Speakers

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.