OZeWAI online event - Ask the Professionals - 4 December 2024

Introduction

OZeWAI has moved from running an annual conference to partnering with many in-person and online events and offering membership benefits as part of individual and organisation membership tiers. Benefits include online events to ask the tough accessibility questions of the professional accessibility specialists. 

Topic: Accessibility Legislation and Policy

This panel event will bring together three accessibility specialists for you to:

• Ask questions from the experts  
• Share knowledge of similar issues
• Find where to get help with accessibility advice and expertise

Session access requirements

The session agenda and access details will be shared 2 days before the event. This is a remote online event using Zoom.

Please email info@ozewai.org if you wish to share any tools, communication methods, or anything else we should consider to ensure you can fully participate in the session.

Thank you from the OZeWAI Committee.

Panelists:

Dr. Ann Knettler - She/Her 

Ann currently serves as the Vice President of Consulting for GrackleDocs, a world leader in digital accessibility.  An accessibility strategist with over 18 years of experience as an ADA and 504 Compliance Officer, Director of Disability Resources offices, and global corporate policy advisor; Ann is a sought-after speaker, educator, and consultant. 

As a member of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), Ann currently represents the Association as a member of the Council of Representatives for the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) where she has co-authored and updated policy and standards for the entire field of higher education and currently sits on their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

A published researcher, Ann regularly presents and consults globally on topics such as the depth and breadth of digital accessibility, disability rights, assessment and the use of data as an advocacy tool, disability policy and policy reform, strategic planning for organization-wide access, creating and using policy and accessibility standards, program review, ableism, and the social justice model of disability. 

Ann is an active faculty member in the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Master of Public Administration Programs at Delaware State University.  She received a Masters of Arts in Counseling in Higher Education with an emphasis in Mental Health from the University of Delaware and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Delaware State University.  Her dissertation focuses on the lived experiences of ableism and able-body privilege by students with disabilities in higher education and the impact that experience has on their receipt of an accessible and equitable education.

Email: aknettler@grackledocs.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/annknettler 

Alanna Wallace - She/Her

Alanna is an Assistant Director in the Business Standards team, within the AGA and Policy Branch. In her time at the DTA, Alanna has been an integral part of the redevelopment of the Digital Service Standard, which establishes the requirements for designing and delivering digital government services, and the development of the Digital Inclusion Standard. With both of these Standards sitting beneath the new Digital Experience Policy, Alanna has been instrumental in the development of the accompanying standards and guides, such as the Exemptions Guide, and the Compliance and Monitoring Framework, drawing upon her experience in research, and engaging with stakeholders. 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanna-wallace-76b276181/

Susanna Laurin - She/Her

Susanna is the Chair of the Funka Foundation, a Research and Innovation Center focusing on end user involvement, disabilities, empowerment and accessibility.  She has been a thought leader in the field of digitalisation, inclusion and e-government for more than 20 years and she is a frequent international lecturer and debater. Susanna is a certified professional in accessibility core competences (CPACC), through IAAP.

Susanna is the Chair of the ETSI/CEN/CENELEC Joint Technical Body on eAccessibility, responsible for the development and update of the EN301549, to reflect presumed conformance of the Web Accessibility Directive and the upcoming European Accessibility Act.

As an internationally acknowledged expert in EU accessibility policy and regulations, Susanna is leading strategic assignments and research projects on EU level, nationally and across the world. Her area of expertise covers digital accessibility, the built environment, transportation, procurement and user involvement. She has written or co-authored several white papers and published scientific reports. Recent assignments for the European Commission include the formal review of the Web Accessibility Directive and a study on cognitive accessibility.

Susanna is a co-founder, Representative to the EU and also Past Honorary Chair of IAAP, the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, as well as the Representative to the EU for the UN-initiative G3ict.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanna-laurin-46615a1ab/

Moderated by:

Brigitta (Bri) Norton (She/Her)

Bri is a Digital Strategist and User Experience and Accessibility specialist based in Canberra, Australia, and has been an Accessibility Lead for both State and Federal Government. Bri is currently a Digital Accessibility Consultant at AbilityWorks.com.au and has more recently co-developed inclusive research workshops to share how to include accessibility earlier in the project lifecycle, including engaging with people with disability as part of inclusive research activities.

Amongst her professional experience with government agencies and local businesses, Bri is the co-chair and the conference convenor for Australia’s Web Accessibility Initiative OZeWAI.org, a Standards Australian Accessible ICT Procurement Committee Member, and a member of the ResearchOps.Community Cheese Board. 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/BriNorton/