Bios

Kathryn Gibbs started her career at Merck in 1992 as an assistant engineer in the Global Engineering Solutions (GES) organization managing laboratory projects on the Rahway, NJ Campus. Kathryn spent the next 15 years in GES managing a steady progression and variety of projects supporting labs and offices and large utility/infrastructure distribution projects in the Northeast Corridor, including capital project execution, technical and site support, and continuous improvement of related work practices. Kathryn has been responsible for the successful completion of over 5 million square feet and over $600 million. She has significant experience in campus and utility master planning.

Fred Dwain Cawyer AIA is a licensed architect and interior designer based in Dallas, Texas USA. He is President of ARS, PLLC – Accessibility Resource Specialists. His area of professional focus is as a registered Architect and Interior Designer specializing in accessibility compliance consulting for commercial construction projects. In Texas he is a Registered Accessibility Specialist – licensed through the State of Texas – Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation / Architectural Barriers Division (TDLR-AB).

Commercial Engineer from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. She has a Postgraduate Degree in Accessibility and Design for All from the School of Arquitecture of the Universidad Internacional de Cataluña; a Master’s Degree in Accessibility from the Global City, Smart Cities from the Universidad de Jaén and Fundación Once, and a Diploma in Sustainable Building from the Universidad de los Hemisferios and the Consejo Ecuatoriano de Edificación Sustentable CEES. She has collaborated with the Global Universal Design Commission (GUDC) since 2009 and made the first certification in Accessibility of a building in Ecuador (Centro de Convenciones Metropolitano de Quito) in 2019. She is Vice President of the Board of the Fundación Reina de Quito and was the one who promoted it since 1985.

John A. Lancaster previously served as the Executive Director of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), which is the oldest disability grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. NCIL advances the independent living philosophy and advocates for the full integration and participation of people with disabilities in society.

Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and consultant. Her presentations and consulting help people integrate universal design, accessible design, and green building features and products in home designs. Rossetti is an entrepreneur who is rethinking design and building by spearheading discussions and experiments around re-imagined living spaces.

Michael Perry is the Executive Vice President of Progressive AE, a full-service architectural firm with offices in Grand Rapids MI, and Charlotte NC. Michael served as the Principal Architect on the Mary Free Bed YMCA, the first building to be certified by the Global Universal Design Commission for its implementation of Universal Design standards.