Nadine Charron

Executive Director of the Accessibility, Accommodation, and Adaptive Computer Technology (AAACT) Program
Shared Services Canada

Nadine Charron is the Executive Director of the Accessibility, Accommodation, and Adaptive Computer Technology (AAACT) Program at Shared Services. With a wealth of experience in the field, Nadine has dedicated her career to advancing accessibility and inclusion in various environments. She holds a Master’s Degree in Leadership and Adult Education, equipping her with the skills to drive meaningful change and empower individuals.

Throughout her career, Nadine has been a passionate advocate for the rights of individuals with disabilities, championing innovative solutions that enhance their access to technology and services. Her leadership has not only transformed organizational practices but has also inspired countless professionals to prioritize accessibility in their work.

Nadine’s commitment to fostering inclusive communities and her expertise in adaptive technology make her a sought-after speaker. She brings valuable insights and practical strategies for creating environments where everyone can thrive. Her work continues to make a significant impact, paving the way for a more equitable future.

Panelist: Differences in ICT Accessibility Regulations, Day 2

Kathy Eng

Senior ICT Accessibility Specialist
U.S. Access Board

Kathy Eng is a Senior ICT Accessibility Specialist with the Access Board. She provides technical assistance on Section 508. Kathy is co-lead of the ICT Testing Baseline Portfolio, co-facilitator of the W3C Accessibility Conformance Testing Task Force, and chair of the Best Practices subcommittee in the Accessibility Community of Practice of the Federal Chief Information Officers’ Council.

Panelist: Differences in ICT Accessibility Regulations, Day 2

Dr. Pradeep Fulay

Program Director, Convergence Accelerator Program
National Science Foundation

Pradeep Fulay is an internationally renowned researcher and educator with 35 years of experience in research and research administration. Pradeep earned his B.Tech and M.Tech degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. He earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from University of Arizona, Tucson. Pradeep is an elected Fellow of the American Ceramic Society. He currently serves as a Program Director (PD) for the Convergence Accelerator program. He is the lead Program Director for the Quantum Technology track and a track focused on enhancing the quality of life of persons with disabilities (PWD). Pradeep is the lead Program Director for Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program which is aimed at increasing the capacity for research translation for societal and economic impacts at institutes of higher education that have a high a volume of research but relatively low levels of translation.

Moderator: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities - Part 1, Day 1
Moderator: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities - Part 2, Day 1

Dr. Hope Gerlach-Houck

Associate Professor
Western Michigan University

Dr. Gerlach-Houck is an Associate Professor at Western Michigan University whose research examines the intersection of communication and stigma. She is dedicated to enhancing participation, accessibility, and quality of life for people who stutter. Her work is driven by a commitment to voice AI accessibility and an understanding of the consequences of concealing stigmatized aspects of identity. In addition, she serves as the Publicity and Marketing Lead for HeardAI, an NSF-funded technology and advocacy initiative focused on making voice AI more broadly usable.

Presenters: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities - Part 2, Day 1

Dr. Jenna L. Gorlewicz

Eugene Kranz Professorship for Excellence in Research
Associate Dean of Research and Innovation
Faculty Lead, Science & Engineering, VP of Research and Partnerships
Associate Professor, Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering
Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering (Secondary Appointment)
Saint Louis University

Jenna L. Gorlewicz is an Associate Professor in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at Saint Louis University (SLU), where she holds the Eugene Kranz Professorship for Excellence in Research. Dr. Gorlewicz directs the Collaborative Haptics, Robotics, and Mechatronics (CHROME) Lab where her research interests focus on human-centered design, haptic and multimodal interfaces, robotics, medical devices, and engineering education. She is engaged in numerous initiatives at the intersection of people and technology, harnessing use-inspired research and deep, interdisciplinary collaborations to rethink technology design and interaction. Dr. Gorlewicz was an NSF CAREER Award Recipient and has served as Principal Investigator on multiple collaborative initiatives, including a current NSF Convergence Accelerator project, Inclusio. She also has a vested interest in entrepreneurship and broad societal impact and is co-founder of an educational technology company, Vital, and a medical device company, Aurenar. Her passion for research and innovation has led her into an administrative role as Associate Dean of Research.

Presenters: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities - Part 1, Day 1

Claudia Guidi

UX Analyst and designated Section 508 Program Manager
Defense Technical Information Center

Claudia Guidi, PhD MSLIS, Trusted Tester, is a UX Analyst and designated 508 PM at DTIC. Claudia’s background is in user research and instructional design. Prior to joining DTIC, she worked as a SME at the Library of Congress for ten years. In this role, she observed how users of legislative information systems interact with interfaces to find information they need to do their jobs. Through learning about the pain points and needs of thousands of users, Claudia developed a passion for making digital information available and easy to use for all.

Claudia has worked as part of cross-functional teams to achieve common goals. A critical goal among these has been increasing the maturity level of the 508 programs at DTIC.

In her PM role, Claudia has implemented strategies to increase the program’s maturity level.

Presenter: Project Managing Accessibility Compliance - A Fictionalized Agency Case Study, Day 1

Antonio Haileselassie

Section 508 Program Manager
National Institutes of Health

Antonio Haileselassie is the Section 508 Program Manager at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where he leads strategic initiatives to integrate accessibility into IT acquisitions, development, and compliance efforts. He is an active member of the Federal CIO Council’s Accessibility Community of Practice (ACOP) Industry Outreach Committee, collaborating with federal agencies to enhance accessibility policies and best practices. With a strong background in accessibility risk management and compliance, Antonio has extensive experience presenting on accessibility topics at major conferences. He is a perennial presenter at CSUN and a previous presenter at IAAF, sharing expertise on digital accessibility, program development, and compliance strategies.

Panelist: From Risk to Roadmap: Tackling Accessibility Debt with the Technology Accessibility Playbook, Day 2

Fred Harris

Division Chief, User Interface and Metrics Division
Defense Technical Information Center

Frederick Harris, PMP is Division Chief of the User Interface and Metrics Division at the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC), where he leads enterprise-level program and project management initiatives focused on user-centered digital services. He directs a multidisciplinary team that integrates user experience, customer analytics, and accessibility compliance to enhance the design, delivery, and accountability of mission-critical platforms.

With a background in driving complex IT transformations, Frederick applies structured, repeatable frameworks to improve operational efficiency, increase transparency, and align digital service delivery with agency performance goals. Under his leadership, DTIC has elevated accessibility and Section 508 compliance as essential components of the user experience function. Inclusive design practices are now embedded within broader modernization and compliance efforts.

Frederick brings deep experience managing cross-functional teams, guiding cloud-based modernization strategies, and optimizing performance reporting across federal and private sector environments. He holds multiple certifications, including Project Management Professional (PMP), and is known for building enterprise workflows that drive measurable impact.

Presenter: Leveraging Project Management to Streamline the Section 508 Annual Assessment as a Project, Day 1

Michael Horton

Senior ICT Accessibility Specialist
General Services Administration

Michael Horton is a Senior ICT Accessibility Specialist with the Office of Government-wide Policy at the General Services Administration (GSA) providing technical assistance to federal agencies on Section 508. He also serves as the Co-chair of the CIO Council (CIOC) Accessibility Community of Practice (ACOP) Best-Practices Subcommittee.

Mr. Horton is an accessibility and technology professional with nearly 30 years of experience in web-based application development. He is a compliance subject matter expert, DHS Certified Trusted Tester, and digital accessibility advocate who joined the General Services Administration, Government-wide IT Accessibility Program in 2018 to support agencies in their efforts to ensure independence and the dignity of work for people with disabilities.

Prior to joining GSA, Michael served as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Section 508 Program Manager, and as a software engineer, front-end web developer, partner advocate, and online policy and compliance specialist at America Online (AOL).

Presenter: GSA's Government-wide IT Accessibility Division - Yearly Activities Update, Day 1
Moderator: From Risk to Roadmap: Tackling Accessibility Debt with the Technology Accessibility Playbook, Day 2
Presenter: A New Look at ART & SRT, Day 2

Susanna Laurin

Managing Director and Chair
Funka Foundation

Susanna Laurin is Managing Director and Chair of the Funka Foundation, a Research and Innovation Center focusing on end user involvement, disabilities, empowerment and accessibility. She has been a thought leader in the field of digitalisation, inclusion and e-government for more than 20 years and she is a frequent international lecturer and debater. Susanna is a certified professional in accessibility core competences (CPACC), through IAAP.

Susanna is the Chair of the ETSI/CEN/CENELEC Joint Technical Body on eAccessibility, responsible for the development and update of the EN301549, to reflect presumed conformance of the Web Accessibility Directive and the European Accessibility Act.

As an internationally acknowledged expert in EU accessibility policy and legislation, Susanna is leading strategic assignments and research projects at EU level, nationally and across the world. Her area of expertise covers digital accessibility, the built environment, transportation, procurement and user involvement. She has written or co-authored several white papers and published scientific reports. Recent assignments for the European Commission include the formal review of the Web Accessibility Directive and a study on cognitive accessibility.

Susanna is a co-founder, Representative to the EU and also Past Honorary Chair of IAAP, the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, as well as the Representative to the EU for the UN-initiative G3ict.

Panelist: Differences in ICT Accessibility Regulations, Day 2

Ann Levin

Contract Support
General Services Administration

Presenter: A New Look at ART & SRT, Day 2

Alison Levy

Director, Office of Technical and Information Services
U.S. Access Board

Alison Levy most recently served as the Manager of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Disability Resource Center (DRC).

Previously, Alison served at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), providing leadership over the recruitment, hiring, advancement, and retention of individuals with disabilities, including reasonable accommodations. She developed and implemented policies, procedures, and strategic plans, and facilitated programs through a diverse team of more than 50 contacts across USDA’s 34 mission areas, agencies, and staff offices.

Alison was one of the founding leaders of the Federal Disability Workforce Consortium (FDWC), a volunteer, interagency organization that grew from 20 to more than 900 federal points of contact with monthly webinars, meetings, and collaborations with the Office of Personnel Management, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.

With over 30 years of experience in the disability profession, Alison has worked toward improving accessibility, and in providing equal opportunity in the post-secondary, public, and private sectors. Alison earned her B.A. in Public Communication from The American University, and her Master’s in Special Education from Johns Hopkins University. She is fluent in American Sign Language.

Introduction: Welcome & Open Remarks, Day 2

Laura Miller

Senior ICT Accessibility Specialist
General Services Administration

Laura Boniello Miller is a Senior ICT Accessibility Specialist with the Office of Government-wide Policy at the General Services Administration (GSA) providing technical assistance to federal agencies on Section 508.

Miller’s career has been spent largely in the private kiosk software and accessibility sector. She is an accessibility hardware and closed system subject matter expert. She most recently served as a contractor with various agencies on their Section 508 digital accessibility programs and is a DHS Certified Trusted Tester.

Miller serves on various working groups addressing self service transaction machine accessibility. She has knowledge of closed system accessibility as it relates to hardware, software, and accessible technology and has conducted and observed kiosk user testing with PwD in various deployments such as fast food ordering, grocery store pickup, government field office services, retail payment devices, and airport check ins. She recently joined the General Services Administration, Government-wide IT Accessibility Program to support hardware baseline efforts and kiosk accessibility standardization.

Presenter: GSA's Government-wide IT Accessibility Division - Yearly Activities Update, Day 1
Presenter: Accessible Self Service Kiosks, Day 2
Presenter: A New Look at ART & SRT, Day 2

Dr. Vinod Namboodiri

Professor, Ellen and Vincent Forlenza Endowed Chair in Health Innovation and Technology
Lehigh University

Vinod Namboodiri is the Ellen and Vincent Forlenza Endowed Chair in Health Innovation and Technology at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He is a Full Professor with a joint appointment between the Dept. of Biostatistics and Health Data Science, and the Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering. He is the founding Director of the Center for Community-Driven Assistive Technologies (CDAT) at Lehigh initiated in January 2025. In addition, he directs the Assistive and Accessible Computing (ACCESS) Research Laboratory which has the mission of exploring the design, evaluation, and use of computing and information technologies (in the form of Assistive and Accessibility Technologies) to benefit people challenged by disabilities. The ACCESS Lab, since its inception in 2016, has been continuously funded by the National Science Foundation through various awards. Through his career, Vinod has received several college and university level awards for research, teaching, and innovation. He received his Ph.D. from UMass Amherst and has held an appointment as a Senior Scientist at the Envision Research Institute, a non-profit serving and employing persons with visual impairments.

Presenters: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities - Part 1, Day 1

Andrew Nielson

Director, Government-wide IT Accessibility Program
General Services Administration

Andrew is the Director of the Government-wide IT Accessibility Program in GSA’s Office of Government-wide Policy, which has the mandate, under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to provide technical assistance to federal agencies and individuals in meeting Section 508 requirements. Andrew is an expert in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessibility. He is Co-Chair of the annual ICT Accessibility Testing Symposium, which brings together other experts from around the world in the field of ICT accessibility testing to exchange academic analysis of current ICT accessibility testing issues and explore approaches to improve accessibility testing practices. He is a principal co-author of the current version of the Harmonized Processes for Revised Section 508: Baseline Tests for Web Accessibility (aka the “ICT Baseline”). Andrew was also the coordinator and facilitator of the inter-agency team of experts that developed both the Baseline and the current version of the “Trusted Tester” accessibility testing process, which is recognized across the federal government as a leading practice in accessibility testing.

Introduction: Welcome & Open Remarks, Day 1
Presenter: GSA's Government-wide IT Accessibility Division - Yearly Activities Update, Day 1
Presenter: Digital Accessibility Acquisition Solutions, Day 1
Speaker: Closing, Day 1
Speaker: Closing, Day 2

Dr. Sachin Pavithran

Executive Director, Office of Executive Director
U.S. Access Board

Dr. Sachin Dev Pavithran is the Executive Director of the Access Board. In this role, Pavithran oversees research funded by the Access Board that supports the development of rules and voluntary guidelines in the areas of transportation, information and communication technology, the built environment, and outdoor recreation. With over twenty years of direct involvement in development, testing, and training for assistive technology, Pavithran has given lectures and training in accessible information technology for individuals and groups, as well as assisted in the evaluation of products related to web accessibility and design. Pavithran also has extensive experience working with the higher education community in providing access to instructional materials to facilitate transitioning from K – 12 to post-secondary education into the workforce. Pavithran has presented and provided training in the U.S. and worldwide, including in the United Arab Emirates, India, Egypt, Syria, Philippines, Thailand, Turkey, and Mexico.

Speaker: Welcome & Open Remarks, Day 2

Dan Pomeroy

Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Technology Policy
General Services Administration

Dan Pomeroy currently serves as the Deputy Associate Administrator in the Office of Technology Policy within the Office of Government-wide Policy at the General Services Administration (GSA). Dan’s work is focused on enabling Federal CIOs to deliver world-class information technology services across government, particularly in the areas of accessibility, identity credentialing, digital services, IT infrastructure modernization, and IT capital planning. In 2020, Dan established a dedicated emerging technology policy office in GSA.

Dan Pomeroy has also served as the first Director of the Infrastructure Optimization Center of Excellence under the White House Office of American Innovation, and as the Director of GSA’s Data Center and Cloud Optimization Initiative (DCCOI) Managing Partner PMO.

Dan is a native of Las Vegas, Nevada. He possesses a Masters in Public Service and Administration from Bush School of Government at Texas A&M University, and a Master of Science in Government Information Leadership from the National Defense University.

Speaker: Welcome & Open Remarks, Day 1

Dr. John-Ross (RS) Rizzo, M.D., M.S.C.I., F.A.C.R.M

Vice Chair for Health Equity and Innovation, Dept. of PM&R

Ilse Melamid A/Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine​
Department of Neurology
Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Department of Ophthalmology
NYU School of Medicine & Engineering
Rusk Rehabilitation at New York University Langone Health

John-Ross (JR) Rizzo, MD, MSc, FACRM is a physician-scientist-leader at NYU Langone Health. Dr. Rizzo is the Vice Chair for Health Equity and Innovation at the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. He also holds appointments in the departments of neurology, ophthalmology, mechanical and aerospace engineering, and biomedical engineering at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering. He heads the Visumotor Integration Laboratory, exploring motor control with a special emphasis on visual guidance and biomechanics in blindness, and the Rehabilitation Engineering Alliance and Center Transforming Low Vision Laboratory (REACTIV), exploring bio-inspired, multi-sensory assistive technologies with a special emphasis on advanced wearables. He is an advisor to multiple startups and early ventures focused broadly on technological disruption for those with visual impairments of all kinds and holds a series of board and advisory roles at leading NPOs, inclusive of the MTA, National Academies, Lighthouse Guild, FFB, CRF, City Access, and more. Dr. Rizzo capitalizes on his lived experience with vision loss in all aspects of his work. https://med.nyu.edu/faculty/johnross-rizzo

Collin Schreyer

Contract Support
General Services Administration

Presenter: A New Look at ART & SRT, Day 2

Betsy Sirk

Director, Digital Accessibility and Strategic Sourcing
National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Ms. Betsy Sirk is the Director, Digital Accessibility and Strategic Sourcing for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration with extensive leadership experience in program, project, technical, and acquisition management focused on implementing digital solutions to support NASA’s mission and the Federal Government. She serves as the Chairperson of the Federal CIO Council Accessibility Community of Practice Industry Outreach Program and the Section 508 Program Manager of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

Ms. Sirk also leads government-wide strategic sourcing efforts for workstations and Federal mobility solutions as the Strategic Sourcing Program Director from the NASA Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) Program. Ms. Sirk is a renowned expert on digital accessibility. She has received numerous Government and Industry awards for program management and leadership. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelors Degree from University of Maryland and holds a Masters Degree with Distinction in Computer Science from George Washington University.

Prersenter: Navigating Federal Acquisitions: Buying Accessible Tech, Day 2

Kristen Smith-O'Connor

Senior ICT Accessibility Specialist
General Services Administration

Kristen Smith-O’Connor is a Senior ICT Accessibility Specialist with the Office of Government-wide Policy at the General Services Administration (GSA). Mrs. Smith-O’Connor draws on over twelve years of experience in digital accessibility, ranging from document remediation, to web/software testing, to accessibility program maturation and brings a wealth of knowledge to assist Federal Agencies in complying with Section 508.

Prior to joining GSA, Kristen was a Project Manager and Senior Accessibility Subject Matter Expert at New Editions Consulting Inc, providing accessibility strategic planning and program maturity for public and private sector clients, with a focus on maturation of digital policy. She has created and led trainings such as Trusted Tester bootcamp, Section 508 incorporation into Acquisitions, and testing using automated browser tools. She is a certified DHS Trusted Tester and an IAAP Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies.

Presenter: GSA's Government-wide IT Accessibility Division - Yearly Activities Update, Day 1

Dr. Alex Vadati

Program Director, Convergence Accelerator Program
National Science Foundation

Alex Vadati is a biomedical and mechanical engineer and holds a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, in addition to an MBA in Strategic Innovation from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Previously, he worked at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, as a Staff Research Associate, aiding in commercialization of a surgical predictive software tool. His industry experience includes working as a Senior Engineer with a Fortune 200 MedTech company. Alex earned professional certificates in multiscale and human-centered design from MIT and Stanford University, respectively. He is a tenured professor of engineering at East Carolina University (Greenville, NC), and he currently serves as a Program Director (PD) for the Convergence Accelerator program in the NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP) through the Intergovernmental Personnel Act.

Moderator: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities - Part 1, Day 1
Moderator: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities - Part 2, Day 1

Lisa Wilcox

Section 508 Program Manager
Department of the Army

Lisa Wilcox is the Section 508 Program Manager at the Department of the Army, where she spearheads the advancement of Section 508 policy and direction to ensure compliance. With a background as a frontend web developer and Scrum Master, Lisa brings a unique technical and agile perspective to her current role. She is also an active contributor to the Federal CIO Council’s Accessibility Community of Practice (ACOP) Industry Outreach Committee.

Panelist: From Risk to Roadmap: Tackling Accessibility Debt with the Technology Accessibility Playbook, Day 2

Alex Wilson

Program Analyst
General Services Administration

Alex Wilson is a program analyst within GSA’s Office of Government-wide Policy (OGP). Alex works within the Digital Strategies, Government-wide IT Accessibility and Content Management teams supporting content creation, metrics & analytics, content rationalization and strategic planning efforts, among other activities. Alex is a disabled Army combat veteran.

Presenter: GSA's Government-wide IT Accessibility Division - Yearly Activities Update, Day 1