Author name: Monika Tomczak

John Rochford is a Program Director and Faculty Member at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. John has spent his entire career serving people with disabilities, especially with intellectual disabilities and/or autism. For several years, John directed residential and respite programs for children and adults with developmental disabilities and […]

After graduating from the Law Faculty at Istanbul University in 2001, I started a law office which focused on business and contract law. Given this experience, I have devoted an increasing amount of my time and energy to disability rights in Turkey. Working to adequately train and provide guide dogs through the Guide Dog Association

Alexander Hauerslev Jensen is committed to social impact and using technology for good. Alexander is the CCO at Be My Eyes, where he works to make the world more accessible to people with visual impairments. Alexander’s passions include social change, innovation, breaking down barriers and creative business development. Alexander Hauerslev Jensen  

Nasser is the CEO of Microlink PC Ltd founded in November 1992. The companies’ core mission is to provide disability management and Assistive Technology in both the workplace and educational facilities, working towards an inclusive society and offering support throughout a persons’ lifespan. Nasser was awarded an OBE in 2011 for his contribution in helping

Ruth is a psychotherapist and clinical psychologist who was trained and worked in Argentina and the U.K. Her professional practice uses a problem-solving approach to support people as they learn to cope with their difficulties. She is committed to supporting children, teens and adults with dyslexia, advising educational and health professionals, and advocating for broad

For 25 years, Howard ran a successful international plumbing manufacturing business based in Montreal. Through life events, he went to work a volunteer in Africa helping start sustainable businesses for people with a disability. He  was able to replicate and scale his social business model to Brazil, China, Mid-East. Through his work he has won several Technology,

Ace Tilton Ratcliff lives and works in Oakland, California with her fiancé, Derek, and their pack of wild beasts. Her advocacy is centered around intersectional feminism with a specific focus on disability rights. She co-owns Harper’s Promise, an in-home pet euthanasia practice with Derek, and works as a freelance writer. She has bylines at Huffington Post, io9, Eater, SELF Magazine,

Sarah is producer, curator and researcher, with experience working across the interdisciplinary arts, health and immersive technology. She has worked internationally with organisations including Immerse UK, YouTube VR Creators Lab, The Big Anxiety Festival and Stanford University. In 2018 she founded Hatsumi, who are developing an arts and health VR platform enabling people to illustrate

Yazmine Laroche was appointed Deputy Minister, Public Service Accessibility on August 7, 2018. She was previously the Associate Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Communities. She began her public service career at Transport Canada and has held progressive leadership responsibilities in areas such as public policy, program design and delivery, communications, strategic planning and corporate management.  She

Daniel (Dan) O’Mahony. 36 from Dublin Ireland. Self-taught coder, designer, developer, accessibility and interaction design enthusiast. Deaf in one ear a result of a road accident at age 8. (“Me vs a car – the car won”). Work as a Digital Media Specialist in the Reading Services Department, ChildVision, Ireland (http://childvision.ie). Transcribe educational text books into