2016 - Current - SpoCon - Accessibility Advocate / Manager

May 2016 to Current

SpoCon

Accessibility Advocate

Spokane, Washington

Created Accessibility documentation, audited ADA compliance at event facilities. Made recommendations and implemented improvements. Provided direct services to clients with disabilities.

An annual science fiction and fantasy convention for the Spokane area. Provided hosting services, webmaster, and user training for back office website. Also “Accessibility Advocate” to help convention organizers include consideration for participants with various disabilities.Created new position of “Accessibility Advocate” for annual convention hosting thousands of attendees. SpoCon has never had anyone looking out for attendee accessibility needs previously. Created policies, documentation, awareness, training, and Accessibility Table.

Training other volunteers in how to work with different populations needs, to help accommodate them to be able to have as enjoyable a convention experience as everyone else. SpoCon currently has around 1800 members. Performed site surveys of event locations, hotels, etc. Providing wheelchair accessible trailer for gaming activities. http://www.rpgtrailer.com Speaking on panels about the benefits of role-playing games, from the TR perspective.

Participants with disabilities raved about how greatly improved the event was due to the Accessibility Services, and asked if I would provide similar services in Tri-Cities and Montana.

Technologies used: ADA compliance, accessibility audits, OpenSuse Linux 13.2, CentOS, Zope with Plone 4.3, Python, DHTML, CSS, HTML, SSH, postfix, dovecot, SMTP, POP3, IMAP.