As part of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, join us for a discussion about the role of design in accessibility of transportation and mobility systems. Hear from experts, advocates, and users about the challenges to teach and create empathy about disability and the challenges to access and use the built environment.

Our Panel:
Will Purves worked to develop the disability awareness training that Ann Arbor’s Center for Independent Living (AACIL) uses so people can experience disability awareness through various cognitive, physical, or social disability exercises. He moved to SE Michigan in 1992 after living and working in Colorado, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin, earning degrees at various levels in Anthropology, Geography, Urban Planning, and Gaming & Simulation Design. He was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa in 2000, and has steadily lost vision since.

Tom Hoatlin is the Director of Business & Benefactor Development at AACIL also facilitates disability awareness workshops.

Nisreen Salka is a former product designer at Ford doing Mobility Analytics Products & Services. She is currently a team Leader, UX & Content Strategy, for Quicken Loans with a recent MSI of Human-Computer Interaction from the University of Michigan School of Information in 2018. She also has a BBA from Stephen M. Ross School of Business, 2016. She spoke at 2019’s World IA day about Ford’s Rideshare program for mobility transport.

Mark Hymes is the program coordinator for the Livingston Center for Independent Living (LCIL), Livingston County Transportation Steering Committee Member & Manager of MoveLivCo.org, and an Abilities Alliance Community Leader.