Karen Tamley is the President and CEO of Access Living. Most recently Tamley served as the Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities in Chicago where she led disability-related work in the areas of transportation, city infrastructure, technology, emergency planning, education and employment for 14 years.

In 2016, Tamley was appointed by President Obama to serve on the United States Access Board, which develops national accessibility guidelines and standards. In March of 2019, she was elected Chair of the Access Board.

In her talk, "Accessibility in Chicago: Striving to Lead the Nation," Tamley will discuss the formation of the disability rights movement and key milestones in Chicago's history, reflect on the progress made, and highlight the disability policy issues and emerging trends that now challenge the lives of people with disabilities.