Podcasts about Debra Ruh

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.TakeawaysJohn 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.Support the showFollow axschat on social mediaTwitter:https://twitter.com/axschathttps://twitter.com/AkwyZhttps://twitter.com/neilmillikenhttps://twitter.com/debraruhLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/Vimeohttps://vimeo.com/akwyz

Listen as host Warrior Woman Jasmine Sandler talks to Debra Ruh, CEO of Billion Strong, a global leader in driving disability inclusion and impact. As an advocate for disability inclusion, Debra has a proven track record for making a huge positive social impact in this space.

Debra Ruh, CEO of Ruh Global Impact and Founder of Billion Strong, epitomises leadership in global disability inclusion through innovation and advocacy. Debra's initiatives at Ruh Global Impact focus on driving systemic change, promoting accessibility, and empowering individuals with disabilities worldwide. Her visionary leadership not only transforms societal attitudes but also champions a future where every person, regardless of ability, can thrive on equal footing. [00:35] - About Debra Ruh Debra is the Chief Executive Officer of Ruh Global IMPACT. She is also the Founder and Executive Chair of Billion Strong. She has authored three books including, “Inclusion Branding” and spearheads a popular program called, “The Human Potential at Work.” --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tbcy/support

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.Support the Show.Follow axschat on social mediaTwitter:https://twitter.com/axschathttps://twitter.com/AkwyZhttps://twitter.com/neilmillikenhttps://twitter.com/debraruhLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/Vimeohttps://vimeo.com/akwyz

In this episode of #Journeys we spoke with Debra Ruh, the CEO of Ruh Global Impact and co-founder of Billion Strong! #WeAreBillionStrong #BillionStrong #disability #m4gAdvocacyMedia #advocate #accessibility #inclusion #BillionStrongGlobalAdvisors #BillionStrongPartners #AXSChat #DisabilityInclusion #DisabilityConfident #speaker #author #entrepreneur #consultant #neurodiversity #ADHD #intersectionality #InternalAbleism #community #podcast #interview #DownSyndrome #Dyslexia 00:00 Intro 02:53 Debra's Journey 08:06 Discerning Who Divides & Who Unites Us All 09:17 Billion Strong (billon-strong.com) #WeAreBillonStrong or #BillionStrong 12:36 A Renewed Interest In Inclusion 14:09 Lloyd's Of London 17:03 Innovations & Disability 18:06 Lived Experiences, Not Assumed Experiences 22:11 Being Community Focused 25:46 Your Purpose, Your Legacy 27:54 Steps To A Better Tomorrow 34:40 A Toxic Society & Why Masking Was Necessary 38:41 Billion Strong's Mission & Being Supportive 41:47 Corporate Posing 43:20 Obvious Inclusivity 45:10 Unprecedented Opportunities & Collaborations 55:56 Identify, Kindness & Acceptance 1:04:15 Stifling Institutions & Conformity 1:08:13 An Evolutionary Process LINKS ___ Debra's Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/debraruh Debra's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/debraruh/ Billion Strong - https://www.billion-strong.org/ Ruh Global Impact - https://www.ruhglobal.com/ Inclusion Branding: Revealing Secrets to Maximize ROI - https://www.ruhglobal.com/inclusion-branding/ AXSChat on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@AxschatCommunity Ruh Global Impact - https://www.youtube.com/@DebraRuhGlobal WAYS YOU CAN HELP ___ Buy us a coffee or tea to help us continue to be able to share this content - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/m4gkrysandmark Pick up some merchandise on our online store: https://www.bonfire.com/store/m4g-advocacy-media/ Want to be a guest on the podcast? Sign up for PodMatch at https://podmatch.com/signup/m4gadvocacymedia or email us at accounts@marked4glory.com ___ At M4G Advocacy Media, we are proud to be global advisors of Billion Strong (https://billion-strong.org) who are connecting and empowering the global community of over 1.3 billion people with disabilities! #WeAreBillionStrong #BillionStrong #BillionStrongGlobalAdvisors #BillionStrongPartners #AXSChat #DisabilityInclusion #DisabilityConfident ___ We take accessibility seriously at M4G! Our accessibility partner is accessiBe. If you're looking to make your website more accessible (and really you should!), check them out at https://accessiBe.com @accesiBe ___ Check out our website: https://www.m4gadvocacymedia.com Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/m4gadvocacymedia Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/m4gadvocacymedia Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m4gadvocacymedia Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/m4gadvocacy Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@m4gadvocacymedia --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/m4gadvocacymedia/support

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.Support the showFollow axschat on social mediaTwitter:https://twitter.com/axschathttps://twitter.com/AkwyZhttps://twitter.com/neilmillikenhttps://twitter.com/debraruhLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/Vimeohttps://vimeo.com/akwyz

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.Support the showFollow axschat on social mediaTwitter:https://twitter.com/axschathttps://twitter.com/AkwyZhttps://twitter.com/neilmillikenhttps://twitter.com/debraruhLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/Vimeohttps://vimeo.com/akwyz

In today's episode, I chat with Debra Run a global disability inclusion strategist. She is the CEO of Ruh Global Impact, as well as Chairperson of a nonprofit, which is called Billion Strong. Timeline: 02:30 What is the benefit of visual description in a podcast? 03:31 What put you on the trajectory to become a disability and inclusion strategist? 07:25 The Human Potential At Work Podcast 07:52. What does Ruh Global Impact do? 11:49 How do employers receive the messaging regarding Disability and Inclusion? How do Ruh Global Impact and Billion Strong create this awareness? Here Debra discusses Discoverability and LinkedIn. 18:56 What does self-identifying look like and what are the barriers to the adoption of disability as an identity to be proud of? 22:19 Is media representation changing the perceptions of disability? 26:34 Disability Inclusion at the foundational level 29:00 Debra's call to action 31:00 Lemondre Pough An edited transcript is available at www.raisingkellan.org --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/marsh-naidoo/message

Join host Debra Ruh, CEO of Ruh Global Impact and co-founder of Billion Strong, in a conversation with a business leader, and climate and equalities campaigner, Paul Polman. As the former Unilever CEO and leader of the UN Global Compact, Paul shares insights on leadership, inclusion, and the power of empowering billions of people with disabilities. Dive into Paul's journey, his work with the Kilimanjaro Blind Trust, and support for the Valuable 500. Discover how courageous companies and organizations can transform society and create a more inclusive, sustainable world by adopting a net positive mindset, as outlined in Paul's book, "Net Positive" . This episode will inspire and challenge you to become a part of the change and join the movement for equality and climate action.

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 disabiSupport the showFollow axschat on social mediaTwitterhttps://twitter.com/AkwyZhttps://twitter.com/axschatLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/Vimeohttps://vimeo.com/akwyz

Join Alisha Bee Forrester Scott and Debra Ruh as they discuss the importance of staying close and working together to be servant leaders. Learn more about Ruh Global Impact and Billion Strong, an identity and empowerment organization designed to bring the billions of voices of persons with disabilities together.

In this episode of Human Potential At Work, Debra Ruh and LaMondre Pough discuss the importance of identity and empowerment for persons with disabilities. They also introduce Billion Strong officially as a 501 C3 organization designed to bring the billions of voices of persons with disabilities together. Join the global community and donate at billion-strong.org.

Debra Ruh and April Durrett discuss how Deem positively impacts the world. Learn about the importance of creating inclusive workplaces, how to make sure initiatives are successful, and how to join the Billion Strong global community. Plus, find out more about Deem at www.deem.com.

In this episode of Human Potential at Work, Debra Ruh, CEO of Ruh Global Impact and executive chair of Billion Strong, interviews Cam Beaudoin, founder of Accelerated Accessibility. Cam shares his expertise on accessibility and accommodations in the workplace, providing tips for both employers and employees on how to disclose and provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities. He emphasizes the importance of starting somewhere, no matter how small, and breaking down accessibility tasks into bite-sized deliverables. Cam also discusses the negative impact of criticism and how it can discourage organizations from making progress in accessibility. Tune in to learn more about how to accelerate accessibility in your workplace and make it a more inclusive environment for all.

In this episode of Human Potential At Work, host Debra Ruh sits down with Kendra Kroll, CEO of Undercover Solutions and creator of PortaPocket. The two discuss Kendra's journey in the special events industry and how she developed her innovative product that promotes inclusivity and empowerment for all. Tune in to learn more about Kendra's story and how you can support the cause of inclusion and empowerment for persons with disabilities at Billion Strong.

In this episode, Debra interviews Neil Charles Milliken, VP and Global Head of Accessibility for Atos; they go over the role a division like Neil's has in such a large organization, the nuances around accessibility, and how it helps everyone not just people with disabilities.  Remember that Neil Milliken, Debra Ruh, and Antonio Santos also have a show called AXSChat, which is also the biggest tweetchat in the world, and you can go and learn more about it here: http://www.axschat.com/.  

Debra Ruh is a Master when it comes to Disability and Inclusion. Her accomplishments are many and varied. They include: - Working as a consultant for UN ILO Global Business and Disability Network (GBDN) - Partner with ztudium and citiesABC - Expert Partner with The Valuable 500 - Global Speaker for the US State Dept - Expert technologist and communications inclusion expert She's authored several books: "Inclusion Branding" - https://amzn.to/3cuevLk "Find Your Voice using Social Media: Follow your Passion and Change the World using Social Media" - https://amzn.to/3zuC8wm "Tapping into Hidden Human Capital: How Leading Global Companies Improve their Bottom Line by Employing Persons with Disabilities" - https://amzn.to/3JjDr4R And she is a Social Entrepreneurship and founder of (4) Social Enterprises and one Global nonprofit: 1. Ruh Global 2. AXSChat 3. Billion Strong 3. TecAccess 4. Strategic Performance Solutions (SPS) Learn more: Website: https://www.ruhglobal.com/ The "Human Potential At Work" Podcast: https://www.ruhglobal.com/podcasthuman-potential-work/ As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases. For more information about True North Disability Planning: Web: https://truenorthdisabilityplanning.com/ Blog - https://ejorgensenwordpresscom.wordpress.com Podcast (ABC's of Disability Planning) - https://anchor.fm/abcs-disability-planning Waypoints - https://waypoints.substack.com/ Facebook: @TrueNorthDisabilityPlanning Twitter: @NeedsNavigator Resource store (free downloads too) - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/True-North-Disability-Planning --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/abcs-disability-planning/message

Patti Ashley joins Debra Ruh again to talk about the realities of grief and its relation to love; complicated grief is not easy. Debra shares a lot about her experience with the loss of her husband in a robust conversation that will help anyone that has dealt or is dealing with grief from losing a loved one.    Check out these episodes where Ashley is featured on HPAW:    #227: How to Heal From Grief and Loss #235: Parenting During a Pandemic #248: Staying Grounded and Living Authentically in the New Year #268: Taking Care of Our Emotions

In this episode, Debra is joined by Doug Foresta, self-described as a doorman turned therapist turned podcaster, who joins Debra Ruh again to go over one of the most relevant topics in recent years, Trauma, PTSD, and its myriad implications in the lives of everyone. The world seems to be more and more filled with Traumatic events and we need to ensure that we understand it so that we are able to keep living. 

In this week's episode of Winning Digital Customers The Podcast, Howard is joined by the CEO of Ruh Global Impact, Debra Ruh. Debra is an expert in creating digital innovations geared to help people with accessibility issues. She has received a humanitarian award for her work in making digital experiences accessible for people with disabilities, written about this topic on Forbes, and was invited to share her thoughts about this with the United Nations. Creating amazing digital experiences for all users is no longer a want, but a need. Listen to learn whether or not you should consider making your digital experiences more accessible for people with disabilities. Here's the link I promised: https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/ (https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/) Winning Digital Customers | The Podcast focuses on stories of digital transformation, told by the people who led them. The podcast covers a range of topics including digital transformation, enterprise strategy and innovation, customer research, design thinking, agile practices, journey mapping, and other related ideas. The podcast is based on Howard Tiersky's Wall Street Journal bestselling book, Winning Digital Customers: The Antidote to Irrelevance. Tiersky lays out a simple but detailed five-step methodology that any company can follow to align their teams around a vision for the customer experience that will maximize their competitiveness in the market, identify the quick wins that will help them out of the gate, and ultimately drive the transformation needed to bring their company into alignment with today's digital world. Follow me on: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiersky/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiersky/) Website: https://www.from.digital/ (https://www.from.digital/) Twitter: https://twitter.com/tiersky (https://twitter.com/tiersky)

From the "Best of" 180Podcast: This episode features an interview with Debra Ruh, CEO of Ruh Global Impact, and Co-founder and Chairwoman of Billion Strong, an identity and empowerment organization designed to bring the billions of voices of persons with disabilities together. Debra shares why she started the organization, the impact she intends for it to have, and how to join the community. To learn more, visit www.billion-strong.org 

One billion people, or 15% of the world's population, experience some form of disability.Disability refers to the interaction between individuals with a health condition (e.g., cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and depression) and personal and environmental factors (e.g., negative attitudes, inaccessible transportation or public buildings, and limited social support). Almost everyone is likely to experience some form of disability - temporary or permanent - at some point in life.But having a disability does not mean you don't have value to offer to this world.Debra Ruh fights to make sure everyone gets to share their value, regardless of their disability.Debra Ruh is a Global Disability Inclusion Strategist, Market Influencer, internationally recognized keynote speaker, published author, branding expert, successful entrepreneur, and exceptional mother. Debra is the host of a popular program: Human Potential at Work (Audience in 92 countries and 113 Regions). Proud to be the founder and CEO of Ruh Global IMPACT and the Co-founder and Executive Chair of Billion Strong.She is also an author of three books, Inclusion Branding (available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Voice via Audible), Tapping into Hidden Human Capital and Finding Your Voice Using Social Media.Debra Ruh received her call to action when she was told by so-called “experts” that her daughter, Sara, who was born with Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21), would never walk or talk. She refused to accept the prognosis and perception of this condition. Driven by her unshakeable faith in the power of human potential and the love for her daughter, Debra was determined to dedicate her life to create a path to empowerment and success for all those with disabilities. Her husband aged into disabilities due to a TBI sustained when he was hit by a drunk driver as a child. Sadly, his brain aged into Dementia due to the TBI.Debra had built a multi-million-dollar firm focused on ICT accessibility. Debra was convinced that "the real disability is being unable to see human potential" formed Ruh Global IMPACT. This social enterprise and think tank focused on Global Disability Inclusion Strategies, Digital Marketing, and Branding among many other services. Billion-Strong.org is a global identity organization focused on disability identity and empowerment.Debra consults with Multi-National and National Corporations and the United Nations. Debra is now internationally renowned global keynote speakers and travels the world inspiring and advocating for governments and corporations to include people with disabilities.In this episode, Debra shares her story and how she's changing the world.Listen to this episode and learn about:Debra giving credit and thanks to her Mother (4:58)Controlling your perspective and reaction to tough times in life (8:22)How Debra found her life's work (8:58)The misconceptions around disabilities (13:20)Does DEI include disabilities (17:11)How to include disabilities in DEI programs (19:25)The importance of community for advocacy (23:24)The power gratitude has to change perspectives (27:31)Billion Strong and how to join (31:34)Debra's message to her Mother (43:06)LinksConnect with Debra on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/debraruhRuh Global - https://www.ruhglobal.comBillion Strong - https://www.billion-strong.orgAXSChat - https://twitter.com/AXSChatInclusion Branding - https://www.ruhglobal.com/inclusion-branding/

  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 

In this podcast episode Debra Ruh shares with us about the founding of her technology firm that employs especially people with disabilities. She also tells us more about the challenges of finding people with disabilities with the skill sets needed to be employed in her firm and how employment of people with disabilities can be improved.

 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 

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

 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 

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.

 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). 

 Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh and Neil Milliken. Darren works at Lilly UK (Pharmaceuticals) as a Global Program Manager and Accessibility LeadHe leads a program called Access Lilly, focused on improving accessibility across the globe, in both physical and digital environmentsHe also leads the Enable Employee Resource Group for the International region, which covers almost every country outside of the USPassionate about learning and sharing best practices, Darren has sat on various external taskforces with BDF and PurpleSpace. 

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

  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. 

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.

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.  

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.

In the mid- 1980's, Debra Ruh was nurturing a successful career in the banking industry and looking forward to starting a family. But in 1987, her path took an unexpected turn after the birth of her daughter Sara. And today, that path has led her around the world to work with multi-national  companies, nations, the... Read More The post Ruh Global Impact appeared first on All Around Creative.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. DraffanE.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.

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.

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

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/

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?

The buzz: When UX doesn't consider ALL users, shouldn't it be known as “SOME User Experience” or… SUX?” (Billy Gregory). The World Health Organization estimates 1B people, 1 in 7, live with a disability. Per the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, access to information technology is a basic human right. The impact of design and user experience (UX) on business success is profound. User experiences impact customer satisfaction and loyalty in a competitive marketplace. How to eliminate disability barriers in workplace software? Harness advances in natural language processing and artificial intelligence. The experts speak. Neil Milliken, Atos: “Diversity is reality, inclusion is a choice” (Stephen Frost). Debra M. Ruh, Ruh Global Communications: “It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see (Henry David Thoreau). Nicole Windmann, SAP: “Done is better than perfect” (Sheryl Sandberg). Join us for Accessible and Inclusive UX Design: The Business Case.

The buzz: When UX doesn't consider ALL users, shouldn't it be known as “SOME User Experience” or… SUX?” (Billy Gregory). The World Health Organization estimates 1B people, 1 in 7, live with a disability. Per the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, access to information technology is a basic human right. The impact of design and user experience (UX) on business success is profound. User experiences impact customer satisfaction and loyalty in a competitive marketplace. How to eliminate disability barriers in workplace software? Harness advances in natural language processing and artificial intelligence. The experts speak. Neil Milliken, Atos: “Diversity is reality, inclusion is a choice” (Stephen Frost). Debra M. Ruh, Ruh Global Communications: “It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see (Henry David Thoreau). Nicole Windmann, SAP: “Done is better than perfect” (Sheryl Sandberg). Join us for Accessible and Inclusive UX Design: The Business Case.

In this special two-part episode, George Iranon is interviewed by disability and inclusion specialist Debra Ruh as he discusses how service providers can better partner with employers in order to improve recruitment and retention outcomes for persons with disabilities.

In this special two-part episode, George Iranon is interviewed by disability and inclusion specialist Debra Ruh as he discusses how service providers can better partner with employers in order to improve recruitment and retention outcomes for persons with disabilities.