We’re delighted to share that Founder and Executive Chair of AccessAble Dr Gregory Burke, and Head of Marketing Carrie-Ann Lightley, have been named in the Disability Power 100 2023!

What is the Disability Power 100?

The Disability Power 100 is an annual list that recognises and celebrates the 100 most influential disabled people living and working in the UK. The Shaw Trust, who co-ordinate the initiative, have highlighted their aims for 2023 as advocating for inclusion, challenging the disability employment gap, supporting peer-to-peer disability networks, and devising and championing policy with disabled leaders.  

This is the fifth year in a row that key members of the AccessAble team have been included in this influential list – a remarkable accomplishment for the organisation. 

Hear from AccessAble team members

Dr Gregory Burke, founder and Chair of AccessAble, says… 

“The Disability Power 100 is so important because it challenges the entrenched perception of disabled people as supplicants. Listed in these pages are so many talented, influential and highly capable people; the tip of the iceberg because a vast number of disabled people have a huge contribution to make if only the barriers that prevented them from so doing were removed.  

Together, people on this list, the many, many more knocking on the door of being included on this list in future years, along with disabled people living their lives in our society and showing how ‘every-day' disability is, are wrenching apart the narrow and outdated conceptualisation of disability. This, naturally, empowers disabled people but even more it has the potential to transform our country and beyond.” 

Carrie-Ann Lightley, Head of Marketing for AccessAble, says… 

“I’m thrilled, and so grateful, to be part of the Disability Power 100 for the fifth consecutive year. My disability means that I have a lot of past experience of facing challenges when travelling, inaccessible venues, and websites with really vague accessibility information. These are challenges that all disabled people face, but the benefit for me is to be able to use these difficult experiences to create positive change.  

My lived experience feeds into all of the work I do – the ultimate goal being to help more disabled people access more of what life has to offer, through the power of information, collaboration, and community.” 

Both have made significant professional and personal contributions to disability inclusion in the UK, and through their work at AccessAble they use their skills and lived experience to ensure more disabled people can live their lives with confidence and ease. 

Find out more about the Disability Power 100 here!

As well as core members of the team making the list, a significant number of AccessAble Ambassadors have also been recognised for their accomplishments. Since the Ambassador network was established in 2018, 10+ members have also been named in the Disability Power 100. This further strengthens AccessAble’s position as leading experts in the disability and accessibility space.  

The UK is full of talented and thriving disability advocates, and making the Disability Power 100 is a notable accomplishment in itself. We will use this opportunity to continue our vital work, providing detailed and reliable access information for any disabled person who requires it. Find out more about our work here!