The 2023 CSUN Assistive Technology Conference (CSUNATC) in Anaheim is next week! For the uninitiated, CSUNTC is the premier forum that features technology and solutions for inclusion and accessibility. It's a big event for the Accessibility community.
After a three-year hiatus because of Covid-19 precautions, UsableNet is back! Our Accessibility experts are speaking in two sessions, and we'll have booth 219 on the exhibit floor.
More than 4,000 people attend CSUNATC from around the globe, and at any given time, there can be a dozen sessions. There are many people to meet over the course of a few days. So, to help those still planning, we made a list of a few presenters to hear speak and how to find them.
We'll kick off this list by introducing a couple of the presenters from UsableNet's team.
Michele Lucchini, UsableNet
As VP of Delivery and Accessibility Operations, Michele oversees the presale engineering team and the post-sales engagements focusing on ensuring UsableNet’s client success in their digital accessibility program. Michele’s journey at UsableNet started in 2001. His role changed over 20 years, evolving to outsourcing manager first, through Project Manager Director and Head of Delivery Operations.
When to hear him speak: Wednesday, March 15, 2023 - 10:20 AM PST - UsableNet AQA: Find & Fix Web Component Accessibility Issues
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Jeff Adams, UsableNet
As Director of Accessibility Operations, Jeff works with UsableNet clients to ensure success in their digital accessibility efforts. Jeff is a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP). Jeff has worked at UsableNet for over nine years, where he has helped hundreds of clients. He previously worked as Client Services Director, working with top-tier clients. Jeff advises companies on best practices in website accessibility while also optimizing for their specific needs. His experience in client support spans broad projects, such as performing process analysis for clients, training on our tools, and recommending products and services to fill client needs.
When to hear him speak: Wednesday, March 15, 2023 - 4:20 PM PST - Company Culture and Digital Accessibility
Jennison Asuncion, LinkedIn
Jennison Asuncion is LinkedIn's Head of Accessibility Engineering Evangelism and Co-Founder of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). She is a CSUN Assistive Technology Conference Advisory Council member and a longtime General Sessions Program Chair. Between presenting and attending, 2023 will mark Jennison's 17th conference attendance.
When to hear him speak: Wednesday, March 15 - 8 AM- CSUN's Legacy: Sessions that Changed our Careers*
Ted Drake, Intuit
Ted Drake is the Accessibility and Inclusive Design Leader at Intuit, a financial software company that creates TurboTax and QuickBooks. Ted leads a distributed team of Accessibility Champions, working together to power prosperity. Before Intuit, Ted co-founded Yahoo's Accessibility Lab and was a developer evangelist. Ted regularly speaks at technology and design conferences and is a member of the steering committee for the Web4All and CSUN Assistive Technology conferences on accessibility research.
When to hear him speak: Wednesday, March 15 - 8 AM- CSUN's Legacy: Sessions that Changed our Careers*
Fabbio Sacca, Amazon
Fabio leads the Inclusive Shopping team in Alexa and is a member of Amazon’s Accessibility leadership team. He focuses on improving access to the Amazon Shopping experience for customers with disabilities and their families and ensuring that Alexa offers equitable value across all customer segments. He is dedicated to creating solutions to support inclusive product development at scale and building customer-facing solutions that improve the shopping experience for everyone.
When to hear him speak: Wednesday, March 15, 2023 - 1:20 PM PST - Accessible Shopping via Voice with Amazon Alexa
Mike Nejat, Sony North America
Mike is the VP of Engineering at Sony Electronics. He and the Sony North America Accessibility team
Andy Wu, AbleGamers
Andy Wu leads the peer counseling strategy for AbleGamers Charity to connect players with video games. Before joining AbleGamers, he was a professor with experience in program development, research, and community service. Andy holds a Master's in Occupational Therapy and a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas.
When to hear him speak: Thursday, March 16 - 8 AM PST- The State of Play: The Intersection of Video Games and People with Disabilities*
Mark Barlet, AbleGamers
Mark Barlet has nearly 30 years of hands-on experience in technology and assistive technology. Before moving into the Executive Director position full-time at AbleGamers in 2019, he had spent nearly two decades working for US Government agencies in usability and Section 508 compliance. He has trained, assessed, managed, and supported countless people with disabilities. Mark has worked for the Department of Defense, Homeland Security, and other government departments since leaving the Air Force in 1996 as a service-disabled veteran.
When to hear him speak: Thursday, March 16 - 8 AM PST- The State of Play: The Intersection of Video Games and People with Disabilities*
Dax Castro, Chax Training and Consulting
Dax Castro is an award-winning Adobe Certified PDF Accessibility Trainer and certified Accessible Document Specialist (ADS) with more than two decades of experience in the marketing and communications industry. Not only is Dax an accessibility expert with more than 200 hours of training, but he is also an online influencer, trainer, speaker, and accessibility advocate that pushes the envelope of technology to produce more robust, accessible documents.
When to hear him speak: Thursday, March 16, 2023 - 9:20 AM PST - Designing with Accessibility in Mind
Keith and Kevin Nolan, T-Mobile Accessibility
T-Mobile Accessibility is focused on bridging the communication gap for people who are Deaf, DeafBlind, Hard of Hearing, and those with speech disabilities.
When to hear them speak: Thursday, March 16, 2023 - 11:20 AM PST- T-Mobile Accessibility: Past, Present, and Future
Timothy Creagan, U.S. Access Board
Timothy Creagan has over twenty years of experience in disability policy. Creagan is a Senior Accessibility Specialist with the Access Board. Creagan provides technical assistance and training on the Revised Section 508 Standards and Section 255 Guidelines. Creagan serves as co-chair of the Education subcommittee of the Accessibility Community of Practice (ACOP) of the Chief Information Officers' Council. Creagan also serves on the Disability Advisory Committee of the Federal Communications Commission.
Where to hear him speak: Friday, March 17 - 8 AM PST- FED Talk: Accessibility with the Access Board and GSA*
Kathy Eng, U.S. Access Board
Kathy Eng serves as a Senior ICT Accessibility Specialist with the Access Board. Eng provides technical assistance on Section 508 with a focus on conformance testing. Eng 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 (ACOP) of the Chief Information Officers' Council. Before joining the Access Board, Eng developed the Trusted Tester process and training program. Eng has worked in federal accessibility and accommodations since 1999 and has a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Engineering.
Where to hear her speak: Friday, March 17 - 8 AM PST- FED Talk: Accessibility with the Access Board and GSA*
Michael Horton, 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. Mr. Horton is an accessibility and technology professional with nearly 30 years of experience in website and web-based application development.
Where to hear him speak: Friday, March 17 - 8 AM PST- FED Talk: Accessibility with the Access Board and GSA*
Andrew Nielson, General Services Administration
Andrew is an expert in information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessibility. 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.
Where to hear him speak: Friday, March 17 - 8 AM PST- FED Talk: Accessibility with the Access Board and GSA*
Mike Paciello, WebABLE
Mr. Paciello has been a pioneer and influential figure in the accessibility industry for over three decades and is the founder of WebABLE.com and co-founder of WebABLE.TV. Mr. Paciello was co-chair of the United States Federal Access Board's Telecommunications and Electronic and Information Technology Advisory Committee (TEITAC) and co-founder of the International Committee for Accessible Document Design (ICADD). He also wrote the first book on web accessibility and usability, Web Accessibility for People with Disabilities
Where to hear him speak: Tuesday, March 14th at 8 AM PST- The Keynote Address
No plan? No worries. We'll see you at booth 219.
You can plan it all out or wing it when you arrive. Our biggest tip is to arrive early for sessions. They can fill up quickly! CSUN is an excellent opportunity to hear from so many experts about accessibility and inclusion.
Remember to network and view exciting technological advances on the exhibit floor. Along with Jeff and Michele mentioned above, we'll also have experienced UsableNet staff like Enrico Scoda, Giacomo Petri, Brooke Porter, and Darcy Cottrell. View a live demonstration or enter to win a prize. We're giving away coffee cups and cards and raffling a Nespresso machine so you can fuel your passion for accessibility with knowledge and caffeine! We'll see you at booth 219.
More Information: The Exhibit Hall will be open to the public from March 15-17, 2023. On March 15-16, the hours are 9:30 AM until 5:30 PM, and on March 17, from 9:30 AM until 1:30 PM. Paid conference attendees can attend a special Preview Night of the Exhibit Hall on March 14 from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM.
*Denotes that the session is also available on Livestream via the newly branded CSUNATC TV, the hub for all Livestream and digital content from the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference (CSUNATC TV). The Livestream content is free to attendees and the general public. Experience hosted fireside chats with industry leaders, innovators, and other prominent community members as they discuss important topics- click here to access Youtube for Livestream sessions.
