Empowering Accessible and Inclusive Experiences

Inclusive Authentic Creative

Hi! I'm Sean Marihugh (he/him). I've spent my career working in digital accessibility based on a fascination with all the different ways people with disabilities use technology. As I've navigated my own disability - muscular dystrophy - I've also fallen in love with all things adaptive sports and adventuring within and around the constraints of my own body.

What I've learned along the way is that authentic disability inclusion doesn't happen automatically - it requires intentional planning, a willingness to engage the community, and creativity to break down barriers.

Working with both large and small organizations, including a decade on the accessibility team at Microsoft, and on a variety of projects all across the accessibility space, I'm equipped to guide you or your organization in transforming accessibility into a core part of your business, whether that's with technology, mindset shifts, organizational structure, or design.

Disability is part of the human experience. Disability is creativity. Disability is joy, growth, and adventure. Disability is a fulfilling life.

Disability IS.

Accessibility can be complex, and many organizations aren't sure where exactly to start. But we can each play a role in disability inclusion, and by collaborating and listening to authentic disability experiences, we can start to change the conversation.

Accessibility is a business imperative - there are an estimated 1.3 billion people with disabilities in the world (World Health Organization, 2023) and the total after-tax disposable income for working-age people with disabilities is about $490 billion (American Institute of Research, 2018).

Accessibility is only expensive when it's an afterthought and you need to retrofit. True inclusion means you intentionally plan to include early, rather than unintentionally exclude.

Values must underpin my work.

I have a disability, and that is a core part of my identity and life experiences. I'm passionate about finding ways to elevate the lived experiences of others and help organizations appreciate the breadth of disability and the impact they can have. To ensure my collaborations have meaningful impact, it's important to be transparent about my values, and I hope you'll help me share them.

Fair compensation for people with disabilities.

In a world where people with disabilities still make subminimum wage and are un- and under-employed at significant rates as compared with the nondisabled population, people deserve compensation for their contributions.

Cocreation is the only way.

Most of the organizations supporting the disability community aren't led by disabled leaders. For disability inclusion work to be enduring, it must be led by the disability community, solve real problems, and have real impact.

​​Growth mindset is a must.

We don't know what we don't know, and it's easy to be intimidated with how unique and personal disability can be. The learning never stops, and as technology, tools, experiences, and industries evolve, so too must our mindsets and beliefs.

We must uplift each other's work.

The creativity of accessibility means there are so many ideas and thought leaders out there. We must break down silos and ensure ​learning is shared so we can iterate on the work of others. Please take one small step by viewing Admiration.

It's ok to make mistakes.

​It's not enough to learn about disability and accessibility. It is where allies start, but to truly have impact, we as a community must act. Sometimes we miss the mark. But it's ok to try, to iterate, to be creative. We can all have impact; we just need to give ourselves the freedom to identify barriers and experiment.