AXSChat Podcast

What happens when accessibility becomes a feature, not a fix? We sit down with Eugene Woo, CEO of Venngage, to explore how a design platform can bake inclusion into every step—from contrast-aware color pickers to exporting PDF/UA files that pass compliance without a remediation gauntlet. Eugene shares Venngage’s origin story, the early pressure from education and government users, and the decision...

A life can change with a single word, but only if that word is followed by community. Paul Stevenson joins us to share how late diagnoses of Tourette’s, ADHD, and autism reframed decades of blame and opened a path to strengths, purpose, and international advocacy. We dig into the human story behind the UK box office hit “I Swear,” a film built with radical authenticity: 30 cast members with Touret...

What if the way your team talks is the blueprint for every product you ship? We sit down with Erika Hall—co‑founder of Mule Design and author of Just Enough Research and Conversational Design—to connect the dots between internal communication, ethical practice, and the systems that end up in people’s hands. From AI hype to accessibility debt, Erica challenges the default settings that turn “innova...

What if the most powerful part of your brand is the part most users can’t see? We sit down with designer and agency founder Rochelle Ratkaj Moser to unpack how accessibility becomes a strategic advantage when it’s baked into visual storytelling, not bolted on at the end. From plain-language copy to thoughtful reading order, alt text with meaning, and semantic structure that guides both people and...

Need a quick test for whether a city is truly inclusive? Follow the signs to its toilets. We sit down with Gail Ramster from the Royal College of Art’s Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design to unpack how public restrooms quietly govern freedom of movement, confidence, and dignity—especially for people with continence conditions, disabilities, caregivers, and families on the go. Gail takes us from Victori...

The tools that power accessibility are changing fast, but not always in the ways you’d expect. We sit down with Forrester analyst Gina Bhwalkar to unpack the new Wave on digital accessibility platforms and translate its findings into practical guidance for leaders who need results, not buzzwords. Gina walks us through what the Wave actually measures—quality of capabilities, forward-looking strateg...

AI loves the average—and that’s exactly why too many people get left out. We sit down with David Banes, chair of the Equitable AI Alliance, to explore how we move disability from the margins of tech conversation to the center of how AI is built, funded, and deployed. From Mobile World Congress to major health and education forums, we share what it takes to get lived experience on main stages and w...

Doors that don’t open themselves often open our eyes. That’s where Laura Wissiak journey began—watching visitors struggle with heavy museum doors in Vienna and realizing that access is the start of every user experience, not an afterthought. From there she taught herself UX, learned to code just enough to ship fixes, and found a voice by blogging through imposter syndrome. Along the way, she disco...

What if the fastest way to change a mind is to make it laugh first? We sit down with comedian and writer-performer Juliette Burton to explore how humor can turn stigma into understanding without losing its edge. Julliet shares the craft behind her sold-out Edinburgh Fringe runs and international tours, from relentless note-taking and collaborative rewrites to crowdwork that welcomes, not wounds. S...

Marc Haunschild joins AXSChat to share his experiences as an accessibility consultant helping companies navigate the European Accessibility Act and comply with modern digital inclusion standards. Drawing from nearly two decades as a developer, Mark offers practical insights into the challenges and opportunities that arise when organizations commit to accessibility. The conversation explores how th...

The fascinating yet troubling relationship between artificial intelligence and human connection takes center stage in this thought-provoking discussion. Debra, Neil, and Antonio dive deep into the paradox of technology that promises connection while potentially undermining genuine human relationships. When does AI shift from helpful tool to harmful substitute? We examine real-world cases where AI...

When Steve Tyler discovered that employment rates for disabled people haven't changed in six decades, he knew something had to give. The system was failing disabled people worldwide despite mountains of legislation and well-meaning initiatives. That realization led him to accept the leadership role at BillionStrong, a global organization representing disability communities across more than 10...

What happens when our bodies and brains are more connected than medicine has led us to believe? In this illuminating conversation, Jane Green MBE, founder and chair of SEDS Connective, unpacks the profound yet often overlooked connection between hypermobility and neurodivergence. After decades of being dismissed as "dim and a hypochondriac," Jane discovered that her physical symptoms and...

What does it mean to be diagnosed with ADHD at age 50? For Moonlake Lee, it wasn't just a personal revelation – it became the catalyst for creating Singapore's first charity dedicated to supporting people with ADHD. When Moonlake's daughter received an ADHD diagnosis at 15, it sparked questions about her own lifelong patterns of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and overwhelm. Despite her...

Julia Undeutsch's path to becoming an accessibility specialist defies conventional career trajectories. From studying musicology and Japanese while working as a poker dealer to becoming a passionate advocate for digital inclusion, her story reveals how diverse experiences shape innovative approaches to accessibility. When Julia first encountered coding, she noticed something peculiar on Stack...

Crystal Preston-Watson takes us on her fascinating journey from self-taught coder and journalism dropout to becoming a Senior Digital Accessibility Analyst at Salesforce's Office of Accessibility. With refreshing honesty, she shares how her own visual impairment and an unexpected quality assurance ticket requiring screen reader testing sparked her passion for digital accessibility. What makes...

What does it take to lead effectively in today's diverse business landscape? Gisele Marcus, Vice Dean at Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, brings a refreshing perspective shaped by her extensive Fortune 500 experience at companies like Accenture and Johnson Controls. The leadership skills needed today extend far beyond traditional business acumen. As Marcus explains,...

Communication is everything, but what if you couldn't make a private phone call? Tomer Aharoni, CEO and co-founder of Nagish, joins AXSChat to reveal how his team is revolutionizing accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing individuals. For millions with hearing loss, the simple act of making a phone call has historically required dependence on others—interpreters, captioners, or family memb...

When was the last time your history book mentioned Julius Caesar's seizures or Hannibal's missing eye? The erasure of disability from our historical narratives isn't accidental—it reveals our modern discomfort with integrating disability into stories of power and achievement. Caroline Bristow, Director of the Cambridge School Classics Project, takes us on a fascinating journey throu...

What if fitness was designed to meet you exactly where you are, instead of demanding that you change to fit into someone else's idea of exercise? That's the revolutionary concept behind Second Skin Society, and founder Lee-Anne Reuber is making it a reality. Drawing from her 22 years of experience in disability support and her background as a yoga teacher, Leanne recognized a critical ga...

Dimple Khagram, founder and CEO of Purple Beard Training, talks about creating the UK's first Accessibility Specialist Apprenticeship in an interview with Antonio Santos and Neil Milliken. What began as a passion project has expanded into a major educational programme, with seven graduates earning five distinctions and 40 additional apprentices still completing the course. The journey wasn&ap...

What happens when a curious quality assurance tester encounters an odd request about color contrast? For Iulia Brehuescu, it sparked a journey that would transform not only her career but also impact accessibility practices across a global pharmaceutical giant. Iulia's story is both inspiring and cautionary. From her early days testing web platforms at a digital agency to her current role sha...

What does digital accessibility look like in a mobile-first continent with 1.4 billion people speaking hundreds of languages across 50+ countries? Irene Mbari-Kirika, Executive Director and Founder of inABLE , takes us on an illuminating journey through Africa's rapidly evolving accessibility landscape. The conversation begins with inABLE foundational work teaching digital skills to blind stu...

Accessibility in mobile technology has evolved from seemingly impossible challenges to remarkable innovations. Join us as we welcome back Sabine Lobnig from the Mobile and Wireless Forum to discuss this fascinating journey. Sabine shares her unique path into accessibility, beginning with linguistics and a fascination with sign language that connected her to the deaf community. This led to her work...

The countdown to the European Accessibility Act has begun, and organizations across the EU and beyond are racing to understand what this landmark legislation means for their products and services. In this timely conversation, accessibility expert Susanna Laurin returns to AXSChat to separate fact from fiction about the EAA ahead of its June 2025 implementation. Susanna reveals a concerning readine...