Can you believe it? Only one more post to go after you finish reading about these great speakers! And then…the schedule!
We can hardly believe how soon WP Accessibility Day is – only a little over two weeks until show time! We look forward to seeing you there!
Abha Thakor
Abha is an experienced communicator, journalist, researcher and digital professional working in a variety of sectors. She has specialisms in new technology, content development, knowledge management, and cross-cultural working and inclusion. In 2020 she was made a Fellow of the international Chartered Institute of Public Relations in recognition of her work bridging technology and communications and in promoting inclusion.
She is a member of the Advisory Board for ‘We and AI’, which promotes awareness of artificial intelligence. She is a contributor to a number of WordPress teams including Marketing (team rep), WordPress.tv and Core, and is a WordCamp and Meetup co-organizer. She has led a number of projects aimed at improving accessibility and inclusion in the community, and promoting diversity, including co-lead for a cross-team Subtitling campaign and Communications Lead for WordPress Translation Day.
She is also CPD-Lead for a number of professional organizations and writes on technology, AI and machine learning. She has a particular interest in developing approaches to greater inclusion for adults with learning disabilities and cognitive diversity. She is delighted to have been invited to speak at the first ever WordPress Accessibility Day and looks forward to sharing the time with friends old and new in the WP community.
Jerry Jones
I am a generalist developer with 10+ years experience who builds products as accessibly as I can. I work at Automattic.
Raghavendra Satish
Raghavendra Satish Peri is a digital accessibility evangelist working at Deque Systems as Senior Accessibility Consultant breaking web accessibility & mobile accessibility challenges. He authors an Accessibility Blog & is galvanizing the adoption of accessibility by inspiring the local tech community with meetups and mentorship. He propelled this thought by founding HelloA11y, a community of accessibility professionals, developers and enthusiasts. When away from his computer, Raghava can be found at local cafes & restaurants sampling cuisines, attending local meetups, listening to audio books or writing on his Personal Blog. Raghavendra Satish Peri also helps small business & individuals with Digital Marketing Trainings & SEO consulting… He has been building websites & doing SEO Consulting for more than 14 years.
Sheri Byrne-Haber
Sheri Byrne-Haber is a prominent global subject matter expert in the fields of disability and accessibility in the business and educational settings. She is best known for launching digital accessibility programs at multiple Fortune 200 companies, including McDonald’s, Albertsons, and VMware, as well as consulting on government accessibility. Her programs have positively impacted millions of the more than 1 billion global people with disabilities. The accessibility program created by Sheri is part of the same group that created Clarity, one of the few open source accessible design systems available.
Sheri is the author of a popular Medium blog called “This Week in Accessibility,” where she summarizes legal cases and issues facing people implementing accessibility programs. This Week in Accessibility has had over 150,000 readers since its launch. Sheri is a frequent panelist and speaker at accessibility related conferences and an active member of several accessibility committees and non-profits, helping drive and communicate the evolution of accessibility standards.
Sheri’s book on strategic accessibility and establishing accessibility programs titled “Find Your Accessibility Compass” will be published in February 2021.
Adam Berkowitz
Hi! I’m Adam and I’m a web developer at the University of Connecticut (UConn). In my role at the Office of University Communications, I specialize in WordPress application development and web accessibility. I’ve also been on accessibility and diversity committees at UConn. These include UConn’s Information and Communication Technology Task Force and University Communications Diversity Equity and Inclusion Task Force. When I’m not working, I enjoy reading, martial arts, and spending time with my family.
Colleen Gratzer
Colleen Gratzer is an award-winning designer with 23 years of experience in branding, print, and web design and development. Four of those years include being an accessibility specialist.
She has provided InDesign accessibility training to the U.S. Department of the Interior, appeared on several podcasts and given presentations about website accessibility.
Her client-based business, Gratzer Graphics, provides design and accessibility services to nonprofits, creative firms and developers.
Through Creative Boost, she hosts the Design Domination podcast; educates designers and developers about freelancing issues, design and the importance of accessibility; and offers a website accessibility
course and other resources.
She is a member of the IAAP, the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, and holds a verified certificate of achievement for introductory website accessibility from W3C, with plans to pursue additional certifications.