Presented at 1:45 pm in Mattie Silks on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.
#41114Speaker(s)
- Glenda Sims, Chief Information Accessibility Officer, Deque
Session Details
- Length of Session: 1-hr
- Format: Lecture
- Expertise Level: Intermediate
- Type of session: General Conference
Summary
This isn’t theory—it’s real, hard-earned experience embedding sustainable accessibility across policy, procurement, communications, design, and delivery of services and products. Learn what it takes to shift accessibility left in every facet of your organization: the wins, the missteps, and the practical steps to make accessibility stick. No silver bullets—just what works (and what doesn’t).
Abstract
Digital accessibility doesn’t scale on good intentions. It takes structure, buy-in, and a deeply embedded presence across every part of your organization. While “shift left” is often associated with software development, the truth is accessibility needs to shift left everywhere—from procurement and policy to design, development, communications, and service delivery.
This session offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to make accessibility sustainable—not in theory, but in day-to-day practice. Drawing from lived experience leading an enterprise accessibility program, we’ll explore the systems, roles, and cultural shifts that turn accessibility into a shared, strategic responsibility across our organization.
You’ll hear what worked, what didn’t, and how we’ve adapted our approach to stay aligned with both compliance expectations and user needs. From embedding accessibility requirements into procurement and product decisions, to building effective training and governance models, this session will unpack the practical steps for operationalizing accessibility at scale.
Topics will include:
- How policy, governance, and training support long-term accessibility success
- Practical strategies for incorporating accessibility into procurement and vendor selection
- Shifting accessibility left in design, development, and cross-functional collaboration
- Building feedback loops and accountability structures without overwhelming teams
- Lessons learned from real missteps—and how we adapted to do better
Whether you’re just beginning your shift-left journey or refining a mature program, you’ll leave with actionable strategies and a realistic view of what it takes to succeed.
Accessibility done right doesn’t slow you down—it builds stronger products, smarter teams, and more inclusive digital experiences. If you’re ready to move from theory to practice, this session will show you how.
Keypoints
- How policy, governance, and training support long-term accessibility success
- Practical strategies for incorporating accessibility into procurement and vendor selection
- Shifting accessibility left in design, development, and cross-functional collaboration
Disability Areas
All Areas
Topic Areas
Procurement, Uncategorized
Speaker Bio(s)
Glenda Sims
Glenda Sims (the goodwitch of a11y) serves as the Chief Information Accessibility Officer at Deque, where she leads initiatives to make digital equality a reality. She co-founded axe-con, the world’s largest digital accessibility conference (and it’s free!), bringing together thousands of experts and advocates from around the globe.
Glenda is passionate about giving back to the accessibility community. She is an active contributor to WCAG 3.0 through her work with the W3C Accessibility Guidelines Working Group, shaping the future of accessibility standards. A strong believer in the power of professional certification, Glenda was part of the team that created IAAP’s CPACC to support and inspire new voices in this meaningful field. She now serves on the IAAP Innovations Steering Committee, always pushing accessibility forward with vision, collaboration, and a touch of magic.