Derrick Tuff is the founder and CEO of Paradigm Shift Advisors, an executive coaching and communication consulting firm. Through his work, he inspires leaders and equips them with the strength, confidence, and influence to drive success and positive change.

Tuff’s career is marked by a commitment to serve others. Before founding Paradigm Shift Advisors, Tuff served as a Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) at Youth Futures, a shelter for runaway and homeless youth in Ogden, Utah. He also held customer service positions at Microsoft and Salt Lake Community College.

Tuff received a bachelor’s degree in public relations strategic communication and a certificate in leadership for personal and social impact from Utah Valley University. In addition to leading Disability Resource Advisors, he sits on the boards of the Fulton County Commission on Disability Affairs and the National Federation of the Blind of Georgia. Through his entrepreneurial endeavors and volunteerism, he strives to create meaningful change and empower individuals to achieve success.

Melissa Lomax is the employment and transition director at Family Resource Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to meeting the needs of individuals with various disabilities. In this role, she manages two programs for transitioning youth: one focuses on providing paid internships and the other on effective mentorship. She also oversees three employment programs for adults with disabilities, focused on job skills development, supported employment, and work incentive counseling for Social Security beneficiaries.

Lomax’s passion for empowering people with disabilities has been demonstrated for over a decade. Before joining the Family Resource Network, she was a youth services manager at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland. She was also co-creator and co-host of “Fashionably Tardy,” a podcast that bridges the gap between the blind community and the fashion industry.

Lomax received a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a master’s degree in public administration from Liberty University. Her advocacy efforts include product development assistance with large companies wishing to make health and beauty items more accessible. Lomax’s passion for diversity, equity and inclusion continues to drive her as an agent of change.

Lakisha Holmes is a licensed counselor associate who works with middle school students through a nonprofit organization in San Antonio, Texas. In this role, she provides mental health support to students, helping them overcome barriers that prevent optimal academic performance.

Previously, Holmes worked with students with disabilities ages 16 to 24 as a transition-to-work supervisor at the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind. She also taught Braille and technology to blind adults at various nonprofits in the country. Her dedication to preparing people with disabilities to live independently is unwavering.

Holmes has a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in clinical rehabilitation counseling. She is a fierce advocate for the rights of blind people and has served as a board member for the National Federation of the Blind of Georgia. Through her career and volunteer work, she strives to show people with disabilities that “disability does not mean impossible.”

Thomas Williams II works for IBM as a brand specialist. In this role, he is responsible for driving optimal customer technology outcomes and achieving strategic objectives.

Williams is strongly committed to empowering brands through technology. Before his position at IBM, he worked for Microsoft as a digital sales representative. He has also worked for Sprint and AT&T in various sales positions.

Williams received a bachelor’s degree in electronic systems and management from Lincoln College. He strongly believes in volunteer service and actively invests his time in several causes. He is a strong advocate for digital accessibility and is determined to use his professional experience to ensure digital spaces are accessible to all.

Dr. Kathryn Mullins is the founder and executive director of Vega Collegiate Academy, a K-8 public charter school in Aurora, Colorado. She oversees operations and manages a team of dynamic educators. Collegiate Academy ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in Colorado for math growth and was named a School of Excellence by the Colorado Department of Education.

Before founding Vega, Mullins was a special education instructor in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina. She has collaborated on teaching task forces to enhance equity-driven curriculum, including partnerships with Teach for America, Building Excellent Schools, and The New Teacher Project.

Mullins received a bachelor’s degree in music performance from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, a master’s degree with distinction from Relay Graduate School of Education, and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Colorado, Denver. Since 2015, she has secured more than $24 million in funding to support refugee and immigrant students in Aurora. As a board member of Disability Resource Advisors, she hopes to remove barriers in education for students with disabilities.

Rene Bedgood II is a technology support team leader at the Chick-fil-A Corporate Support Center. He provides daily direction and insights to a team of in-office and remote IT analysts, empowering them to achieve business and professional development goals.

Previously, Bedgood worked for Cox Automotive as a technical customer care manager and held other customer service and leadership roles there for over 15 years. He has a strong commitment to using technical solutions to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Bedgood received a master’s degree in management and leadership from Western Governors University. He is committed to serving the community and believes that service is a lifestyle everyone should embrace. As a board member of Disability Resource Advisors, he hopes to empower people with disabilities to overcome obstacles to success.

Meg Thompson is the founder and president of Salt Peak, a business technology consulting firm specializing in infrastructure, security and data privacy. She works with businesses to create technical alignment, ensuring enterprise-class technology supports business strategies.

Before founding Salt Peak, Thompson was the managing director of national sales engineering at Crown Castle. Leading a national engineering team, she oversaw technology implementation and connectivity projects, focusing on schools and underdeveloped communities. Her leadership and passion for bridging the digital divide have driven technology initiatives nationwide.

Thompson received a bachelor’s degree in information technology from Marist College. She is an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion for women in technical roles and career advancement for people with invisible disabilities. She promotes opportunities for women in technology as an Alliance for Channel Women committee member. As a disability advocate, she reframes the conversation around accessibility, promotes inclusive digital representation and champions expanding meaningful career opportunities.

Leon Fraser is the president of AchieveAbility LLC, a consulting, training and executive coaching firm. In this role, he helps brands implement strategies that enhance operations, drive growth and optimize industry influence and leadership.

Previously, Fraser was the CEO of the New Jersey Small Business Development Centers. He was also on the faculty of Rutgers Business School, where he taught entrepreneurship and workplace diversity and leadership. His commitment to building businesses and educating future leaders has empowered him to positively impact many lives.

Fraser received a bachelor’s degree in government from Harvard University and earned the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification. He is an unwavering advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion and strives to make communities more equitable for all.