The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (VKC UCEDD), and its Developmental Disabilities Network partners, welcomed representatives from the U.S. Access Board in July for a statewide roundtable discussion focused on accessibility and the experiences of Tennesseans with disabilities. The meeting is part of the Board’s ongoing effort to engage communities across the country and gather perspectives that will help inform its work and future initiatives.
Each year, the Board selects a new region to visit, as accessibility and lived experience vary with geography. Tennessee was selected as the site of the Board’s next public town hall, which will be held in Nashville during a weeklong visit in April 2027.
The initial visit in July included a roundtable discussion that brought together disability advocates, self-advocates, caregivers, service providers, community leaders, and representatives from organizations across Tennessee. Officials from the U.S. Access Board, including Executive Director Sachin Pavithran, participated in the discussion and shared information about the Board’s mission, resources, and plans for the upcoming Nashville town hall.
Participants were invited to share perspectives on a wide range of accessibility issues affecting individuals and communities throughout the state. Topics of interest included transportation accessibility, the built environment, digital accessibility, adult changing tables and restroom access, medical diagnostic equipment, service navigation, housing, and other barriers and innovations impacting people with disabilities in Tennessee.
Pablo Juárez, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA
“We were honored to welcome representatives from the U.S. Access Board to Tennessee and to convene these conversations,” said Pablo Juárez, co-director of the VKC UCEDD. “The visit reflects the importance of listening directly to people with disabilities and the communities that support them. By hosting this discussion, we had an opportunity to showcase the expertise, innovation, and lived experiences that exist across our state while helping shape future accessibility efforts at the national level. We look forward to continued collaboration.”
Input gathered during the roundtable will help inform the Board’s understanding of accessibility challenges and successes in Tennessee as it prepares for its larger public Town Hall in 2027.
The Access Board is an independent federal agency that advances accessibility through leadership in accessible design and the development of accessibility guidelines and standards. Created in 1973 to ensure access to federally funded facilities, the Access Board develops and maintains design criteria for the built environment, transit vehicles, public right-of-way, information and communication technology, and medical diagnostic equipment under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and other laws.
Save the Date:
United States Access Board Town Hall 2027
Tuesday, April 13, 2027, 1:30 PM CT – 3:30 PM CT
Nashville, TN
More details to come soon!
Pictured top of page: U.S. Access Board members and Tennessee disability stakeholders gathered for an accessibility roundtable on July 15.
