Catalyst Keynote™ · The Accessibility Catalyst Group

The competitive edge companies need isn't coming. It's already here.

The nationally recognized technology executive companies call when they're ready to turn accessibility into market share and the customers their competitors overlook.

Heather Dowdy delivering a keynote on stage in a signature orange suit

1.3B: People with disabilities globally
$18.3T: Disability spending power worldwide
50%+: Netflix viewers who use captions
20+ yr: Tech leadership across Big Tech

About Heather

Heather Dowdy is the technology executive companies call when they want to make accessibility a competitive advantage. As Netflix's inaugural Head of Global Product Accessibility, she built features that more than half of all viewers now use every day. She served as COO of Microsoft's AI for Accessibility program and led accessibility engineering on the first Android devices at Motorola.

In 2022, she was a Presidential appointee to the U.S. Access Board. In January 2026 she founded The Accessibility Catalyst Group to bring Big Tech expertise to brands ready to compete, not just comply. A Child of Deaf Adults (CODA) fluent in ASL, Heather leads with revenue, not guilt — she doesn't raise awareness, she raises standards.

“Both of my parents lost their hearing as toddlers. I started learning ASL at six months old. I've seen firsthand how technology can profoundly impact human lives.”

Short Bio

Netflix's inaugural Head of Global Product Accessibility. 2022 Presidential Appointee to the U.S. Access Board. 20-year veteran in big tech (including Microsoft, Google, Motorola) — driving global accessibility transformation across mobile, web, TV, and AI. Fluent in ASL (CODA). Brand growth consultant scaling global strategy, innovation, and measurable business impact for visionary companies.

Fast Facts

Presidential Appointee — U.S. Access Board (2022)
Inaugural Head of Global Product Accessibility, Netflix
COO, Microsoft AI for Accessibility
Accessibility Engineering Lead, Motorola / Google
BSEE, University of Illinois · NSBE Alum
ECE Young Alumni Award · University of Illinois 2024
CODA — Child of Deaf Adults · Fluent in ASL
Board Member, World Institute on Disability, Deaf Kids Code, Billion Strong

Press & Platforms

commercetools
NC TECH
RTI International
AbbVie
WebCon
Forbes
Essence
Business Insider

Signature Keynotes — Three Keynotes, One Outcome: Growth Through Access

GROW
REVENUE • BRAND STRATEGY • CUSTOMER GROWTH
Accessibility Is Your Biggest Untapped Revenue Lever
Your next breakthrough product and your most loyal customers are already sitting in a backlog labeled "accessibility" — and nobody has connected either one to revenue.
Ideal for: C-Suite & Corporate Leadership · Business Conferences · CMO & Brand Summits · Retail, Beauty, Sports & Entertainment · Founders, VC & Startup Summits
INNOVATE
AI • PRODUCT • CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
Building AI That Doesn't Leave Your Market Behind
AI is being deployed faster than it is being examined — and the users it excludes today become the liabilities and lost revenue of tomorrow.
Ideal for: AI Summits · Technology Conferences · Future-of-Work Symposiums
LEAD
STRATEGY • GLOBAL MARKETS • COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Your Compliance Deadline Is a Market Opportunity in Disguise
European Accessibility Act enforcement began June 2025, and most global brands are treating it purely as legal exposure.
Ideal for: Global Brand & Legal Leadership · EU Market Expansion · Product Strategy · International Conferences