APH Welcomes Tai Tomasi as New Director of Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion

We’re pleased to announce that Tai Tomasi has been hired as the Director of Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion. Tai has worked with other advocates in previous roles and we are confident she will continue that trend and make a difference in terms of accessibility, diversity, and inclusion that will promote positive change, not just in the field of visual impairment and blindness, but in all organizations and corporations.

“The desire to create a workplace of equity, diversity, and inclusion is on everyone’s radar. At APH, we also believe that accessibility must be a part of these discussions as you cannot truly address the first three unless you have resolved accessibility. We are excited to have Tai join our team to help us address all these areas here at APH and in Louisville,” said Craig Meador, Ed.d, APH President.

In her new role, Tai will provide strategic action and day-to-day operational leadership on all accessibility, diversity, and inclusion policies, programs, and practices. She will also work to implement initiatives that ensure a diverse and inclusive workforce and company culture, in addition to providing thought leadership, perspective, and vision that champion APH’s core values and mission.

“As a blind person who represents several intersectional identities, I understand the crucial role self-acceptance has played in my life. I am honored to be in a position to give back to an organization that gave me so much and I am eager to work toward a future when all people who are blind or visually impaired have the tools and support they need to find independence and success,” said Tomasi.

Tai has more than 20 years of working collaboratively with legislators, stakeholders, and employees to enhance the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired. Most recently, she was a Legislative Advocate for various organizations, including the National Federation of the Blind Government Affairs team from 1998-2021. She also worked as a Program Manager for the Alabama Freedom Center for the Blind from 2019-2021 in Birmingham, Alabama. From 2016-2019, Tai was a Staff Attorney for Disability Rights Iowa, located in Des Moines, Iowa. She has also worked as a Transition Specialist with the Iowa Department for the Blind from 2008-2011 and Transition Teacher also with the Iowa Department for the Blind in 2003, 2004, and 2007.

Tai’s move to APH reflects our goal of creating a diverse and welcoming environment for employees by providing resources and support to become a strategic driver of change and innovation within the company. This position will also be responsible for spreading our mission of accessibility, inclusion, and diversity by partnering with stakeholders within and outside the blindness and visual impairment community.

In 2015, Tomasi received her Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law and was admitted to the Iowa Bar later that year. She earned her Master of Public Administration from the University of Utah and her Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Arkansas. Tai will relocate to Louisville when the pandemic has subsided. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her partner Laura and dog guide Lava. She enjoys tandem biking and triathlon training.