Heather Dowdy

2024 Young Alumni Achievement Award

For outstanding contributions to the field of technological accessibility and commitment to inclusivity and innovation.

Heather Dowdy is passionate about connecting the dots across disability, race, tech, and faith. As the inaugural Head of Global Product Accessibility at Netflix, she bakes in accessibility from the start to connect people with disabilities to their next favorite story or game.

In 2022, Heather was appointed to the US Access Board by President Biden based on her expertise fostering collaboration within the disability community. She has more than 15 years of experience as a leader in accessible technology across mobile, web and artificial intelligence (AI) - including previously at Microsoft, Motorola Mobility and the Mobile Manufacturers’ Forum (MWF).

As the oldest daughter of Deaf parents, Heather is fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). Growing up on the south side of Chicago fortified her belief in empowering the next generation of disability innovators through STEM training and benevolence. Heather has served as a Board Member of the World Institute on Disability (WID), deaf kids CODE, & Billion Strong. She loves using the design thinking process to create solutions that improve usability for everyone.

Heather obtained her Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She can now be found exploring North Carolina with her husband and three young children. Heather also enjoys reading, journaling, and interacting with different cultures while traveling abroad.

Current as of 2024.