Speakers
Heather Dowdy
Heather Dowdy is a globally recognized tech leader, storyteller, and accessibility advocate who bridges innovation with inclusion—connecting disability, race, and faith. She has spent the last 20 years in leadership roles at Netflix, Microsoft, and Motorola driving accessible innovation across mobile, web, streaming TV and AI. Heather is reshaping how the world thinks about accessibility – not as a compliance checkbox, but as a catalyst for creativity, equity and impact. A trusted voice in the disability community and a U.S. Access Board presidential appointee, she leads with vision, empathy, and action.
Session Title – Igniting Innovation to Power Up Deaf Futures
Session Description – We are living in an unprecedented era of technological advancements – never before has humanity had such powerful tools at our fingertips. And yet, the path from education to employment remains fractured for far too many Deaf and Deafblind students and professionals. It’s time to change that. Emerging technologies like AI offer us the opportunity to reimagine what’s possible. How do we engage in the shift that is taking place? In this keynote session, discover how innovation and the power of storytelling can be harnessed to transform our culture and create a future that is truly inclusive for all of us.
Dr. Caroline M. Solomon
Dr. Caroline M. Solomon is a renowned scientist and the first woman to lead NTID since its founding in 1965, overseeing the college’s strategic vision, financial operations, academic programs, enrollment, and external relations. She previously served on the faculty at Gallaudet University beginning in 2000, rising to professor and, in 2024, later to Dean of Faculty, and has been widely recognized for excellence in science education. Solomon holds degrees from Harvard University, the University of Washington, and the University of Maryland, and has presented her marine and environmental research internationally. A strong advocate for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in STEM, she co-created a database of science and technology terms in American Sign Language to expand equitable access. A former Deaflympics swimmer, she was inducted into the Deaflympics Hall of Fame in 2020 and is married with two children.
Session Title – Make Waves for Each Deaf and Hard of Hearing Child
Session Description – Using the analogy of how it takes a village to raise a child, Dr. Solomon will illustrate how an ‘ocean’ ecosystem is essential for the success of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Using examples from her personal life, Dr. Solomon will discuss the ways in which connections between early intervention specialists, early childhood and K-12 teachers, university professors, speech therapists, audiologists, interpreters, peers, and family contribute to successful outcomes for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. The importance of feedback cycles is important in each pathway, including the training of professionals to handle the waves of different circumstances of each generation of children.