it was understood Judy would return to home instruction for high school. Judy's mother rallied against this policy with other parents who put enough pressure on the school to reverse the policy. Judy entered high school in 1961.

She attended Camp Jened, a camp for kids with disabilities, in Hunter, New York every summer from ages 9 to 18. Heumann's experience of camp brought her a greater awareness of the connected of disabled experience "We had the same joy together, the same anger over the way we were treated and the same frustrations at opportunities we didn't have."[2] It was there that she met Bobbi Linn and Freida Tankus, who she would later work with as disability rights activists.[3][4

For more than 40 years, Judy has been involved on the international front working with disabled people’s organizations and governments around the world to advance the human rights of disabled people. She is a frequent lecturer at universities and conferences and recently did a TED x talk in the US.

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Before starting the Runway of Dreams Foundation (RoDF) in 2014, Mindy Scheier spent 20 years working in fashion on the design team for the INC collection and as a stylist for Saks Fifth Avenue.

Mindy was inspired to start RoDF after her son Oliver, who has Muscular Dystrophy, dreamed of wearing jeans like everyone else. After using her design skills to adapt a pair that met his needs and increased his confidence, she went on to conduct extensive research to develop modifications that would meet the needs of the largest minority in our world- people with disabilities. The clothing modifications she developed include alternate closures, adjustability and alternative ways to get in and out of the clothing. Following its launch, RoDF partnered with Tommy Hilfiger on the first mainstream adaptive clothing line for kids in 2016.

Founded on the basis that clothing is a basic human need, RoDF develops, delivers and supports initiatives to broaden the reach of mainstream adaptive clothing and promote people with disabilities in the fashion industry. Through adaptive clothing donations, employment opportunity initiatives, adaptive design workshops, adaptive fashion shows, wardrobe grants, awareness building campaigns and scholarship programs, RoDF is empowering people with disabilities in style. Mindy serves as a consultant for Tommy Adaptive, is a member of the Advisory Council for Zappos Adaptive and works to educate many other fashion brands on the population of people with disabilities. Envisioning a world where fashion is mainstream and accessible for all, Mindy continues to break down barriers and challenge industry norms.

In 2019, Mindy created Gamut Talent Management to represent people with disabilities and create a marketplace where businesses and industries can connect to this target audience. Gamut is rebranding the way PWDs are viewed, marketed to and represented in the mainstream world. The continued support of the mission of Runway of Dreams will always be a component of Gamut, as the company’s 501c3 partner.

Mindy has been featured in Newsweek’s “The Creative Class of 2019: Innovators,” People magazine’s “Heroes Among Us,” and Pix 11’s “Changemaker: Making the Fashion Industry More Inclusive.” She has also been featured in USA Today, Parents, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vogue Business, WWD, NBC’s Today, ABC’s Good Morning America, Access, CNBC, Fox News Channel and more.

An inspiring TED speaker, Mindy has received numerous awards including the Catalyst Award for “Marketing Influencer of the Year,” Citrin Cooperman’s “Women at the Wheel Leadership Excellence Award, the Association of Image Consultants International Bravo Award and Enable Inc.’s Michael Graves Award for Creativity and Persistence. Mindy studied Fashion Design with a dual program at the University of Vermont and Fashion Institute of Technology.

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A podcast hosted by Antonio Santos, Neil Milliken and Debra Ruh.

Martyn Sibley

Envisioning an inclusive world through digital influence, Martyn leverages his unique story of disability along with the Disability Horizons community he Co-founded, all to support brands with inclusive influencer marketing campaigns.

He's also been voted Britain’s third most influential disabled person, authoring the travel memoir Everything is Possible, and co-founding an accessible travel business which sold to Airbnb.

Martyn manages daily life with a severe physical disability, living with his fiance and Golden Retriever, and enjoying soccer and music festivals when work allows him to.

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Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

David Bara has a degree in BA Business Technology and a Master’s in Education. He is a former special needs teacher and is currently a Senior Lecturer in Special Education. David has spoken at international conferences, published articles and written recommendations for the Secretary of State for Communities for the UK Government on issues surrounding childhood and adolescent health care issues. His work has been aimed at improving the life chances for the children with cancer and special needs, their siblings and families.

David has personal experience of the issues and the challenges facing individuals and their families who have visible and hidden disabilities, chronic illnesses or other access needs.

In 2012, his daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of 2 ½. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy saved her life but she has been left with life-changing disabilities and the late effects of the treatments will continue as she grows up. His son has been diagnosed with dyslexia and is also dealing with the emotional impact of what has happened.

In response to his professional and personal experiences, David, together with his wife, Emma, founded WeCanAccess Ltd and developed WeCanAccess.com. WeCanAccess is a new online platform which has two core aims: 1) To create a social shift in attitudes by demonstrating that accessibility and inclusivity is vital for a more economically and socially sustainable future, and 2) to Improve the life chances, health and wellbeing of people with access needs and their families. The platform is already recognised as a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 champion and was presented at the UN Sustainable Cities event in Espoo in June 2019, where David sat on the Health and Wellbeing Panel.

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Joseph was born Deaf and is a native of Glasgow.
He is one of the most widely-recognisable faces within the Deaf community for the work he has done, as a BSL presenter, on flagship television programmes like Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
Joseph is currently the Head of ITV SignPost, Scotland.
Joseph has worked for ITV for the past 19 years; he’s a highly experienced performer /presenter and has mentored Deaf people looking to pursue a career in Media both in front of and behind the camera.
Joseph is passionate about promoting BSL in the wider community so that the richness of BSL as a visual language can be enjoyed by all.

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Hosted by António Vieira Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken.

The Ramble Tag was invented and designed by two friends and neighbours – Laura 39yrs and Tom 65 yrs, Tom himself is blind.

Both Laura and Tom have creative backgrounds and a love for dogs.

Tom and LauraTom lost his sight gradually over a period of 20 years through Type 1 diabetes, so Laura would help walk him walk his dog when needed, acting as his guide when his partner wasn’t around. They soon became great friends, shared laughs, ideas and inspired each other to go into business after their best spark of an idea, a loop on the arm to give more space and to be more secure… (their dogs pulling them apart gave them the idea)

A year from start-up, which was Kickstarted (crowdfunded), the Ramble Tag became a finalist in the RNIB Innovation of the Year awards 2019 and is also being sold by the RNIB shop. It was snapped up by Glasgow airport promptly and then other UK airports followed.

They soon recognized its potential as more than just a daily guiding tool to be used with a friend, it could be used by various assistance staff while respecting physical boundaries, alleviate repetitive strain, improve comfort, give more independence to the likes of teenagers with their parents and many other practicalities.

They daydream the day that the Ramble Tag is as known as well as the white cane. It’s another option, a choice, and choice equals inclusion.

axschat Twitter Chat - March 3rd

9 pm Berlin

8 pm London

3 pm NYC

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AXSChat is hosted by Antonio Santos, Neil Milliken and Debra Ruh.

Al Etmanski is an author, community organizer, social entrepreneur, and parent activist in the disability world. He is an Ashoka fellow which is a global network of social entrepreneurs and a member of John McKnight’s Asset Based Community Development Institute (ABCD). He conceived and lobbied into existence the world’s first savings plan for people with disabilities, the Registered Disability Savings Plan. Collective RDSP deposits total more than $4 billion benefitting close to 200,000 disabled Canadians.

He is the best selling author of three books. His fourth book The Power of Disability: 10 Lessons for Surviving, Thriving and Changing the World has just been published.

Al believes that extraordinary acts are not reserved for the special few. And that the vast majority of people are making the world a better place, even though their contributions are ignored, dismissed or forgotten. He wrote his new book to awaken the world to the collective and powerful achievements of people with disabilities. He is optimistic about what we can do when everyone’s gifts and talents are welcomed and enabled. Al blogs at aletmanski.com

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Hosts. Antonio Santos, Neil Milliken and Debra Ruh
Rick Williamsis the CEO of Freeney Williams Ltd, one of Europe’s leading specialist disability consultancies which provides strategic advice and guidance on employing disabled people and ensuring their access to goods and services. He has a strong and proven combination of skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, an Associate of both the Business Disability International and the Business Disability Forum as well as being a non-executive Director of Ofcom. Before setting up the company in 2002 Rick spent over 30 years in the Public Sector working in a range of high profile posts in HR and senior management. He is a highly effective consultant who has worked in many high profile organisations both in Europe and the UK.

Some of the UK organisations for which Rick has worked include the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Department of Work and Pensions, JobCentre Plus, KPMG, PWC, Virgin Media, BT, Centrica, Accor Hotels, Barclays and the Houses of Parliament.

His international work has included working with the ILO in Geneva and Turin, acting as a special adviser to the Bermudan Government and advising NGOs in Moscow and Vienna.

Rick is blind and the combination of being a disabled person and experienced as a consultant, HR professional and senior manager, gives him a high level of expertise in organisational policies and attitudes towards disabled people and how they can be shaped.

For further information about Freeney Williams Ltd go to http://www.freeneywilliams.com

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Sarah Lewthwaite (PhD, FRSA) is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Southampton’s Centre for Research in Inclusion where she leads a major new UK Research and Innovation study ‘Teaching Accessibility’ as Future Leaders Fellow and Principal Investigator. Sarah and her team are researching the teaching and learning of digital accessibility in universities and the workplace, to build an evidence-based understanding of how accessibility can be taught more effectively. The 4-year study received over £650,000 from UKRI, and seeks to forge new collaborations and dialogue between universities and industry. Sarah has a background in inclusive education, a PhD in disability and social media, and 15 years of research experience spanning HCI, accessibility, education and disability studies.

Angharad Butler-Rees is a Senior Research Assistant at the University of Southampton and is a co-investigator on the ‘Teaching Accessibility’ study. Angharad has a longstanding interest in disability issues, having worked for Leonard Cheshire Disability and UCAN Productions ( a creative arts co-operative for blind and partially sighted young people). Angharad’s interest in digital accessibility has been driven in part by her personal experiences of encountering barriers to technology as someone with a visual impairment, and further fuelled through her previous research in developing accessible Apps for blind and visually impaired people.

Angharad is also in the final stages of completing her PhD, which explores the lives of individuals involved in disability activism at a time of austerity.

by Antonio Vieira Santos

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LaMondré Pough is the Chief Sustainability Officer for Ruh Global IMPACT and host of the podcast 5P with LaMondré (5Ppodcast.com) where he combines both his personal and professional missions to “create environments where all people have a sense of belonging- where their insights, experiences and perspectives are truly valued.” LaMondré began his career in Disability Inclusion as a college student in central South Carolina where he became the leading advocate at The Disability Action Center, the state’s first Independent Living Center.  He went on to launch The LaMondré Pough Show Empowerment Radio and to create the Best Buy Access Initiative for Best Buy Co. Inc., before joining TecAccess where he rose to VP of Sales and Marketing. A native of South Carolina, LaMondré was elected Chairman of the Student Advisory Board at Midlands Technical College where he studied Liberal Arts and English Literature. He was recently awarded with an Honorary Doctorate in Christian Humanities by The School of the Great Commission.

Diagnosed before his second birthday with spinal muscular atrophy, LaMondré resides in Columbia, where he serves as the Chairman of Arts Access South Carolina and is a recognized leader and voice for the community of People with Disabilities.

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As Commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, Victor Calise tirelessly advocates for the disability community in all City decision-making.

Commissioner Calise chairs the Accessibility Committee of the City Building Code and leads efforts to integrate people with disabilities into the workforce through the NYC: ATWORK employment initiative. He also ensures that disability is at the forefront of technological developments including smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and digital accessibility.

Recognized as an expert on disability, the Commissioner frequently participates in national and international conferences. A dedicated public servant, Calise previously led efforts within the Department of Parks and Recreation to make the city’s park system—one of the most complex in the world—universally accessible.

Calise—an avid athlete—competed in the 1998 Paralympic Games as a member of the U.S. national sled hockey team. A native New Yorker, he is married with two daughters.

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Interview with Caroline Casey.Last year at World Economic Forum in Davos Caroline Casey Officially launched the Valuable500. One Year on we interview her as she returns to Davos to report on the progress that she has made to get global business leaders to engage on the topic of disability. AXSChat is a Valuable500 partner and we are proud to support her work.

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Christine is co-founder and Managing Director of Open Inclusion. She ensures that the client’s business objectives are understood, managed and fully met through great collaboration, clear focus, prioritisation and an uncompromising eye for quality and practical usability of work produced.

Christine has a background of over 20 years in designing and making products, services, teams or businesses, or making them better. The last 5 years have been solely focussed on customer and workplace inclusion, digital design and inclusive brand experiences.

She loves looking for, building and empowering the best team to support clients embed inclusion so effectively we are no longer required! Then finding and engaging new clients where we can add significant value and do it again. Each time widening the circles of inclusion and deepening business and user benefits.

She works closely with the research team, regularly engaging with our panel or other user groups to better understand how diverse customers really experience brands. This informs our work with clients to improve the experiences for all: tactically through product improvements and more strategically, building role-based awareness, tools and skills. As an economist by training and human-centred designer by practice, she also leads the economic value research for Open, assisting our clients to understand the potential financial benefits of more inclusive approaches.

When not managing the growth and delivery quality of Open, she can generally be found in a café with her husband, kids or friends or on a mountain cycling, running or skiing some Alpine trail.

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Dave Steele is an award-winning poet, author, public speaker, singer, and advocate for the blind. Diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) in 2014, this genetic eye condition left Dave “severely sight impaired.” Together with his wife, Amy, the family grappled with the difficult diagnosis as RP quickly left Steele an unemployed father of four. Feeling the stressors of financial debt and the loss of his independence, Dave turned to social media for support with his RP journey. He was also struck by the numerous misconceptions and stories of injustice being experienced by so many blind/visually impaired people all over the world. When a member in one of these online groups learned of Dave’s singing background, they invited him to perform at a meeting for those living with RP and Usher Syndrome. The experience inspired Steel’s idea for his “Stand By Me RP” song. Using the classic song by Ben E. King, Dave altered the lyrics to relate to how he felt losing his own sight to Retinitis Pigmentosa. In December 2014, Dave sought permission from the band Elbow, to alter the lyrics of their song “One Day Like This.” With the band’s blessing, Steele performed his version of the song at Joanne Milne’s “Breaking the Silence” book launch.

The Blind Poet

Dave created his own “Stand By Me RP” Facebook page in 2015. Since it’s conception, the page has become one of the largest social media RP groups in the world. As his eyesight continued to decline, the words did not stop flowing. Dave began writing two to three poems per day about his struggles and experiences. Part creative genius, part therapy, Dave’s writing became a catalyst for helping others and himself through RP.

Steele’s first book, Stand By Me RP Volume I, was released in February 2016. That same day, he received the call that he had been matched with a guide dog. During its first week, Stand By Me RP Volume I went on to become the #1 poetic release in both America and Australia.

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Paul is a 56 yr old married father of four young children and an award-winning photographer, who has late-onset Full Blown Tourette Syndrome plus, which started out of the blue 10 years ago. Paul has severe motor Tic’s and vocal tic’s inc coprolalia (swearing & cursing ) accompanied with ADHD, OCD, Sensory processing disorder. He struggles to be out in a social situation, basically anywhere out in public. He has found that he gets some respite and great fulfilment through helping others from using this unique position by raising awareness, and through photography. Paul brings empathy and solidarity to many young people who are struggling with diagnosis through public speaking, TV and radio, which also raises awareness, increases acceptance and reduces discrimination. Paul’s many media projects include the National geographic Taboo series, BBC Employable Me, Swedish Kanal 5 docu outsiders Tourettes, BBC Teenage Tic’s. BBC Radio 5 live and Northeast also.

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Anna Dixon is the Chief Executive of the Centre for Ageing Better, an independent charitable foundation that brings about change for people in later life today and for future generations.

Anna joined Ageing Better from the Department of Health where she was Director of Strategy and Chief Analyst.

As Director of Policy at The King’s Fund, she led work on health system reforms, regulation, patient choice, self-management of long term conditions and the future of health and social care in England.

Anna began her career with the European Observatory on Health Care Systems.  In 2003-2004 she worked as a policy analyst in the Department of Health Strategy Unit.

Anna was previously Lecturer in European Health Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science. In 2005-6 she was awarded a Harkness Fellowship in Health Policy by the Commonwealth Fund of New York.

She has a PhD in Social Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

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Pedro Omedas studied computer engineering at Universidad Simón Bolívar in Caracas, Venezuela (2002) and moved to Barcelona, Spain in 2004 to study a Master in Digital Audiovisual Communication and Production at Universidad La Salle – Ramón Llul (2004) and a postgraduate course in Videogames creation and design at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (2006). Since 2012 is part of the SPECS research group, first in Universitat Pompeu Fabra and currently part of the Bioengineering Institute of Catalonia (IBEC), a neuroscience group dedicated to studying the mind, brain and behaviour using interactive technologies, Virtual and Augmented reality, robotics and computational and theoretical models. Pedro coordinates the development of software and hardware applications, and he is directly involved in the research areas of Neuroinformatics, Neurorehabilitation, and Education. Since 2016, he also has been supporting the activity of the spinoff company Eodyne Systems, dedicated to the commercialisation of Neuro-rehabilitation systems and education technologies using augmented and virtual reality.

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Abi James is a researcher of assistive technology and digital accessibility and senior accessibility consultant at AbilityNet. Diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of nine, Abi has used computers and technology to help her succeed throughout her education and in employment. Her work at AbilityNet focusses on helping organisations such as schools, universities, public sector bodies and companies to create websites and apps that are accessible and inclusive for everyone. She also works closely with policymakers and researchers to understand how assistive technology can be used effectively within the education system and the role standards and regulation play in improving access to a digital society for all users. She is Chair of the British Dyslexia Association Technology Committee. She collaborates with the University of Southampton to identify best practices for supporting assistive technology and accessible content including contributing to the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative.

Transcript

AXSChat with Abi James 15th November 2019

NEIL: Hello and welcome to AXSChat, and I'm delighted to welcome back Dr Abi James, Abi is a long-time friend and former colleague of mine, so we worked together for the best part of two decades. So, yeah, giving away our age there. Yes, we started at primary school, so, Abi, great to have you with us, you're now working for AbilityNet which is one of the UK's pan-disability charities, and the topic today is really we're focusing around the recent changes in legislation for Web accessibility because in the last couple of months the public sector web accessibility regulations have come into force, and this is a big change, so welcome back.

ABI: Thank you Neil, great to see AXSChat has grown so much in the few years since I was last on, and really pleased to contribute.

NEIL: Yes, thank you, we're five years by the way, amazingly. Five years of doing this. I know! Everyone says I like the sound of my own voice; I won't lie.

ABI: I know that!

NEIL: Excellent. So, the will let's stop me talking and let's talk about the web accessibility directive.

ABI: Yeah so the EU word which is a difficult word to talk about in our UK context but essentially, now a few years ago, three years ago next month EU released the web accessibility directive which was requiring all member statements make their public sector bodies meet accessibility requirements, and also, critically publish accessibility statements on their websites and mobile applications and that is now rolling out across the EU, including the UK, because it is well into our law last year, so, there's also UK law and will remain UK law wherever we are, and also, now the EU states like Norway are also looking at moving it into their regulation, so, for Europe it is quite a big change for many countries it is the first time we've got specific accessibility regulations, although we've already had a lot of disability and equitability legislation, this is actual technical standards. So, it is interesting to see it roll out. There seem to be lots of countries and organisations grappling with the actual mechanisms of implementing it, both on the practical side and public sector side and Governmental side because there's a huge requirement on them to monitor it as well.

NEIL: Yeah and I think this is something that will take a while to bed in. Norway has a bit of head start because we've been monitoring stuff through UFIDIT for a while, but, yeah, and the different methodologies between the different European member states are swap marked.

ABI: Yeah, so essentially, and Norway's still grappling with their changes because they are different. All websites produced by public sector bodies will have to meet the equivalent of wick action point level AA the European standard EN 301549

But t

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Juan Rico holds a degree in Telecommunication Degree (2006) and a Master degree in Communication in Mobile Networks and ICT (2009), he started his career as a researcher at the Network Planning and Mobile Communication Laboratory at the University of Cantabria working on M2M and wireless communication. He has been working on M2M, and IoT projects applied to many different domains from avalanche rescue (awarded by European Space Agency) to Smart Cities (awarded by Eureka as best Smart City project in 2014). Last years he acted as head of the energy sector in Atos working on the integration of heterogeneous systems to improve overall energy management, and recently he joined Teka Group as Head of IoT to develop a smart home strategy for the home appliance manufacturer. He is the co-author of several book chapters and written more than 20 papers published in international journals.

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Susanna Laurin has a long experience in working with disability-related issues at senior management level, for instance as CEO of one of the subsidiaries of the Swedish Association of the Visually Impaired’s corporate group IRIS, and the Swedish Independent Living Institute. She is a frequent international lecturer and debater and she serves on a number of program committees for conferences in the field of accessibility. At Funka she takes responsibility for major and international assignments, among other for the European Commission, for which Funka at the moment are developing the measuring methodology to be used by the member states if and when the proposed Web Directive will come into action, as well as a number of assignments for the different national governments. Susanna also works on Funka’s internal methodology and quality work and is in responsible for Funka’s close cooperation with end user organizations. Susanna is a member of the board of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, IAAP, a global organization that was co-founded by Funka, and she is also a fellow of the Swedish government’s forum for usability and accessibility in ICT. She is an expert and advisor, both for Swedish Standards Institute and Standards Norway, and furthermore served as technical expert for Mandate 376, that on behalf for the EC developed harmonized requirements for accessibility in public procurement in all EU member states. Susanna was moreover responsible for the authorized translation of WCAG 2.0 into Swedish that Funka carried out on behalf of W3C.

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Debra Ruh is a seasoned entrepreneur that focuses on Global Disability Inclusion, ICT Accessibility, EmployAbility, Marketing and Communications Strategies and Digital Media. She has provided global leadership to governments, corporations, NGOs and DPO’s (Disability Persons Organizations) all over the world supporting research, outreach, marketing strategies, policy and standards initiatives with public- and private-sector. Policy, Legislative and Technical Experience includes the United Nations Convention of Rights for People with Disabilities (CRPD), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 503, 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, W3C, WCAG 2.0 and ISO. Debra is also a seasoned Entrepreneur (founder of three firms): Ruh Global Communications, TecAccess, Strategic Performance Solutions.

Debra is passionate about Social Media and a Thought Leader and Blogger on ICT Accessibility and Disability Inclusion on social media channels with over 130,000 followers. Social media mediums include Twitter, Linked-In, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, G+ and other platforms. Work featured in major mediums including CBS, CNN, PBS, ABC, NBC, NPR, INC, Publishers Weekly, Fortune Magazine, US News & World Report, America’s Best, Washington Technology, and Bloomberg Business Week.

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Rachel is Chief Executive of Go ON UK, the cross-sector digital skills charity that works to ensure all individuals, small businesses and charities in the UK have the basic digital skills they need to prosper in an increasingly digital world. She is also Chair of the Digital Leaders program (http://digitalleaders.co.uk/), a network of digital professionals from a wide range of sectors and disciplines.

Rachel is a regular speaker at conferences and seminars in the UK and abroad, a frequent judge of digital awards and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA).

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Kurt Yaeger (born January 3, 1977) is an American actor, director and professional athlete, who is also a below-the-knee amputee. Kurt Yaeger was born in San Francisco, California, United States (US), and was raised in South San Francisco. He currently resides in the Los Angeles area.

As a BMX rider, Yaeger gained the nickname “Crowbar” and acquired sponsors for his BMX riding, participating in tours and competing in events.

After experiencing many BMX-related injuries, he decided to go back to college to pursue a Masters degree in hydrogeology. In 2006, while attending school in San Francisco, he was in a motorcycle crash that resulted in multiple injuries. He hit a pole and went over a 40-foot embankment, crashing on the side of the freeway.

His left leg was amputated, his right anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament were torn, his pelvis was torn in half along with his bladder, seven vertebra were broken, his lungs collapsed, multiple ribs were broken, and he suffered a severe concussion. One year later, Yaeger made a full recovery, returning to his acting career.

Yaeger is involved with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), and the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) Tri-Union global disability rights campaign called IAMPWD – Inclusion in the Arts & Media of People with Disabilities. He sits as the Chairperson on the AFTRA Los Angeles Local Performers with Disabilities Committee.

In 2012, the US Paralympics Bobsled & Skeleton Team invited him to train with them in Park City in early January. They asked him back to train with them in Innsbruck, Austria in early March.

He is currently the number one Adaptive BMXer in the world[16] and participated in X Games 16 and X Games 17. Yaeger was showcased along with other adaptive athletes thanks to Adaptive Action Sports, a non-profit organization promoting Action Sports camps, events and programs for youth and young adults living with permanent physical disabilities.

His recent work includes roles on the CBS hit showNCIS and the much anticipated HBO/Cinemax series Quarry.