TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

TravelAbility Summit

Meet the TravelAbility Team

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Group photo of the TravelAbility team on stage in front of a TravelAbility step-and-repeat banner, with two dogs and a few people posing on the floor.

Behind every fearless leader, bold dreamer, and change maker is the team that helps to bring the vision into fruition. Meet the team behind TravelAbility and its initiatives.

Headshot of Jake Steinman, smiling, wearing glasses and a dark zip-up.

Jake Steinman

Founder and CEO 

Visionary, networker, and leader extraordinaire, Jake is continuously identifying the gaps in accessibility and inclusion and prescribing ways to fill them. Since 2019, he’s been leading various initiatives to educate, inspire and connect the travel industry on accessibility issues.

Lillian Karl smiling outdoors in front of green foliage, with shoulder-length brown hair and bangs, wearing a maroon, tan, and sage patchwork-print button-up shirt.

Lillian Karl

Communications and Events Director

The maestra behind the magic, Lillian turns big ideas into organized action. She takes the vision, breaks it into manageable pieces, keeps all the moving parts on track, and makes sure the right people have the right pieces at the right time. From the Summit and Accessibility Playbook to the newsletter and everything in between, Lillian is the organizational force that helps bring TravelAbility’s ideas to life. 

Headshot of Kitty Sharman with long dark hair, wearing a green top.

Kitty Sharman

Accessibility Programs Coordinator

Focused on execution and day-to-day operations, Kitty helps keep TravelAbility’s projects, resources, and relationships moving forward. She works across initiatives like the Creator Community, the Accessibility Playbook, and the annual Summit. Whether connecting creators with the TravelAbility team, building out new resources, or improving how information is managed internally, Kitty helps get things done. 

Portrait of Danah Heye with gray-blonde hair and sunglasses on her head, in front of a sparkling mirrored backdrop.

Danah Heye

Director of Destination A11Y Development 

Danah works directly with DMOs to help them develop and advance their accessibility strategies, while also supporting TravelAbility’s business development and destination partnerships. With decades of experience in destination marketing, sales, and business development, including more than 15 years with Madden Media, she brings a strong understanding of the destination industry to her work at TravelAbility. 

Headshot of Jennifer Allen with dark curly hair, smiling, wearing a black top and red earrings.

Jennifer Allen

Editor-in-Chief

The storyteller behind the newsletter, Jennifer brings her perspective as a disability mom, advocate, and travel writer to every piece as she finds the stories worth telling and turns complex conversations about accessibility and inclusion into compelling content that informs, challenges, and inspires. 

Portrait of Eliana Satkin with long brown hair, smiling outdoors in a white top.

Eliana Satkin

Newsletter Coordinator 

The hands behind the newsletter each month, Eliana updates the TravelAbility Insider with new content, promotional graphics, and crafts the social posts and email that bring readers back to it, making sure the latest stories on accessible travel get seen by the community that needs them.

Headshot of Jay Burress, smiling, wearing round glasses, a tan textured blazer, and a light blue collared shirt.

Jay Burress

Jay is helping build out TravelAbility’s Accessibility Convention Program, currently in its pilot phase with destinations and convention venues. Jay brings decades of destination leadership experience to this work, including serving as President and CEO of Visit Anaheim and Experience Arlington. 

Portrait of Alison Granger with dark wavy hair, standing in a lit tunnel-like space.

Alison Granger

Vision 2030 Consultant

Alison brings technical and marketing expertise to Vision 2030: The Accessibility Moonshot, focused on the needs and opportunities of the aging traveler. She contributes to the initiative’s work at the intersection of technology, marketing, and accessible travel. Her background includes more than a decade in event production and managing more than 300 events for organizations including NVIDIA and Google. 

Kristy Durso smiling by the ocean, leaning on a wooden post.

Kristy Durso

TravelAbility Ambassador

Kristy is a wheelchair user, accessibility advocate, public speaker, entrepreneur, and Army veteran. As a TravelAbility Ambassador, she represents TravelAbility at conferences and events, speaking about accessibility and connecting with others across the travel industry. She also owns Incredible Memories Travel, a full-service travel agency serving travelers with and without accessibility needs. Her experiences as a mother of children with different disabilities and support needs further inform her perspective on accessible travel. 

Headshot of Rob Schultz with glasses and a short beard, wearing a blue hoodie.

Rob Schultz

Design Director

The creative force behind TravelAbility’s visual world, Rob brings ideas to life through graphic design, branding, and visual storytelling. He creates the logos and creative materials across TravelAbility’s initiatives and designs the Accessibility Playbook, including each new edition, turning the team’s content into a polished, engaging resource. 

Headshot of Jaime Hood with shoulder-length light brown hair, smiling.

Jaime Hood

Website Director

The person to call when TravelAbility’s website needs a little extra expertise, Jaime built the site’s original design and structure and brings extensive web development experience to the team. She serves as a resource for bigger website needs, technical questions, and keeping the site on solid footing as TravelAbility continues to grow. 

Mark Nicolas smiling slightly in a bright hall with exposed wood beams, wearing glasses and a black zip-up jacket, with red diamond panels on the wall behind him.

Mark Nicolas

IT Consultant

The person keeping TravelAbility’s digital infrastructure running, Mark provides IT support across the organization, managing everything from domains and email to technical issues that keep the team connected and working. When something technical needs figuring out, Mark is the person the team turns to. 

From TravelAbility Summit 7.0: The Future of Accessible Destination Marketing

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One off accessibility campaigns aren’t cutting it. So what do destinations need to do to create welcome, get the word out, and boost ROI? In this session from last year’s TravelAbility Summit, Jennifer Casey, Director of Strategic Partnerships for Gray Destination Marketing outlines how destination marketers can move beyond one-off accessibility spotlights to fully integrating accessibility across their entire media and measurement ecosystem. 

The focus shifts from awareness via creators to discoverability, structured data, and mid-funnel orchestration—so accessible stories are machine-readable, findable, and attributable to visitation and spend. 

Key Insights 

● Integration beats isolation: Accessibility performs best when it’s woven into core storytelling (TV, streaming, YouTube, blogs, paid social) rather than siloed as special content. 

● Make it discoverable: AI, voice, and search can’t rank what they can’t read—destinations need structured accessibility data, proper tagging, and on-site filters (e.g., “roll-in shower,” “service dog welcome”). 

● Mid-funnel matters: Repurpose influencer content into mid-funnel formats (CTV, programmatic video, social ads) to nurture from inspiration to planning. 

● Measure what matters: Use location-based visitation and spending data to connect inclusive storytelling to real-world outcomes (visits, distance traveled, trip spend).

● Contextual inclusion works: Featuring accessible experiences alongside food, music, and culture normalizes inclusion and improves campaign performance (example: Visit Florida approach). 

● Always-on exposure loop: Travelers loop through exploration/evaluation; staying present with layered media keeps accessibility top-of-mind until purchase. 

Integration beats isolation: Accessibility performs best when it’s woven into core storytelling (TV, streaming, YouTube, blogs, paid social) rather than siloed as special content.

Actionable Takeaways 

● Audit SEO & IA: Ensure accessibility pages and listings use machine-readable fields and schema; add on-site filters for specific features (not just “accessible”). 

● Build a content supply chain: Systematically repurpose creator assets into reels, :15/:30 CTV spots, pre-roll, stories, blog posts, and email. 

● Tag everything: Standardize metadata/UTM conventions for accessibility content to enable mid-funnel and ROI analysis. 

● Adopt programmatic layering: Pair contextual and audience targeting to surround likely travelers through the full journey. 

● Report impact: Incorporate visitation and spend lift into dashboards to prove inclusive marketing’s economic value. 

● Positioning shift: Treat accessibility as a through-line in brand storytelling—not a campaign add-on.

Notable Quotes 

● “Google and AI travel tools can’t rank what they can’t read.” 

● “Don’t make accessibility an add-on; make it a through line.” 

● “The destinations that win are the ones that make every traveler feel welcomed before they arrive.”

Earn Your Accessibility Leader Certification at TravelAbility Summit Tampa

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Last year, we introduced the Cultivating Accessibility Leaders Masterclass at the TravelAbility Summit for the first time. Led by VisitAble and Canucks Autism Network, the two-hour session focused on four of the most common disabilities, with attendees leaving with an Accessible Leader Masterclass certificate.

“In just 2½ days, you’ll walk away with everything we’ve learned about accessible travel over the past eight years.”

– Jake Steinman, TravelAbility Founder and CEO

This year, we’re expanding the Accessible Leader certificate to officially recognize what we see every year: people who come to the Summit go back to their communities and begin leading accessibility initiatives within their own organizations. Now, every Summit attendee will receive a certificate at the end of the Summit recognizing their readiness to build accessibility into the work their organization is already doing. 

USAE News recently featured the expansion of the Accessible Leader certificate and what it means for this year’s Summit.

↪Read the full release here

“In just 2½ days, you’ll walk away with everything we’ve learned about accessible travel over the past eight years.” – Jake Steinman, TravelAbility Founder and CEO

TravelAbility Tampa 2026 Summit graphic featuring friends, one a wheelchair user, gathered around a waterfront table, with event dates November 9 to 11 in Tampa, Florida.

Join us November 9–11 in Tampa for the 2026 TravelAbility Summit and leave with the tools, knowledge, and connections to lead accessibility within your organization. 

 ↪Register for the summit 

New at the TravelAbility Summit: The Grant Lab

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TravelAbility Tampa 2026 event graphic, "The Power of Accessible Travel," 8th Annual TravelAbility Summit, November 9–11, 2026, Hilton Tampa Downtown, over an aerial photo of the Tampa skyline at sunset with the Hillsborough River and bridges in the foreground.

Finding funding for accessibility work can be one of the biggest hurdles to turning a good idea into a real project. That’s why we’re bringing The Grant Lab to the 2026 TravelAbility Summit in Tampa.

As we’ve been building this year’s program, we’ve been looking for ways to give attendees practical tools, new connections, and ideas they can actually put to work.

The Grant Lab is designed to do exactly that.

This full-day breakout session will bring together grant funders, experienced grant writers, economic development officials, AI experts, and past grant recipients to help attendees navigate the funding process, from finding the right opportunities to writing stronger applications and managing funds once they’re awarded.

“Between 10-25% of grant funding is left unclaimed every single year simply because destinations don’t know where to look or how to apply. The Grant Lab gives destination leaders a real, actionable roadmap — from finding the right grants to writing winning applications to managing funds once they’re awarded.”

Jake Steinman, Founder, TravelAbility.

A Full Day of Expert-Led Learning

The Grant Lab’s “Grant Seeking 101” curriculum brings together nationally recognized funders, writers, economic development officials, and past grant recipients for a day of practical, hands-on learning, including:

  • Meet the Grant Whisperer: Bevon Joseph, Founder and CEO of Grantlogic AI, opens the day with insights from 12 years as a grant funder and applicant, exploring how AI-driven platforms are transforming grant discovery and matching DMOs with the right funding, writers, and consultants.
  • Meet the Grant-Writing Maven: Fundamentals for Tourism & Higher Education: National grant consultant Cheryl Dettrick, who has secured funding for UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management and major tourism initiatives, shares proven strategies for crafting winning proposals.
  • Meet the Grant Winners: A panel of past grant winners walks attendees through the full journey of securing, managing, and maximizing funding for accessible tourism projects.
  • Meet the Grant Gate Keepers: A Fireside Chat with Local Economic Development Leaders: Regional officials discuss the viability of accessibility grants for local destinations and the untapped funding opportunities many communities are missing.
  • AI in Action: A look at how artificial intelligence tools are streamlining grant search, administration, and reporting.
  • Rotating Roundtables with Experts: Intimate, small-group sessions give attendees direct access to grant experts and experienced recipients before lunch.

Who Should Attend?

The Grant Lab is designed for destination marketing organizations, convention and visitors bureaus, economic development officials, tourism businesses, and any organization seeking to fund accessibility assessments, accessibility upgrades, or inclusive marketing initiatives.

Whether you’re just beginning to explore accessibility as a competitive edge or looking to take an existing strategy further, the goal is the same: help you find the funding and know-how to move your ideas forward.

Why Funding Accessibility Matters

Accessibility is not a niche concern. It is a rapidly growing economic imperative.

By 2030, 284 million Americans will be impacted by a disability. Destinations that invest in accessibility open their doors to a broader, more loyal visitor base while strengthening their communities for residents with disabilities and aging populations alike.

The Grant Lab equips attendees with the tools to turn that opportunity into funded, actionable projects, ensuring destinations of every size — from major metros to small regional communities — can compete for available funding.

And The Grant Lab is just one part of what we’re bringing to the 2026 TravelAbility Summit, November 9–11 at the Hilton Tampa Downtown.

We’ll be bringing together destination leaders, travel companies, accessibility professionals, creators, and advocates for three days of connection, fresh ideas, and practical strategies for making travel more accessible.

Ready to join us in Tampa?

Register for the 2026 TravelAbility Summit

How a Safari Clarified the TravelAbility Vision

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By Jake Steinman

Jake Steinman and his safari group smiling for a selfie at sunset, with a golden sky and dry savanna landscape behind them.

Stepping into the African savannah for a recent safari to celebrate my birthday, I expected breathtaking landscapes and incredible wildlife. What I didn’t anticipate was returning with profound clarity regarding our mission and the future of accessible travel.

Observing the natural world offers powerful lessons in survival, growth, and connection. Here are the core insights from the wild that are directly shaping our path forward.

The Power of the Pack

During the trip, I observed over 20 different species in their natural habitats. Despite their vast differences, one common thread was this: they all operated within clustered, tight-knit groups. Whether it was a herd banding together to protect their vulnerable young from predators, or a Pride operating as a synchronized team in pursuit of prey, community was their ultimate mechanism for success.

In the wild, isolation is a vulnerability. Progress relies entirely on the strength, coordination and collaboration of the collective.

Cultivating an Accessibility Ecosystem

A Cape buffalo standing partially hidden in dense green bushes, its large curved horns visible above a dirt clearing.

This natural dynamic perfectly reflects the fundamental purpose of TravelAbility. We are actively building and expanding a robust accessibility ecosystem around destination organizations.

The epiphany that I had was that our purpose is to build a community of DMO “A11Ys”—accessibility advocates and leaders who are committed to scaling accessible travel. 

Just as a herd works together to navigate survival, our network functions to overcome industry barriers and advance accessibility with a ripple effect of A11Ys that begins with the destination and scales through hotels, attractions, restaurants and tour companies. 

My definition of an “A11Y” has broadened. It now includes anyone who attends an accessibility breakout session at a conference, responds to a survey, signs up for a webinar, or—most effectively—adds an accessibility page to their website. In other words, an A11Y is anyone who has shown an interest in learning more.

TravelAbility Tampa: Our Watering Hole

TravelAbility Tampa 2026 Summit graphic featuring friends, one a wheelchair user, gathered around a waterfront table, with event dates November 9 to 11 in Tampa, Florida.

Every functioning ecosystem requires a central gathering place—a “watering hole” where different groups converge to share resources, expand networks and learn from not only experts but also from each other.

For our community, the upcoming TravelAbility Summit Tampa is that essential watering hole—a place where like-minded A11Ys gather to connect, learn, and plan. There, we can provide the tools, education, and network they need to expand accessibility across their industry partners’ networks.

Reducing Friction: Integrating Accessibility into Existing Workflow

In the wild, survival strategies aren’t optional—they are seamlessly woven into the pack’s daily rhythm. Animals don’t overthink collaboration; it’s instinctive.

A herd of zebras grazing on dry grassland at sunset, with a tree line and pastel sky in the background.

Similarly, to truly advance accessibility, Travelability must eliminate friction by integrating accessible practices into existing departmental workflows. We’ve been exploring how accessibility fits not only into marketing and PR, but also as a competitive edge for convention sales and destination development. By simply highlighting accessible features in existing attractions and museums, destinations can tap into new markets without needing new construction. When an ally integrates accessibility into someone’s current workflow, securing leadership buy-in becomes much easier.

Two lions resting on the grass at night, illuminated by a spotlight or vehicle light.

Overcoming FOMU

While our Summit brings us together like a watering hole, the real work happens when the herd disperses and continues the journey. That’s where Travelability Tampa attendees come in.

One of the biggest barriers to progress is what accessibility advocate Brittany DeJean calls FOMU: Fear of Messing Up. People often hesitate to act out of fear of making a mistake or offending someone, making inaction feel like the safer choice. However, doing nothing doesn’t just stall progress—it steals the opportunity to learn.

The Travelability Summit creates an ongoing, reverberating community. Attendees become allies who, in turn, recruit others across hotels, attractions, and suppliers. Because every destination operates on different budgets and capacities, this network helps members scale their efforts in practical, sustainable ways. 

Click here to learn more about Travelability Tampa.

As we look toward 2030—when over 30 million baby boomers will live with a disability, impacting tens of millions of family members—one thing is clear: lasting progress in accessible travel is not just possible, it is inevitable.

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Your name and email will never be sold to 3rd parties.