To celebrate Disability Pride Month, Felicity House hosted an in-person conversation about accessible design. Guest speakers Theresa D’Andrea, Accessibility Director at Steven Winter Associates, and Tamara Morgan, Associate Director at the Adaptive Design Association, discussed ways to make spaces and everyday tools more accessible.

Theresa explained that accessible design should do more than meet basic requirements. It should remove barriers people face in daily life while creating spaces that are both welcoming and functional. She also discussed how lighting, sound, and furniture placement can make a space more inclusive.

Tamara spoke about creating assistive tools in partnership with the people who will use them. She explained that considering a person’s emotional, practical, and aesthetic needs can lead to more useful and meaningful solutions. She also emphasized including disabled people throughout the design process from the very beginning.

If you were unable to attend, a video recording of the event can be found below:

SPEAKER BIOS

Theresa D’Andrea

Theresa is an Accessibility Director at Steven Winter Associates with 13 years of experience in accessibility and inclusive design consulting. She brings a unique interdisciplinary approach to accessibility, blending her background in architecture, environmental psychology, and interest in legal analysis. Theresa works primarily with architects, developers, and government agencies to help navigate complex compliance requirements and craft innovative inclusive design solutions.

Theresa believes that accessibility extends beyond compliance – it is about eliminating barriers that impact daily life. By tailoring her approach to each client, she ensures that accessibility is seamlessly integrated into projects, creating spaces that are functional, equitable, and beneficial for all.

In her free time, you can find Theresa hiking with her corgi, watching baseball, or volunteering with GallopNYC’s therapeutic horseback riding program for children with disabilities.

Tamara Morgan

Tamara is a mission-driven nonprofit executive and disability advocate with more than 15 years of experience leading community partnerships, grant implementation, disability inclusion initiatives, volunteer engagement, fundraising support, strategic planning, public speaking, and therapeutic programming. 

Tamara brings lived experience as a wheelchair user together with professional expertise to build person-centered, accessible programs that improve the lives of children, families, educators, healthcare providers, and disability communities.