Quote:
"Accessibility is a moving target: just as we think we got it, new challenges arise."
Favorite Moment(s):
Establishment of the accessibility lab, receiving a Yahoo! Superstar Award,
speaking about accessibility at the new hire orientation.
What have you done to be a better Yahoo?
Enjoy every day of work. I translate my enjoyment into everything I do here (from product streamlining to public speaking, from innovating with developers to arguments/discussions with product managers, etc.).
Are you able to think big at Yahoo? How?
When I see my work influencing the Yahoo! network, I know it's the result of "thinking big". It would be impossible to "think big" or "act big" if not for all the wonderful people who really make accessibility happen here at Yahoo!.
What specific Yahoo! project has made the biggest impact on you and why?
The Accessibility Lab. The Accessibility Lab is a unique place at Yahoo! where any employee can come to learn about and try various assistive technology software and hardware that is commonly used by people with physical, visual and sensory disabilities. Through lab tours and other activities product management, developer and design teams immerse themselves into the world of disabilities, largely "invisible" to them in their everyday lives. This helps those teams to better understand the importance of accessibility in our products and why users with disabilities should be treated as customers, and not just objects of charity. After experiencing how various users use the computer, and web in particular, designers and developers start looking at their products in a different light, understanding that their product influences many millions of people around the world, including those with disabilities. I was one of the people that started the accessibility lab initiative. I feel that it's growth and success is directly linked to my main responsibilities at Yahoo! as a champion for accessibility.
What made you choose Yahoo! as a place to work?
Coming to Yahoo! was an opportunity for me to get into an environment where my work would have an impact on millions of people with disabilities around the world. I also realized that with access to some of the best engineers on the planet, I would have a tremendous opportunity to experiment, innovate and make changes in the field of accessibility. Here I've met a lot of enthusiastic developers, designers and product managers for whom accessibility is not just a right thing to do but makes a lot of business sense.
