AT&T’s Advisory Panel on Access & Aging

AAPAA (AT&T’s Advisory Panel on Access & Aging)

AAPAA (AT&T’s Advisory Panel on Access & Aging) is a group of independent, non-AT&T accessibility and aging experts who provide feedback on products, services, experiences and communications. By actively engaging with AAPAA, AT&T gains practical insights that help identify opportunities to improve usability, accessibility and customer experience for people with varying access needs.

Members

Denis Boudreau, CPWA, is an internationally recognized speaker, trainer, advisor, and expert in digital accessibility, disability inclusion, and inclusive communication with more than 25 years of experience. He has advised many of North America’s leading brands on creating more accessible products, services, and workplaces, and serves as a Senior Advisor to AT&T’s Advisory Panel on Accessibility & Aging, providing strategic counsel on accessibility and inclusion.

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Denis Boudreau

Katy Schmid is the Senior Executive Officer of National Programs at The Arc of the United States, where she leads national initiatives dedicated to disability advocacy, inclusive design, and systemic accessibility. With a deep commitment to expanding autonomy and independence for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Katy focuses on the ethical integration of emerging technology to create a more inclusive world. A firm believer in the power of universal design, Katy fosters strategic partnerships across tech, academia, and industry to drive meaningful change. She is a proud Longwood University alumna and holds professional certificates from Georgetown University and Harvard University.

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Katy Schmid

Neil A. Snyder is Director of Public Policy at the Hearing Loss Association of America and a veteran advocacy leader with more than 25 years of experience in public policy, coalition building, and federal legislative affairs. He has led successful national advocacy campaigns, secured major federal funding initiatives, and represented organizations before Congress and federal agencies. His career spans leadership roles at HLAA, ASHA, Snyder Strategies, LLC, and the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Neil A. Snyder

Heather Tomko is a content creator, sharing intersectional posts about life as a disabled woman. She authors posts on her blog The Heather Report and her Substack The Roll Up in addition to her Instagram presence.

Previously, Heather was the Outreach Coordinator National Rehabilitation Research and Training (RRT) Center on Family Support at the University of Pittsburgh. She is an alumna of Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health, where she received her Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management.

As a woman with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a neuromuscular disease, Heather is passionate about disability advocacy and access. She serves on the Board of Directors of The Andy Warhol Museum and AT&T’s Advisory Panel on Access and Aging, and previously served on the Board for CLASS, a local disability resources organization, and Film Pittsburgh. She also completed TRAIL, a statewide legislative advocacy training program for people with disabilities. Heather has been published in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Public Source, and Marie Claire. She testified at a field hearing held in Pittsburgh for the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging in a field hearing chaired by former U.S. Senator Bob Casey.

She currently serves as an advisory member of Beyond Diagnosis, an advocacy initiative focused on improving equitable access to services across various diagnoses. Heather also partners with the Pennsylvania Health Law Project on the related Beyond Definition initiative, a media campaign aimed at raising awareness of discrepancies in services for disabled people in Pennsylvania.

Heather was the winner of the 2018 Dick Thornburgh Disability Service Award, which is awarded to a student at the University of Pittsburgh who has made a difference in the lives of children and adults with disabilities. She also received the 2019 ACHIEVA Awards of Excellence for Community Awareness and was Ms. Wheelchair USA 2018, using her reign to advocate for disability inclusion.

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Heather Tomko

Ahmet Ustunel is a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments with the San Francisco Unified School District and a passionate advocate for accessibility and inclusive technology. He is an assistive technology enthusiast who works to expand access and independence for people with disabilities through education and innovation.
Beyond his professional work, Ahmet is an accomplished ceramic artist whose work has been exhibited locally, nationally, and internationally. An avid outdoor
adventurer, he enjoys kayaking, hiking, and tandem cycling. In 2018, he became the first blind kayaker to paddle solo from Asia to Europe, using assistive technology to navigate the journey.