The How and Why of Accessible Events: Case Studies from the Field

Unlock the secrets of making events “accessible for every body”! Moderated by Josh Klipp, the Founder and Principal of Made Welcome and featuring a panel of industry experts, this eye-opening discussion dives into the urgent need for accessibility in digital and in-person business events. Join this new webinar, brought to you by Visit Richmond, for examples and best practices to help you transform your events and provide greater value for all participants.

Accessibility accommodations will be provided, including:

• The webinar will be captioned by Wordly
• The recording, Wordly transcript, and any additional resources will be shared after the webinar.
• Slides are not anticipated, but if this changes, they will be sent in advance.
• If slides are used, we will take into account accessibility measures such as high-contrast images and text.

Panelists:

Stephen Cutchins joined Cvent about two and a half years ago after 25 years working for IT consulting firms, the past 20 years being dedicated to helping his clients achieve their accessibility-related goals. In prior work leading accessibility programs, he worked closely with people who were Blind, Deaf, or had physical disabilities, so he has both a passion and firsthand experience understanding how People with Disabilities use the web. As Cvent’s Senior Manager for Accessibility, Stephen works to ensure that our products are both usable and enjoyable by attendees who have disabilities. On a personal note, his mother was an amputee, and he grew up with two cousins who were in wheelchairs, so accessibility is near and dear to his heart.

Josh Klipp is the Founder and Principal of Made Welcome, an accessibility consulting firm focused on accessibility at workplaces and events. Prior to founding Made Welcome, Josh practiced law for 16 years, specializing in the Americans with Disabilities Act. He is also a Certified Access Specialist (CASp No. 812) through California’s Division of the State Architect and is certified to provide guidance on accessibility in the built environment. After practicing law for nearly 2 decades, Josh left litigating to do all things disability for one of the world’s largest tech companies, Salesforce, where he set up and implemented the reasonable accommodations process for Salesforce’s 15,000 employees in the United States and Canada. He also created and implemented the first accessibility initiative for Dreamforce, the world’s largest tech conference – an accessibility strategy that Dreamforce continues to implement today. Because of his experience in workplaces and events, Josh understands the challenges and nuances faced by employers, event producers and venues. On nights and weekends, Josh moonlights with his band, the Klipptones, and is a volunteer Planting Leader with Friends of the Urban Forest.

Forrest Lodge is the Director of Strategic Partnerships for Sportable, Richmond, Virginia’s nonprofit adaptive sports organization that provides sport and recreational opportunities to people with physical disabilities and visual impairments, and has been with the organization since 2016. He has an undergraduate degree in Sport & Recreation Management from James Madison University (’14), and a masters degree in Sport Leadership from the Center for Sport Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University (’15). In his current role at Sportable, Forrest develops and manages relationships with key stakeholders, including corporate sponsors and community partners to identify and pursue opportunities for collaboration, secure funding and resources, and create mutually beneficial partnerships that support the organization’s mission. Forrest also serves as the tournament director for Sportable’s annual competitions for sports such as wheelchair tennis and wheelchair basketball.

Gerald Taylor joined Richmond Region Tourism in 2022 and is currently their Sports Development Manager. Gerald has spent time working for NASCAR, MiLB, Big 12 & A10 conference, VSU Athletic Department, and local AAU/High School sporting groups. Originally from Dinwiddie, VA, Gerald found his passion for working in the sports industry after his college baseball career ended in 2018. Gerald has a Bachelor of Science in Health Physical Education & Recreation (focus Sports Management):Master of Science in Sports Management.

Brandon McBeain joined the NWBA National Office staff in 2016, though has been with the NWBA since 2011. He currently serves as Chief Operating Officer. McBeain has spent time working for minor league sports teams,  NCAA, MLB, various sporing events, and sports marketing firms. McBeain, originally from Minnesota, found his passion for Paralympic sport working for the Organizing Committee at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games. McBeain has a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications: Public Relations and Master of Education in Sport Management.