AXSChat Podcast

We bring you an uplifting discussion with a change-maker in the neurodivergent community, Gregory White. Founder of 'Drop the Mask CIC', Gregory's personal experience led him to establish this revolutionary enterprise aimed at creating opportunities and accessibility for all, irrespective of age, color or ability. Right before the world was hit by the pandemic, Drop the Mask CIC was...

What does it take to write a story that not only grips its readers but also sparks empathy and resilience? Join us as we unravel this mystery with the talented author and speaker, Carol Van Den Hende. Carol's Goodbye Orchid series has woven these themes into a compelling tale shaped by her personal experiences raising a son with special needs. She shares the transformative journeys of Orchid...

Are barriers truly insurmountable? Explore this question and more in our deep-dive discussion with Mai Ling Chan, CEO of Xceptional Lab. We unravel the multifaceted aspects of disability and its position in the entrepreneurial landscape. Mai Ling, using her experience as a speech therapist, eloquently frames the narrative of disability as a source of creativity and strength, rather than a setback....

Spark your curiosity as we introduce you to Stephanie Sheehy, the devoted founder of Costa Rica Accessible Network. Stephanie has been blazing trails in transforming Costa Rica into an accessible destination for all. Her journey began with setting up the first travel agency in the country specializing in accessible travel, and now she’s working hand-in-hand with the government to ensure accessible...

Ever wondered how grassroots organizations amplify the voices of marginalized communities? Join us as we shed light on BillionStrong, a global identity organization co-founded by our host, Deborah. This episode offers an insight into their inspiring journey, their recent recognition by LinkedIn, and their future plans. It further elaborates on their mission of making the global disability communit...

Are you ready to redefine self-love and acceptance in a world that often emphasizes our differences? This enlightening conversation with Amit Ghose, a passionate advocate for individuals with visible differences, will challenge you to do just that. Born with neurofibromatosis, a condition that causes tumors to grow on nerves, Amit’s journey has been one of courage, resilience, and transformation....

Join us as we journey into the world of corporate diversity and inclusion with our esteemed guest, Nasir Ahmed; an inspiring leader who engraves his footprint as the current chair of Atos' Adapt Employee Network for Persons with Disabilities. Prepare to be enlightened as Nasir pulls back the curtain on his experiences, providing an insider's perspective on promoting inclusivity and menta...

Ready to challenge the status quo in accessible travel? Join us for a candid conversation with  Carrie-Ann Lightley, Head of Marketing at Accessible. Carrie brings a depth of personal and professional insight as we unpack the necessity for a progressive, rather than perfectionist, approach to accessibility. We tap into the significance of bespoke experiences and information, the fallacy of aiming...

Join us as we journey alongside the multi-talented Kurt Yaeger. With his rich experiences as an actor, producer, and disability activist, Kurt takes us through his life's ups and downs - from his glory days as a professional BMX rider to his unexpected career shift into acting after a life-changing motorcycle accident. Kurt brings a unique perspective to the table, shining light on the often...

Imagine a world where inclusion isn't an afterthought but a priority. A world where no one is left out, irrespective of their abilities. This episode brings you Bernd Schramm, from GIZ, a private entity working on behalf of the German government, who shares his insights into creating such a world. We dive into the journey of GIZ in prioritizing disability inclusion, discussing the challenges...

Get ready for an enlightening and stimulating conversation with Stephane LeBlois from Valuable 500. Stefan brings us an inside view of their transformative initiative, Generation Valuable, a ground-breaking program aimed at catapulting the careers of aspiring disabled leaders. This initiative doesn’t stop there; it also provides an eye-opening perspective to existing leaders about the unique hurdl...

We're thrilled to have Andrew Rogoyski from the Surrey Institute for People-Centered AI join us for a deep and insightful conversation about the transformative power of AI. Andrew brings with him the weight of the University of Surrey's three decades of AI research and a potent vision for harnessing this technology for the betterment of human lives. We embark on a journey, examining a ne...

You'll be fascinated by our guest, Katherine Perry, the CEO of BATA UK, as she sheds light on the critical role of Assistive Technology (AT) in international development and health fields. We tackle misconceptions that AT is a 'scam' and delve into how we can better advocate for AT as a community. Throughout our enlightening discussion, we also grapple with the ongoing effects of th...

This week we talk with Adrian Pickering from Robotica. Robotica's main goal is to make all of the world's information and entertainment available in sign languages, starting with British Sign Language. Adrian explains the challenges of translating sign languages due to the chronic shortage of interpreters and translators. Robotica uses AI to create avatars that perform queued speech, a s...

Just imagine stepping into a leadership role where you don't tick all the boxes. Quite daunting, right? Well, Natalia Oropreza did just that, stepping into her role as the Chief Cybersecurity and Diversity Officer at Siemens, and in this chat, she shares her journey and the importance of taking risks. Alongside Natalia, we have Rita Nkuhlu, the Executive Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at Sie...

Have you ever questioned how disability inclusion is making strides in the corporate world? We have brought a distinguished guest, Lucy Ruck from the Business Disability Forum, to shed light on this significant topic. Lucy, equipped with fresh data from a recent workplace adjustment survey, offers a close perspective on the difficulties individuals face when seeking accommodations, the aspirations...

Have you ever felt defined by your limitations? Our guest in this episode, Puneet Singhal, certainly has. Growing up with a stammer, he knows firsthand what it's like to feel different, misunderstood, and judged. But instead of letting this define him, Poonit turned his adversity into advocacy, founding SSStart and becoming a global ambassador for Billion Strong. He's turning heads, chal...

How can we make healthcare technology more accessible and inclusive for all, especially older adults? Join us as we welcome back Cordelia McGee-Tubb, now a staff design technologist at Color Health, who shares her valuable insights on navigating the complex US healthcare system and the importance of digital inclusion. In this fascinating conversation, we explore Cordelia's unique journey from...

How can assistive technology transform the lives of people with disabilities? Join us as we chat with Charlie Danger, director of Global Symbols, to explore this fascinating world and its impact on individuals with physical, complex disabilities and cognitive difficulties. From his own experience working with electrical disabilities to the advancements seen across various platforms and features, C...

What happens when a professional singer and language teacher pivots into the world of accessibility? Meet Dan Sommer, CEO  and Founder of Empire Caption Solutions, who shares his fascinating journey and how he's working to balance the quality of human captioners with the scalability of technology. Discover how his unique background has shaped his approach to accessibility and the vital role o...

Do you ever feel like companies and organizations are only giving lip service to their commitment to inclusion? Join us as we dive into an enlightening conversation with Dr Anthony Giannoumis , founder of Inclusive Creation, to uncover the crucial importance of transforming inclusion promises into tangible action. We discuss the powerful impact language can have on fostering creativity and perform...

What if we could revolutionize patient care through digital health technology? Join us as we explore this fascinating topic with our guest Dipu Patel, the Vice Chair of Innovation at the Department of Physician and Assistance Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Together, we unravel the potential of digital health technology to bridge social gaps in healthcare and discuss the importance of bal...

Betty is a Transformational Leadership and Career Coach, and a speaker with the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team. She is also an author of a book Against All Odds where she shares her journey of overcoming odds when she was abandoned at the tender age of fourteen years and thrived until she got her desire to attain a University Education at one of Africa’s Premier Institution Makerere University...

Oksana Chuchunkova is an advocate for employment for people with disabilities, accessibility and blindness awareness. She has served asthe had of the PR department of the business center for blind and visually impaired persons and an employment program coordinator at DPO Perspektiva in Moscow. She’s the accessibility expert at one of the largest Banks in the country. Together with a team, she help...

Dr. Michael Lorz (43) is the founding managing director of EnableMe Foundation. The foundation empowers more than one million people with disabilities annually across the world by providing enabling information, self-help peer communities & digital services. Michael is also the managing director of the Stiftung MyHandicap that focuses on digital inclusion services in Switzerland. He is passion...