Accessibility Isn’t a Limitation — It’s an Invitation to Design for More People

Sam Smith, who leads accessibility at Coinbase, shares his journey from front-end engineer to accessibility leader. He discusses scaling accessibility through design systems, transforming accessibility from an afterthought into a strategic advantage, and how rapid product development changes the way accessibility teams operate. Sam also explores the role of AI in development workflows and why personalization—features like high-contrast mode and adaptable interfaces—may represent the next frontier of inclusive design.

Souvik Sen Sarma shares his journey from front-end developer to Accessibility Advisor at Wells Fargo International. He discusses building accessibility processes from proposal through testing and sign-off, mentoring teams, and managing defect tracking at scale. Souvik reflects on how inclusivity first drew him into accessibility and why human expertise remains essential—even as AI begins to influence development workflows.

Stephen Framil, Corporate Global Head of Accessibility at Merck, shares how he embedded accessibility into enterprise digital governance across more than 125 countries. From authoring a global accessibility policy to integrating controls into procurement, SDLC, and clinical trial protocols, Stephen explains how accessibility must be “baked in” rather than bolted on. Drawing from his background as a conductor, musician, and cancer survivor, he describes accessibility leadership as orchestration—guiding experts toward inclusive outcomes while normalizing accessibility across systems and culture.

Carey Estes, Accessibility Lead at OneMain Financial, shares how he built a scalable accessibility program grounded in action, automation, and advocacy. From a life-changing experience of temporary blindness to leading DevOps integration and enterprise-wide enablement, Carey explains how accessibility becomes sustainable when embedded into systems and culture. His ultimate aim: accessibility so well integrated it creates “radio silence.”

Donna Bungard describes how her lived experience and technical background led her into accessibility leadership. She emphasizes skills-first hiring, the importance of normalizing disability, and centering real human experiences rather than compliance alone. Bungard discusses neurodiversity as a spectrum, the value of customization in both work and digital products, and why accessibility benefits everyone. She highlights the need for authentic voices, continuous learning, and careful but optimistic use of AI as a mainstream assistive technology that can reshape inclusion if guided responsibly.

Jennifer Smith, Visa, Director of Strategic Initiatives and AccessibilityJen Smith has worked with accessibility at J.P Morgan Chase, Microsoft, and now at Visa as Director of Strategic Initiatives and Accessibility. She talks about the importance of working with colleagues at different experience levels and backgrounds. She also describes the need in accessibility for better ways to present data.

Joe Devon, GAAD Foundation, AI FuturistJoe Devon has had a long career in both web development and the application of accessibility to the digital world. Joe talks about his earliest days becoming aware of the need for accessibility and building his knowledge. That lead to being a co-founder of Global Accessibility Awareness Day and the GAAD Foundation. Joe describes his interest and excitement about the application of AI to accessibility and how it might transform how assistive devices work.

Stéphanie Walter, Maltem, UX Research & Design ConsultantStéphanie shares her experience with a motion disability that affects her in her daily life and when interacting with digital games. She talks about upcoming changes to laws in Europe that will require accessibility in public and private web sites.

Lars Holm Sørensen, Monsido, Accessibility ExpertLars Holm Sørensen resides in Copenhagen where is works on imrproving a compliance platform for organizations and municipalities. He also helps to build accessibility awareness. Lars talks about his lived life as a person who is blind using a screen reader. It created challenges in his education and early work as a software developer. Now he looks forward to greater attention to accessibility in the digital world.

Tolu Adegbite is Product/UX designer. Her current work includes providing guidance about accessibility to designers and developers, educating others, and creating new experiences. Starting her career as a front-end developer she was introduce to accessibility early on. Tolu talks about how she learned accessibility principles and embraces the importance of communication between designers and developers. She also describes her interest in VR/AR opportunities and the need to consider the intersectionality of our identities. practical work with browser plug-ins, screen readers and keyboard acccess. Accessibility continues to be a central part of her work in helped her make sense of accessibility early on.