AXSChat Podcast

Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh, Neil Milliken
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Podcast by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh, Neil Milliken: Connecting Accessibility, Disability, and Technology Welcome to a vibrant community where we explore accessibility, disability, assistive technology, diversity, and the future of work. Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh, and Neil Milliken, our open online community is committed to crafting an inclusive world for everyone. Accessibility for All: Our Mission Believing firmly that accessibility is not just a feature but a right, we leverage the transformative power of social media to foster connections, promote in-depth discussions, and spread vital knowledge about groundbreaking work in access and inclusion. Weekly Engagements: Interviews, Twitter Chats, and More Join us for compelling weekly interviews with innovative minds who are making strides in assistive technology. Participate in Twitter chats with contributors dedicated to forging a more inclusive world, enabling greater societal participation for individuals with disabilities. Diverse Topics: Encouraging Participation and Voice Our conversations span an array of subjects linked to accessibility, from technology innovations to diverse work environments. Your voice matters! Engage with us by tweeting using the hashtag #axschat and be part of the movement that champions accessibility and inclusivity for all. Be Part of the Future: Subscribe Today We invite you to join us in this vital dialogue on accessibility, disability, assistive technology, and the future of diverse work environments. Subscribe today to stay updated on the latest insights and be part of a community that's shaping the future inclusively.

  1. 2 FEB

    From Twitter To Salesforce: Building Accessible Products That Scale

    What if accessibility wasn’t a checkpoint but a capability baked into every release? We sit down with Shlomit Shteyer, a technical program leader at Salesforce, to explore how large organizations make accessibility real, measurable, and scalable without slowing product velocity. Her journey from shipping features at Twitter to building accessibility programs offers a candid look at turning strategy into operations and aligning teams around customer impact. We unpack the practical models that work at scale: start with a centralized core to set standards, then grow embedded expertise through a Champion Program that upskills engineers, designers, and PMs. Shlomit explains why this blend beats false either-or choices and how it creates durable habits across design, development, testing, and release. Executive commitment proves decisive. At Salesforce, accessibility targets sit in the annual planning framework, right alongside feature delivery and security, so teams have time, tools, and a clear definition of success. AI enters the story as a helpful colleague, not a shortcut. Think agentic assistance that flags issues early, suggests accessible patterns, and speeds remediation while leaving accountability with humans. We also look at a shifting market reality: customers now demand accessibility at contract time, moving organizations from reactive bug-fixing to proactive, compliant design. Collaboration across companies is a surprising superpower too, with leaders openly sharing training methods, metrics, and automation approaches to raise the bar industry-wide. From global, inclusive training formats to positioning accessibility within the broader trust layer—security, availability, sustainability—this conversation offers a roadmap for leaders who want impact, not slogans. Shlomit’s advice is grounded and human: cultivate curiosity, connect your strengths to work that matters, and build systems that make good choices the default. If you’re scaling accessibility or looking for a place to start, this episode will give you frameworks, language, and momentum. Enjoyed the conversation? Follow the show, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review to help more people find it. Send a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

    24 min

  2. 29 JAN

    Heather Hepburn: Leading the Charge for Accessibility at Skyscanner

    A single UX critique and one candid email from a blind traveler set off a chain reaction inside Skyscanner: a grassroots movement, a formal program, and a culture that treats accessibility as core product quality. We sit down with Heather Hepburn—Head of Accessibility at Skyscanner and co-founder of the Champions of Accessibility Network—to unpack how real user stories, practical structure, and community energy turn good intentions into measurable change. Heather walks us through the early days: a quiet Slack channel, a room of curious allies, and leadership’s turning point when they saw how exclusion blocks customers from booking. From there, she shows how to make momentum stick—creating a champions pathway with training and one-to-ones, appointing a lead accessibility engineer to anchor the technical depth, and sharing hard-won patterns with partners and peers. We also explore the CAN community on LinkedIn, a sales-free space where thousands swap tactics, tools, and encouragement. Education is the other engine. Heather explains how Teach Access Europe connects industry and universities to weave accessibility into computer science and UX curricula, supporting lecturers with resources and realistic assessment. We spotlight hands-on university collaborations: student projects centered on accessibility, live sessions with a disabled testing panel, and the Skyscanner Accessibility and Inclusion Award that elevates practical solutions, like tools for dyslexic learners. The message is clear: when students graduate with inclusive habits, teams ship better products faster. We close by taking accessibility beyond the usual echo chambers—onto travel industry stages and into business schools—meeting leaders where they are with clear demos, data, and language that resonates with strategy, risk, and growth. Want to help build the next wave of inclusive tech? Join the Champions of Accessibility Network on LinkedIn, explore teachaccess.org/europe, and share this conversation with a colleague who signs off on roadmaps or curriculums. If this episode moved you, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us where you’ll start change today. Send us a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

    27 min

  3. 23 JAN

    How Competition And Collaboration Push Accessibility Tech Forward

    AI can empower without overstepping, but only if we design with people, not for them. We sit down with Christopher Patnoe, Head of Disability Innovation for Google EMEA, to unpack what’s working inside Google’s Accessibility Discovery Centers and why cross-company collaboration is speeding up inclusive tech. From hands-on demos that reframe complex info for neurodivergent thinkers to camera features that help blind users take better photos, the focus is on targeted AI that removes friction without trying to replace human judgment. We dive into the messy middle where innovation meets real life: captions that must be accurate yet respectful, humor that shouldn’t punch down but should still allow agency, and wearables that balance safety, comfort, and utility. Christopher shares why augmented reality has more day-to-day value than VR, how competition among Google, Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and others drives better features, and where open platforms create more room for customization. We also zoom out to the global picture—building for Nairobi and the Appalachians alike—where bandwidth, cost, and reliability demand offline modes and graceful fallbacks. Privacy and trust anchor the conversation. Useful by default even if the system knows nothing about you; deeper personalization only with consent. We talk data ownership, the risks of account sharing, and how corporate longevity and infrastructure investment affect AI’s future. Is the real value in the models, or in what people build on top? Christopher explains why durable ecosystems may outlast hype cycles, and why the most inclusive solutions come from communities who repurpose tools in unexpected, brilliant ways. If you care about accessibility, XR, AI ethics, and inclusive design that actually lands in the real world, this one’s for you. Subscribe to stay close to the evolving story, share this with a colleague who builds products, and leave a review with the one feature you wish your favorite device had. Send us a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

    32 min

  4. 14 JAN

    Why Accessible Geographic Data Matters For Everyone

    Maps shouldn’t say “graphic, clickable, blank” when what we really need is orientation. We sit down with Brandon Biggs, CEO of XR Navigation, to unpack why traditional map interfaces exclude blind, low-vision, and neurodiverse users—and how cross-sensory design transforms static visuals into reliable spatial understanding. Brandon makes a clear case that maps are not just about mobility; they’re about building mental models of names, distances, directions, shapes, and relationships. Without accessible orientation tools, people lose access to critical public data and even entire careers that rely on geographic information. We dive into the promises and pitfalls of AI for mapping. Street imagery descriptions are improving, but 70% accuracy is not enough when a misread road or building can derail someone’s route and safety. Audium offers an alternative grounded in authoritative data: a visual mode with readable contrast and scalable interfaces, and a nonvisual mode that feels like a game, using spatial audio and sound textures to convey features without adding cognitive overload. Every element remains text-exposed for screen readers and Braille, ensuring WCAG compliance and human verification. It’s not AI versus accessibility—it’s AI partnered with verifiable, inclusive design. Policy and practice are shifting. ADA Title II rules in the US begin to mandate accessible geographic maps for state and local agencies, while Europe and the UK still exclude many maps unless used for navigation, unintentionally limiting access to fields like epidemiology, planning, and environmental science. Brandon explains how Audium’s Esri partnership enables agencies to convert entire map libraries in Experience Builder, drawing on ArcGIS Living Atlas, OpenStreetMap, and local datasets. From wildfire layers to zoning overlays and event wayfinding, this is a blueprint for making public spatial data usable by everyone. If accessible orientation resonates with you, join us: subscribe, share this conversation with a colleague in government or GIS, and leave a review with one change you want to see in public maps. Your feedback helps push inclusive mapping from a nice-to-have to a new standard. Send us a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

    25 min

  5. 2 JAN

    How Late ADHD And Autism Diagnoses Shape Women’s Companies And Lives

    What if the label you avoided for decades is the one that finally makes your life make sense? We sit down with researcher and entrepreneur Regina Casteleijn-Osorno to unpack why so many women learn they’re neurodivergent only in adulthood, how misdiagnosis during adolescence and menopause delays care, and what happens when that long-overdue clarity meets the realities of work and caregiving. Regina shares findings from a participatory study of late-diagnosed neurodivergent women entrepreneurs, spotlighting why autonomy, sensory control, and values alignment pull so many toward self-employment. We talk about ADHD traits like hyperfocus, rapid ideation, and an intense sense of justice—how they can power product-building and client impact, and why they can clash with rigid corporate cultures that punish candor and overlook inequity. Rather than romanticize neurodiversity, we explore lived experience through photo voice and interpretive phenomenological analysis to surface nuance: joy in flexible schedules, stress from inaccessible assessments, and the choice to disclose or not in rooms where stigma still lingers. Beyond the office, we tackle hidden disability barriers that show up in the wild. From the sunflower lanyard to airline pre-boarding, we illustrate how policy without staff education becomes obstruction. The fix is practical: train front-line teams, diversify examples, and create predictable, quieter paths for anxious or sensory-sensitive travelers. We also press on language—why “everyone is a bit ADHD” erases real conditions—and show how leaders who speak openly about disabled family members help younger women find confidence, community, and earlier support. If you care about neurodiversity, women’s health, inclusive entrepreneurship, and turning research into everyday access, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review telling us the one change that would make your workplace or travel experience truly accessible. Send us a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

    32 min

  6. 16/12/2025

    Teaching Critical Thinking In An AI-Driven World

    What happens when AI accelerates faster than our ability to question it—and our workplaces grow more diverse just as support for inclusion wavers? We sat down with Professor of Practice Gisele Marcus from Olin Business School to unpack the crossroads of AI ethics, DEI, and the core human skill that ties them together: critical thinking. Gisele takes us inside her course, Leading Across Differences, where students learn to work with people unlike themselves while grappling with tools that can both scale fairness and automate bias. We tackle the most practical question leaders can ask about AI—where does the data come from?—and build from there into model oversight, representation gaps, and the human judgment still required to deploy automation responsibly. Along the way, we examine real-world shifts: how customer service is being streamlined by voice systems, why high-touch account management remains human, and how students are pivoting from vulnerable roles to hybrid careers that pair technical fluency with communication and analysis. The conversation widens to the social layer: the rise of bubbles, the decline of civil disagreement, and the quiet retreat from public dialogue. Giselle offers tactics students and professionals can use today—moving beyond one-off outreach, asking for referrals and follow-ups, and practicing the mechanics of disagreement through programs like Dialogue Across Differences. We also explore the evolving value of degrees versus micro-credentials and AI-focused certificates, and why universities that teach how to think—not just what to know—will best prepare graduates for jobs that don’t yet exist. We close on a hopeful note. Inclusion done right drives performance because people do their best work when they’re respected and seen. From highlighting companies that walk the talk to taking small, personal actions that lower barriers, momentum is still possible. If you care about building ethical AI, resilient careers, and teams that can disagree without dividing, this conversation is for you. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review with one question you plan to ask about your own data or decisions. Your voice helps spark the dialogue we need. Send us a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

    27 min

  7. 09/12/2025

    Who Decides What Inclusion Means?

    A fall from a tree, a 42-day coma, and seven years of recovery could have ended a future. For Abdus Sattar Dulal, it sparked one. We sit down with the world president of Disabled Peoples’ International to trace a path from a village in Bangladesh to the halls shaping global disability policy, and we ask what it takes to turn rights on paper into access in real life. Dulal recounts building community from the ground up: opening a small shop, organizing youth, teaching adults to read, and then stepping into a factory job won after a chess tournament. There, he called out discrimination, faced threats, and chose a different fight—founding a cross-disability organization that he fueled after-hours for years. That drive grew into regional labor advocacy that placed disabled workers into industry roles, then into global leadership through DPI, an alliance spanning about 140 countries with consultative status at the UN and a decisive role in advancing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We unpack how treaties become tangible change, from Bangladesh’s rights and protection act to the stubborn gaps that persist: inaccessible schools, untrained teachers, hospitals without sign language interpreters or accessible beds, and websites that lock out shoppers. We also confront the data problem—how countries define disability differently, why hidden disabilities slip the net, and what that means for planning, funding, and accountability. Dulal doesn’t mince words about the funding shortfall; for a population that touches half the world when families are counted, investment remains far too small. His answer is empowerment: disabled leadership setting priorities, controlling budgets, and measuring outcomes so inclusion stops being a promise and becomes a system. If you care about disability rights, digital accessibility, education, and the UNCRPD, this conversation offers history, strategy, and a blueprint: align laws with the convention, train frontline professionals, mandate access across physical and digital spaces, improve data, and fund disabled people’s organizations to lead. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review with the one change you want to see funded first. Send us a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

    24 min

  8. 02/12/2025

    AI Can’t Learn Accessibility From A Broken Web

    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 to lead with built-in accessibility even when the market wasn’t asking loudly. We dig into common misconceptions that keep teams on the sidelines: the belief that “accessible” means boring, or that compliance always adds time and cost. Eugene reframes accessibility as a creative constraint that improves legibility and clarity, especially when the tool handles structure and checks in real time. Then we tackle AI. Trained on a mostly inaccessible web, today’s models can draft fast but still hallucinate compliance. Eugene explains how Venngage pairs generative speed with deterministic rules for headings, layers, and exports, keeping a human in the loop where quality matters most. The conversation widens to content strategy. Organic traffic that once flowed to blogs is shrinking as AI answer engines satisfy queries without a click. Eugene offers candid numbers and hard-earned perspective on what’s still working: unique data, useful tools, and product-led content that solves real problems. Looking ahead, he predicts pro tools will stay hands-on and AI-assisted, while non-designer platforms shift to prompt-first workflows—“apply my brand,” “swap this image,” “ensure contrast passes,” “export PDF/UA”—handled by an assistant that understands both design and accessibility. Subscribe for more thoughtful conversations at the intersection of design, accessibility, and AI. If this resonated, share it with a teammate and leave a review—your support helps more creators build work that everyone can use. Send us a text Support the show Follow axschat on social media. Bluesky: Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmilliken/ Vimeo https://vimeo.com/akwyz https://twitter.com/axschat https://twitter.com/AkwyZ https://twitter.com/neilmilliken https://twitter.com/debraruh

    29 min
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About

Podcast by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh, Neil Milliken: Connecting Accessibility, Disability, and Technology Welcome to a vibrant community where we explore accessibility, disability, assistive technology, diversity, and the future of work. Hosted by Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh, and Neil Milliken, our open online community is committed to crafting an inclusive world for everyone. Accessibility for All: Our Mission Believing firmly that accessibility is not just a feature but a right, we leverage the transformative power of social media to foster connections, promote in-depth discussions, and spread vital knowledge about groundbreaking work in access and inclusion. Weekly Engagements: Interviews, Twitter Chats, and More Join us for compelling weekly interviews with innovative minds who are making strides in assistive technology. Participate in Twitter chats with contributors dedicated to forging a more inclusive world, enabling greater societal participation for individuals with disabilities. Diverse Topics: Encouraging Participation and Voice Our conversations span an array of subjects linked to accessibility, from technology innovations to diverse work environments. Your voice matters! Engage with us by tweeting using the hashtag #axschat and be part of the movement that champions accessibility and inclusivity for all. Be Part of the Future: Subscribe Today We invite you to join us in this vital dialogue on accessibility, disability, assistive technology, and the future of diverse work environments. Subscribe today to stay updated on the latest insights and be part of a community that's shaping the future inclusively.

Information

  • Creator
    Antonio Santos, Debra Ruh, Neil Milliken
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    299
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 AXSChat Podcast
  • Show Website
    AXSChat Podcast