Abilities Portfolio Managing Director Katy Roberts shares with Rehab Management what attendees can expect to experience at the new Abilities International Accessibility Conference developed for CRT professionals, taking place in Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago.
Rehab Management: The Abilities Expo has been around for a long time. How did the idea for the new Abilities International Accessibility Conference come about, and how would you describe their relationship to each other?
Katy Roberts: You’re right! Abilities Expo was launched in 1979 and Raccoon Media Group acquired the expo in 2024, so whilst the event has been around a long time, we haven’t owned it all that long. However, having said that, the amount of growth that we’ve seen since we’ve been organizing the expo has been phenomenal. Our strategy has always been to invest into the consumer expo to develop new activations, increase awareness, and ensure the disability community that we serve can access the event to improve their independence. Since our team has learnt more about the ecosystem that surrounds people with disabilities over the past couple of years, we came to realize that there was an opportunity to bring professionals together in the same location.
We’ve conducted market research and have had multiple conversations with associations and industry partners who have been instrumental in helping us develop an educational program that dovetails perfectly with what we do at Abilities Expo; keeping the community at the heart of all we do. We already welcomed occupational therapists, physical therapists, assistive technology professionals, manufacturers, and resellers to the consumer expo, and we have been offering ad-hoc CEU sessions over the last 18 months. But, there was opportunity to do more! We developed the idea of hosting a professional conference – the ‘Abilities International Accessibility Conference’ – alongside the Abilities Expo so that the professionals could have two days of CEU content, business conversations, and networking Thursday/Friday and still attend the expo Saturday/Sunday. The two events co-locate together in Los Angeles, New York Metro, and Chicago.
RM: What type of content is included at the Accessibility Conference events, and who can attendees expect to see speaking?
Roberts: We provide two full days of educational content and professional development with the opportunity to earn up to 1.0 IACET CEUs. There are practical workshops with hands-on learning, plenary panel sessions, plus interviews with industry experts on the main stage. Across two days, we welcome about 30 speakers who deliver clinical expertise and experience across two tracks: on Improved Patient Outcomes and Adapted Living. In Long Beach, we also had a third track of content called Business Optimization.
Some of the topics include adaptive recreation, accessible travel, home design, manual wheelchair techniques, posture care management, and service dogs.
By working with industry associations, we’re delighted to welcome RESNA students to showcase their Scientific Research Posters and present these on stage during the platform session too.
RM: Who can benefit from attending these events?
Roberts: The conference is designed to welcome anyone in complex rehab technology including occupational therapists, physical therapists, assistive technology professionals, manufacturers, and resellers.
RM: Where can people find out more, including how to purchase tickets?
Roberts: All information regarding the speaker list, agenda, RESNA posters/platform topics, hotels, directions to the event, and frequently asked questions are listed on our website www.abilitiesconference.com All tickets for New York Metro and Chicago are available via https://www.abilitiesconference.com/registration
