Why GAAD Foundation?

Jennison has worked in the digital accessibility industry since 2006, starting on RBC’s IT Accessibility Team in Toronto. Currently, he is LinkedIn’s Head of Accessibility Engineering Evangelism. In addition to co-founding Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Jennison founded the Bay Area Accessibility and Inclusive Design Meetup group and the free annual Accessibility Camp Bay Area. Since 1999, he has been co-directing the Adaptech Research Network in Canada. He sits on the Boards of Directors for the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired San Francisco, Knowbility, and Accessible Media Inc.

Ben is Director of Accessibility Strategy at ArcTouch, a WPP agency specializing in custom app strategy, design and development for innovative startups, influential brands and Fortune 500s. He brings a personal passion for disability inclusion and accessibility-first product development to global-scale agency work. His 25+ years of broad tech industry experience ranges from IT support and InfoSec, to multiple roles at Apple, to agile web and native application product management. Ben is a co-organizer of the A11yNYC (Accessibility New York City) meetup group, and lives in Westport, CT with his partner and two children.

Chris Gaulin is a seasoned entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in the digital accessibility space. He regularly brings his experience in digital accessibility, communication technologies, education, and e-learning to government agencies and organizations of all sizes. Having organized over 40 conferences, Chris volunteers his skills in planning and logistics to accessibility events and is one of the lead organizers of the largest group of digital accessibility practitioners in the world. He has extensive experience with managing not-for-profit organizations, stemming from numerous roles with Canadian charitable organizations.

Anna Thielke is an entrepreneur and inclusive design leader with 15 years of experience shaping accessibility strategy across healthcare, technology, and complex product ecosystems. She is the Founder and CEO of Mantis & Co., where she advises organizations on embedding accessibility into product development, operations, and organizational culture. Previously, Anna served as Director of Inclusive Design at CVS Health, where she built and scaled enterprise-wide accessibility and inclusive design practices across digital products, teams, and talent pipelines. As a blind and neurodivergent leader, Anna brings lived experience, systems thinking, and a governance-focused perspective to advancing accessibility as a foundational requirement for equitable and sustainable technology.

Joe Devon, is a technology entrepreneur and web accessibility advocate. He co-founded Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) and serves as the Chair of the GAAD Foundation, focusing on promoting digital accessibility and inclusive design. Joe also explores AI’s potential to revolutionize digital accessibility, developing AI solutions to enhance online experiences for people with disabilities.

Mindy has over a decade of web development experience, which includes working on the AmericanIdol.com and Fox.com teams; seven years at Diamond where she worked on Simpsons World, TaylorMade, FX Networks; voting apps for The Voice, NBA, and America’s Got Talent, among other properties. Mindy designed the Global Accessibility Awareness Day logo that has been featured in magazines, newspapers, and news shows all around the globe. She now serves as the Sr. Coordinator for the GAAD Foundation.

Elizabeth Barron is the Executive Director of the PHP Foundation and a long-time open source contributor and advocate with over 25 years of experience at companies like GitHub, Pivotal/VMWare, and SourceForge. She is also an author, public speaker, community organizer, and award-winning nature photographer. Elizabeth is currently working toward achieving her MBA, and is based in Cincinnati, Ohio.