Karen L. Braitmayer, FAIA is the founder and managing principal of Studio Pacifica. She provides the unusual combination of personal experience as a registered Architect and a member of the disabled community. She has made accessibility consulting and design services her focus area since 1990. She provides consulting services to local governments, school districts, architects, engineers, companies and individuals concerned with complying with Federal laws and State codes, as well as simply creating spaces that work for the unique needs of individual users.

We are so happy we had the honor ot interview Jill Moore yesterday. She works with the Landscape Structures team to aid in product development and promote the importance of inclusive play. During her college career at the University of Illinois, Jill competed on two occasions representing the United States on the world stage in Track and Field doing wheelchair racing. Through an active life, Jill constantly strives to not only employ a lifetime of experience, but to promote the importance of play as it truly shapes us all, and allows us to overcome some truly incredible things.

We had the tremendous honor of welcoming Grace Jun onto our show this morning. She is the Executive Director of Open Style Lab (OSL) and Assistant Professor at the School of Fashion in Parsons School of Design, the New School, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate students. Grace's work has received nation-wide attention and has been featured at the White House Fashion Show Celebrating Inclusive Design, Assistive Technology, and Prosthetics, CNBC, Business of Fashion, Vogue, Forbes, and the NYTIMES Style. She has been asked to speak about disability and design in numerous settings from Design Indaba to SXSW.

Open Style Lab started at MIT as a public service project. It is an annual 10-week summer program. Grace organized the first showcase at MIT in 2014, and has worked on developing clothing for people with autism, impaired vision, cerebral palsy, and many other disabilities.

As a designer, professor and social entrepreneur, Grace equips her community with best practices to challenge quality of life for aging and people with disabilities. From designing graphic interfaces for smart phones and wearables, to constructing accessible blazers for women with breast cancer, she has achieved incredible results.

Eric Lipp, Founder and Executive Director of the Open Doors Organization started the organization after personally experiencing the restrictions that people with disabilities face in everyday life. This experience was the catalyst in encouraging Eric to found the Open Doors Organization (ODO). ODO works as Part 382 US Air Carrier Access Act experts across the globe, working with over 40 foreign carriers. Eric is also an expert in civil aviation laws in many parts of the world, including Europe and South America. ODO also recently started work training 10,000+ Amtrak Frontline employees on accessibility. He also recently received the Community Support Award from the US Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration. ODO also acts as the Centralized Dispatch for all 334 wheelchair Accessible Taxi’s in Chicago. Allowing people with disabilities to have “on-demand” transportation, unlike anywhere on the globe.

Lucy Jones is the founder and CEO of FFORA. She worked as a “Social Innovator” at Eileen Fisher in collaboration with the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) and studied Fashion Design at Parsons School of Design, winning the prestigious Womenswear Designer of the Year Award in 2015. She has since earned several accolades including the Kering ‘Empowering Imagination’ Award and was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 List in 2016.

Lucy has exhibited work in the Museum of Art and Design (MAD) and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), where her "Seated Pantyhose" work was recently acquired into the permanent collection. FFORA was recently recognized by the CFDA, winning the lead prize in the inaugural CFDA x Accessories Council Elaine Gold Launch Pad Award. Currently, Lucy is the founder of FFORA. FFORA is a new fashion lifestyle brand dedicated to designing for people who have disabilities.

We recently had the pleasure of welcoming the fabulous Debra Ruh to our TGOW podcast show. She is the CEO of Ruh Global Communications (RGC), a technology, strategic communications, and digital marketing firm helping corporations strategically include people with disabilities. The firm allows organizations to connect with and integrate the community of people with disabilities, their families, and other stakeholders, including Wounded Warriors and baby boomers who are acquiring disabilities for the first time in their lives.

Debra Ruh is a recognized market influencer and advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities, a leader, a published author, a successful entrepreneur and a fantastic mother. She has created a path to empowerment and success for those with disabilities. Debra is the co-founder of #AXSchat, the second largest Tweet Chat in the world and her podcast Human Potential at Work with weekly listeners in more than 84 countries.

She is a contributor to the Huffington Post, and her catalyst for starting RGC was her daughter Sara born with Down syndrome. Her work has been featured on many news outlets, and she has been granted many awards.

For more information, please visit our website:

https://www.traipsingglobal.com/

We are absolutely bursting with excitement to share the latest conversation on our TGOW podcast show. We welcomed the accomplished Noorain Khan recently. She is a director in the Ford foundation’s Office of the President where she oversees grantmaking from the foundation’s Reserves Fund and leads cross-foundation strategic projects and initiatives that emerge from the president’s priorities.

Before joining Ford in 2015, Noorain was chief of staff to Wendy Kopp, CEO, and co-founder of Teach for All and the founder of Teach for America. Noorain has received the George Parkin Service Award for outstanding contributions to the Rhodes Trust and was honored by Rice University’s Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality with its Distinguished Alumna Award. She appeared on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Law and Policy in 2014 and is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Noorain earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School, where she was a PD Soros Fellow; an MPhil in migration studies from Oxford, where she was a Rhodes Scholar; and her bachelor’s degree from Rice University.

Devon Palermo – Adaptive Fitness Specialist and Health Inclusivity at its Finest

Devon Palermo is the director and adaptive fitness specialist for Definitive Progression Ignited (DPI) Adaptive Fitness. He is the Founder and Principal director of DPI Adaptive Fitness. In their own words, DPI Adaptive Fitness is Adaptive Fitness for Everyone at ANY level of Ability. It is safe and effective programming to improve functional strength, balance, speed, endurance, mood and overall wellness. In addition to being a personal trainer for individuals with disabilities seeking to be fit, Devon is also the author of the “DisAbility Fitness Handbook”, the “Never Give Up” blog and numerous fitness, nutrition, sports publications.

Devon is said to be a leading authority on Adaptive Fitness for those living with or recovering from a disability. With over 15 years of experience in both fitness and rehab, He is the go to resource for clients, therapists, and doctors looking to maximize the benefits of Adaptive exercise to improve strength, balance, function and abilities. He has worked as a strength and conditioning trainer for the DC Wheelchair Quad Rugby Team, the Capital Punishers in their first two years as a division 1 team in 2016 when they went 6th overall and 2017 when they went 3rd overall in the nation! Devon regularly presents on adaptive fitness to local area hospitals, support groups, Walk n rolls, and expo's.

Amy Currotto is a recent law graduate from the University District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law in Washington DC, where she specialized in international investment law. During her time in law school, Amy work at the World Bank at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Amy also spent time working at the United States Congress in the House of Representatives. Amy has lectured on international topics across the country relating to international business, human rights, and dispute resolution.

Andy Arias advocates in the entertainment industry by creating visible pathways as an actor and stand-up comedian. As an actor, Andy has had the pleasure of working with Tom Hanks, Mark Ruffalo and Hilary Swank on projects. He is often asked to consult with producers and directors in creating greater media visibility of people with disabilities. He has also produced several small projects that have brought attention to persons with disabilities and the LGBTQ to community.

Andy has been an advocacy professional for over seven years. He has worked as a System Change Advocate and Program Manager for Orange County & Los Angeles. He is member of many boards and commissions related to creating greater visibility and advancement for diverse communities, especially the disability community.

Andy's experience and leadership gave him skills to develop and implement a youth programs that served over 150 young adults in Southern California helping them reach their dreams for independence. The curriculum for this program utilized today by specific County agencies. Andy excels in teaching students that nothing can get in the way of their dreams, as long as they use their disabilities as an asset.

Andy’s expertise extends to Federal government and corporate levels. His goal is to marry his policy work with his work in the entertainment industry to create a systemic lasting change.