John Kirkwood
President, CityMouse, Inc.
John has over 25 years of experience as a digital accessibility pioneer and consultant. In 1996, he built the first official website for the City of New York, establishing early standards for government web access. He later founded an accessibility firm and became one of the nation’s first certified Disabled Owned Business Enterprises. While working with the NYC Department of Education, he led enterprise-wide accessibility initiatives, ensuring digital platforms and educational resources met rigorous WCAG standards for all students and staff. John has direct experience navigating the complexities of large-scale public sector systems and understands the critical need for inclusive design in urban infrastructure. John continues to serve as a Lead Accessibility Consultant, focusing on cognitive disability and universal design. He currently oversees enterprise accessibility audits for major agencies and supports strategic efforts to bridge the digital divide in public education.