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Leadership Development

AccessComputing is interested in building the next generation of leaders advocating for accessibility in computer science. To get started in taking your next step, try one of these options:

We are interested in offering speaking, publishing, and other leadership opportunities to members of our community. For more information, contact AccessComputing at accesscomp@uw.edu.

For those who have gone above and beyond in their leadership growth in accessibility, we honor those individuals with our AccessComputing Capacity Building Award, featured below.

Capacity Building Award

AccessComputing Capacity Building Award recipients are collaborators who have forged pathways that significantly advance accessibility in computing fields. Through their work and accomplishments, award recipients have changed the way the world views accessibility of education and accessible technology.

Previous winners:

  • Kate Sanka, 2025, for her leadership with Teach Access, expanding how educators, technologists, and institutions integrate accessibility into computing education and practice.
  • Vinod Namboodiri, Lehigh University, 2024, for his work in the development of the NSF Convergence Accelerator titled Track H: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.
  • Nils Hakansson, Wichita State University, 2024, for his work in the development of the NSF Convergence Accelerator titled Track H: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.
  • Maya Israel, University of Florida, 2023, for her work making computer science more accessible and welcoming for K-12 students with disabilities.
  • Shiri Azenkot, Cornell Tech, 2022, for her work in creating XR Access.
  • Larry Goldberg, formerly of Yahoo!, 2022, for his work in creating XR Access.
  • Rob Parke, University of Southern California, 2021, for his work advancing the inclusion of disability and accessibility in the Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing.
  • Patricia Ordóñez, University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras, 2021, for her work advancing the inclusion of disability and accessibility in the Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing.
  • Jennifer Mankoff, University of Washington, 2020, for her leadership in helping make all Special Interest Group on Computer–Human Interaction (SIGCHI) conferences accessible to attendees with disabilities.
  • Erik Russell, Computing Research Association (CRA), 2019, for his work promoting diversity, disability, and inclusion in the computing field and at the CRA.
  • Howard Kramer, University of Colorado Boulder, 2018, for his work for his work promoting universal design and accessibility in higher education.
  • Daniel Sonnenfeld, Salesforce, 2017, for his work mentoring students who are deaf and hard of hearing as a long term partner of AccessComputing.
  • Carol Frieze, Carnegie Mellon University, 2016, for her working making broadening participation programs welcoming and accessible to students with disabilities.
  • Jeff Bigham, Carnegie Mellon University, 2016, for his work engaging students with disabilities in accessibility research and outreach activities.
  • Valerie Taylor, Texas A&M University, 2015, for her work including individuals with disabilities in broadening participation efforts.
  • Jonathan Lazar, Towson University, 2014, for his work to make SIGCHI more welcoming and accessible to individuals with disabilities.
  • Sapna Prasad, Landmark College Institute for Research and Training, 2013, for her work to make computing education more welcoming and accessible to students with invisible disabilities.
  • Mark Wambach, National Technical Institute for the Deaf, 2012, for his work locating internships and organizing summer programs for students who are deaf and hard of hearing.
  • Daniela Marghitu, Auburn University, 2011, for her work including students with disabilities in computing camps.
  • Stephanie Ludi, Rochester Institute of Technology, 2011, for her work engaging students with visual impairments in computing and robotics activities.