Meet the Steering committee

The Rethink Ability Steering Committee brings together a diverse group of leaders, advocates, and innovators who are passionate about reimagining what's possible for people of all abilities in the workplace. Their purpose is to guide the vision and direction of the event, ensure the inclusion of varied perspectives, and help shape conversations that spark real change.


  • Dr. Akilah Cadet is the Founder and CEO of Change Cadet, an organizational development consulting firm. As a Forbes Next 1000 Entrepreneur her work is behind some of the biggest brands you use everyday. Dismantling white supremacy through storytelling is at the core of her work as a leader, speaker, creative director, producer, writer, editor, co-owner of the Oakland Roots and Soul soccer teams, and author of White Supremacy is All Around: Notes From a Black Disabled Woman in a White World. She literally has all the degrees, lives in and loves Oakland, CA, celebrates her disability, is a proud Beyoncé advocate, and has an incredible shoe game.

  • Angela R. Howard is a globally recognized equity-centered culture and change strategist, dedicated to transforming workplaces for social impact. As the Founder of Call for Culture, she helps organizations create humane, people-centered workplaces that drive lasting change.

    A former Head of People and Culture, Angela has led complex transformations, recognizing how workplaces often lag behind societal shifts. She equips organizations with sustainable, adaptive strategies to build thriving cultures.

    Angela holds an MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and is based in Chicagoland, where she leads Call for Culture’s annual Culture Impact Lab, uniting changemakers to shape a more equitable future of work.

  • Dr. Angela Young, CPACC, is a renowned Senior Accessibility Consultant and advocate for workplace wellbeing, specializing in empowering queer, neurodiverse, and disabled professionals. Based in the Washington DC-Baltimore area, they have dedicated nearly two decades to promoting diversity and inclusion. Dr. Young holds a Doctor of Education from the University of Maryland and has worked extensively in education, learning & development, and digital accessibility. As an international speaker, they have addressed audiences globally, advocating for accessibility and inclusion in various sectors. Dr. Young is also known for their work in personal branding and has founded "A11y With Angela," a platform focused on accessibility and inclusion.

  • Since being diagnosed in 2013 with Addison’s Disease (Primary Adrenal Insufficiency), a rare Autoimmune Disease, Anessa Powell has been dedicated to raising awareness that disabilities come in many forms. Anessa began sharing her experiences in 2016 and launched her social media outreach through the former pages of Addison’s Disease with Grace. In 2019, she began her work at the state and national levels as a patient advocate, speaking out for voices that have been traditionally overlooked in disability employment. In 2021, Anessa created AllAbility Solutions, a disability employment services firm where they strive to “Leave No Ability Behind” through training, consulting, and recruiting.

  • Gloria is focused on championing inclusive design for all minds while still using heart and empathy to build AI-enhanced products. Along with her background in product growth and development, she brings compassion from her nursing (RN) background, strategy from business (MBA) and startup experience, and insight from her psychology research (PhD). She is currently using her skills and knowledge to build Leantime, a productivity management tool for neurodivergent students and professionals.

  • Greer is a people-first leader with a background in hospitality and tech, and a passion for building equitable, transparent talent processes. She specializes in creating systems and programs that empower individuals at all levels, ensuring that performance drives both business success and employee growth. With a focus on autonomy and actionable insights, Greer helps organizations design strategies that make feedback meaningful, accessible, and impactful. She also leads the Performance Innovation Collective, a free & open community aiming to improve the current state of performance management.

  • Hannah Olson is the Co-founder and CEO of Disclo, a global HR software designed to simplify workplace accommodations for employers. For Hannah, this mission is personal—during her early career, she underwent intensive treatment for Lyme disease, spending over 8 hours a day hooked up to IV antibiotics. This experience revealed how ill-equipped traditional workplaces are for people with disabilities. Today, she is also a passionate public speaker, advocating for more inclusive, equitable work environments that support employees of all abilities.

  • Jessica Donahue is the Founder and CEO of Adjunct Leadership Consulting, a people-first fractional HR firm. She helps tech startups build and scale People Ops at a fraction of the cost of a full-time CHRO. With experience leading HR at large companies, Jessica recognized startups need strong People programs early but often can't justify a full-time Chief People Officer—yet. She bridges this gap with scalable, accessible solutions, ultimately preparing companies to hire their own People leader and ensuring a smooth transition.

  • James LeBrecht has over 40 years of experience as a film and theater sound designer and mixer, filmmaker, author and disability rights activist. LeBrecht co-directed and co-produced, with Nicole Newnham, the 2021 Oscar nominated feature length

    documentary, Crip Camp. The film received the 2020 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for feature length documentary, the 2021 Independent Spirit award for Best Feature Documentary and a 2021 Peabody Award. Some of LeBrecht’s additional

    accomplishments include co-founding FWD-Doc, an organization that supports documentary filmmakers with disabilities. He is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Jim

    is a member of the Disability Futures Fellowship, an initiative of the Ford Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. He lives in Oakland, California with his wife Sara who was also a producer on Crip Camp.

  • Kendra Koch is the Founder & CEO of Divergently, a community-driven wellness platform for late-diagnosed neurodivergent women. With 10+ years in health innovation and entrepreneurship, she's worked with venture-backed companies including Invitae and SpoonfulONE. Beyond Divergently, she's an Ambassador for the Founder Mental Health Pledge, writes the "Build Like An Artist" newsletter, and holds a Psychology degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Her work has appeared in several publications including Business Insider, The San Francisco Chronicle, Thrive, and Motherly.

  • Previously an educator for many years, Mandy made the transition to software-as-a-service (SaaS) nearly 5 years ago and currently serves as the Chief of Staff, People at ClickUp. Prior to ClickUp, Mandy had the opportunity to work with differently-abled young adults as part of UCLA's Pathways program, assist students and young adults through various university wellness center programs, and co-author an 8 week curriculum centered around individuals with invisible, chronic conditions.

  • Mike is the founder of Able2Global, a consultancy focused on helping hotels and cruise lines improve accessibility in ways that drive both profitability and inclusivity. As a wheelchair user and an avid traveler, he brings firsthand experience of the barriers that exist in hospitality and a data-driven approach to solving them. His work centers on showing businesses how small, strategic changes can create a better experience for disabled guests while also benefiting the bottom line.

  • Nathan Chung is a five-time award winner, recognized as a Top 50 Global Neurodiversity Evangelist and a D-30 Disability Impact Honoree. He serves as a board member for Ignite Worldwide, a nationally recognized, multi-award-winning nonprofit dedicated to achieving gender equity in STEM through education programs. He believes that neurodiversity and accessibility are the keys to more women in tech. Also, he is on a mission to make workplaces more accessible and inclusive.