Derek Shields
Impact Campaign & Engagement Lead, Digital Accessibility Ethics Book, ForwardWorks Consulting
Derek Shields is President of ForwardWorks Consulting, a strategy and program management consulting firm advancing disability inclusion, accessibility, and equitable participation across workforce and community systems. With 30 years of experience, he has led initiatives in digital accessibility, assistive technology support, accommodations programs, employment inclusion, transition services, and cross-sector partnerships that strengthen organizational capacity and inclusive practice. Derek serves as Impact Campaign & Engagement Lead for the Digital Accessibility Ethics book, where he designs and leads strategy to extend the Digital Accessibility Ethics Framework into a living, community-driven ecosystem. He’s also a Co-Founder of the National Disability Mentoring Coalition and the ForwardWorks Skills Lab, supporting young adults with disabilities to build confidence and gain workforce readiness skills. Learn more: www.forwardworks.net.