About Debra Ruh:
She is the founder and CEO of TecAccess, the leading provider of accessible Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) for the world's largest and fastest growing minority group - People with Disabilities, Baby Boomers, and Veterans with Disabilities.
Debra created TecAccess in 2001. She has grown the organization into a profitable multi-million dollar company and it is the most awarded provider of professional accessibility and usability testing, training, and remediation.
Known for creating targeted and cost effective solutions that impact an organization's bottom line, TecAccess has proven a measurable business value of reaching this untapped demographic.
By making your business vehicles fully accessible and usable to all (including websites, social media, telecommucitons, hardware, software, eLearning, and other technology), TecAccess effectively turns what could potentially be a legal pitfall into a marketplace advantage.
As a unique differentiator, Debra utilizes a one-of-a-kind telecommuting model that allows the world's highest skilled technologists, many of whom happen to also have disabilities, to work from their homes, rehab facilities, and hospital rooms. TecAccess has over 60 associates with disabilities, and is also a leading employer of veterans with disabilities and baby boomers.
This award-winning team of technology experts is known worldwide for using their firsthand experience of having a disability to in turn help large corporations around the world better understand this population and therefore reach a new and growing audience that includes people of various ability levels and age-related challenges.
Since the company's inception in 2001, TecAccess' suite of services have ensured that clients in government, education and industry meet their accessibility, while simultaneously maximizing their ROI and becoming socially responsible corporate leaders. As a result, TecAccess' partners continuously realize the business advantage of reaching and better serving people with disabilities.
Debra Ruh and TecAccess do this by leading by example, as demonstrated by TecAccess' own international success and growing corporate client list that is driven by the world's best Information and Communication Technology (ICT) leaders, with and without disabilities.
To further promote accessibility and universal design worldwide, Debra Ruh serves on the steering committee, and is chair the Employability and Technology Group, at G3ict, the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies, a flagship advocacy initiative of UN-GAID, the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development.
Additionally, Debra is an active member of Rehab International (RI), a global network of people with disabilities, service providers, researchers, government agencies and advocates promoting and implementing the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities.
As a highly sought after international keynote speaker, Debra speaks all over the world on topics such as accessible Information and Communication Technology (ICT), accessibility, transition, disabilities and workforce Initiatives.
Her presentations have been enjoyed by members of the European Union; accessibility leaders at the Shafallah Forum 2009 in Doha, Qatar; the International Forum on Disability Management in Berlin, Germany; and at the ITU Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Mainstreaming ICT Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities in Bangkok, Thailand.
In the United States, Debra Ruh also travels the country on her professional speaking circuit. Additionally, she has been appointed to the Olmstead Board and Veteran Employment Board by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, and she serves proudly as an officer and board member of the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN), CEO Council, and the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC) Advisory Panel.
Debra has won many awards, and has been featured in numerous national media campaigns, for her efforts including: Dell Computer's "Take Your Own Path" 2009 campaign (TV, Radio, Print, Web), American Express Open 2009 campaign, 2009 VMFA Muse Award, Federal Computer Week's 2008 "Fed Top 100 Award," ANCOR Foundation's 2008 Community Builder Award, Dell's 2008 "Innovative Business" Award, 2007 Enterprising Women Magazine's Advocacy Award, Northrop Grumman's 2007 Community Support Award, 2007 Wells Fargo/NAWBO "Trailblazer" Award, 2006 Women in Technology (WIT) Leadership Award, 2005 Rising Star award by the National Association of Women Business Owners, 2005 Social Responsibility Award by the America-China Foundation, 2005 SBA Small Business Person of the Year for Region III, and was picked as one of the "Most Powerful Women in IT" by Virginia Business Magazine. Debra has authored many articles for national publications and is a major supporter for the rights of people and veterans with disabilities. TecAccess has been featured on CNN, NPR, CBS, ABC, NBC and in Fortune Magazine, US News & World Report, America's Best, and Washington Technology.
About Sara Ruh:
She has always had big dreams. At 20 years of age she has effectively advocated for people with Down syndrome, as well as those with a wide array of physical and cognitive disabilities.
Despite facing similar challenges and battling misperceptions of what people with disabilities can achieve, Sara has traveled the country in an effort to help her mother, Debra Ruh, grow TecAccess, while speaking to government leaders and corporations about the many benefits of hiring others with disabilities and taking accessibility seriously.
Sara enjoys sharing the stage with her mother or speaking on her own, as she relays to audiences her inspiring dreams, her experiences transitioning from high school to employment as a person with a disability, as well as her many work and school accolades.
Sara has delivered the keynote address before large crowds at the Virginia Special Olympics, the 1st Annual Secondary Transition State Planning Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina, and at the KansTrans Summit in Witchia, Kansas.
At a recent keynote address at the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center Sara discussed college and employment for people with disabilities. She has also been interviewed for NBC´s People Making a Difference, and participated in feature interviews with SBTV, Wells Fargo, and an Easter Seals commercial with the Mayor of Jacksonville.
In addition, Sara is actively pursuing her interests in dance and theatre, performing in a number of productions, and she is instrumental in Special Olympics Cheerleading. When not speaking and inspiring others she serves as the ambassador of Virginia Commonwealth Universities' Best Buddies chapter and she volunteers her time at Henrico Doctor´s Hospital in Richmond, Virginia.
About TecAccess:
It is the most awarded risk management and accessibility consultancy across the globe. They specialize in making Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) accessible to the world's largest and fastest growing demographic - people with disabilities.
TecAccess has been awarded the prestigious US Department of Labor (NFI) Presidential New Freedom Initiative Award, Virginia Business Magazine's - 2008 "Small Business Success Story of the Year" Award, Virginia Venture Forum's 2007 "Top 10 Companies to Watch" and Growth Companies to Watch Award, 2006 Virginia Board for People with Disabilities Achievement Award, and the 2005 Lighthouse International Employer of the Year.
For more information, go to www.tecaccess.net
