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Designing with disability in mind isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s an imperative.
Why is creating programs, products and environments that adhere to inclusive and accessible practices important? Not only will you be better able to engage the disability community (the world’s largest minority), but you will make access available to all/most.
Consider the curb cut. One of the most often cited examples of how accessibility improves access for all is commonly referred to as the “Curb Cut Effect.” While the curb cut was originally designed for wheelchair users to have access to crossing streets, its implementation has helped those without disabilities too—parents pushing strollers, delivery people pushing hand trucks or dollies, travelers using roller luggage. Simply take a moment to think of all those who benefit from this simple design and imagine how much you could increase your audience by tweaking your current processes and designs.
Join us on June 29th at 11:30am (Mountain time) to meet four panelists who are thinking inclusively to help inspire you to build accessibility into your processes too.
Since sustaining a paralyzing spinal cord injury in 2000, Tricia has become passionate about elevating the quality of life for individuals with disabilities within the Denver Community. In the past ten years, she founded and directed a sports and fitness camp for female wheelchair users, has mentored newly injured patients through Craig Hospital and paved the way as a pioneer in the sport of paratriathlon, becoming the first female wheelchair racer to complete an Iron distance triathlon. She is a 2016 Paralympian in the sport of shooting. Tricia has master’s degrees in both Sport Management (Eastern Illinois) and Disability Studies (Regis University). Additionally, she published her memoir in 2010 and in 2018 published her first fiction novel, starring a main character who has a disability. Tricia hopes to see more positive portrayals of individuals with disabilities in books, on TV, and on the big screen.
Richard Rieman, “The Audiobook Wizard,” is the Founder and CEO of the “Imagination Storybooks,” a Nonprofit making children’s illustrated books accessible to all children by creating audiobooks with audio description of the pictures for blind children and videobooks with captions and sign language for deaf and neurodiverse children. Richard has narrated and produced hundreds of Indie-published audiobooks. He is the author of the Global eBook Awards Gold Medal Winner in Writing/Publishing, “The Author’s Guide to Audiobook Creation.” Richard received Special Recognition for his contributions to Audiobook Accessibility from the Audio Publishers Association at the “Audies” Awards in March 2023. Richard is a recipient of the Gold Medal National Ben Franklin IBPA award for Audiobook Nonfiction, a Global eBook Awards Gold Medal Winner in Writing and Publishing, and a 5-time winner of the Colorado Independent Publishers’ Association EVVY Award for audiobook narration and production. Richard’s work as a former guide and racing instructor for blind skiers and as a volunteer narrator for Learning Ally kept him dedicated to the visually impaired community. Richard also has progressive Glaucoma and is losing his own eyesight; “but not,” he says, “my vision.”
Molly Kettle is the Chief Operating Officer of GAMUT Management, a trailblazing consulting, talent management and accreditation company that guides businesses to become disability confident and utilize authentic ways to engage with, create Adaptive products for, and represent people with disabilities. Molly’s expertise in the disability space and broad business experience enables her to help companies with go-to-market strategies for launching Adaptive products and building disability confidence within organizations. Molly brings passion and commitment to connect the disability market to companies and is responsible for GAMUT’s operations, strategy, team member development and client service.
Prior to her work with GAMUT, Molly served as Director of Zappos Adaptive, where she built a business unit within Zappos that focused on sourcing adaptive products to meet the needs of people with disabilities. She and her team worked directly with the community of people with disabilities to understand lived experiences that informed business decisions.
Molly’s background in consulting, technology and project management has helped her to grow GAMUT and support companies on their journeys toward authentic disability inclusion. Molly has spoken at SXSW, on panels and on a runway stage.
As a certified integral coach, Molly incorporates her perspective on humanity and empowerment into her leadership style – both within GAMUT and the clients GAMUT serves.
Chris is a campaigner and lobbyist in aviation and disability, he is also an Aviation Accessibility Consultant. Additionally, he is a member of the UK Civil Aviation Authorities ‘Access to Air Travel’ advisory group and also the Heathrow Access Advisory Group. In the past Chris has sat on boards for the FA and the Consumer Credit Trade Association.
As well as a desire to create and improve the whole air access journey, Chris has also set his sights on bringing wheelchair air travel in line with land and sea. His goal is to establish the solution “to enable a wheelchair user to stay in their chair whilst on a flight” – he is now one third of the Air4Alll consortium that is collaborating with Delta Flight Products to bring a prototype to market designed around airlines not losing any pax places..
His two children now in their twenties are keen to travel, he does not want the fact that they are both in wheelchairs to hinder their aspirations in both work and of course pleasure. A common yearning to everyone who uses a wheelchair.
Chris is working alongside the UK government and was instrumental in getting better accessibility in air travel on the governments Aviation 2050 strategy, however he has no desire to wait that long and is starting to initiate solutions straight away. Chris received an investiture in 2021 in Her Majesty the Queens Birthday Honour’s list with an MBE, this was for his work in Accessible Aviation.
Gautam Rao is EY’s Global Head of Accessibility and is responsible for the firm’s accessibility strategy including policy, methodology, procurement, awareness, and training. He is a certified expert (CPACC, WAS) in digital accessibility and has 20+ years in product development, UX design, usability, and accessibility. He established and currently leads the EY Accessibility Center of Excellence (ACE), providing accessibility services for internal and external clients. He collaborates with enterprise functions including Technology, Procurement, Marketing & Comms, Talent, DEI, Learning, and Legal to drive accessibility adoption across the firm. He co-leads the Digital Accessibility IT DEI workstream, is an active member of the EY’s disability employee group, and is responsible for raising accessibility awareness for all people.
Billy Price, Co-Founder BILLY Footwear
As a teenager, Seattle native Billy Price suffered a spinal cord injury and became paralyzed from the chest down, losing the ability to move his fingers. Daily tasks became difficult, but using his creative mind and unyielding spirit, he never gave up. He continued on, facing life’s challenges with tenacity and determination.
Born out of a need, BILLY Footwear was founded on the principle of inclusion. Alongside an incredible team, Billy strives to add value to the lives of others and make a measurable difference in the world, one foot at a time.
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