Mary Fernandez-Arias

Global Engagement lead: Accessibility, Disability and Neuro-Inclusion

Cisco Systems

United States

Speaker

My organisation

Driven by our Purpose, we combine our technology, people, and broader networks to address society's greatest challenges. Cisco offers an industry-leading portfolio of technology innovations. With networking, security, collaboration, cloud management, and more, we help to securely connect industries and communities.
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About me

Mary Fernandez-Arias, speaker, consultant and published author believes that if we were to shift our perceptions and messages around disability, we will be able to create inclusive and accessible environments which will benefit us all. Mary currently works at Cisco as the global lead for disability and neuro-inclusion, providing thought-leadership on creating an inclusive environment from both a technical and people-center perspective for people with disabilities. She works on the intersection of inclusion and business strategy with the philosophy that inclusion drives competitive advantage, and disability is a catalyst for innovation.

Before Cisco, Mary worked in the disability rights arena, earning a breadth of experience ranging from legal work to consulting with higher education institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Mary earned her bachelor’s degree from Emory University, and a master’s in business administration from Duke University. She has held leadership positions in the National Federation of the Blind and the World Blind Union youth committee and served as the youth delegate to the UN. She is passionate about understanding and driving disability inclusion globally by always centering the voices and lived experience of the disabled and neuro-divergent communities. Mary is based out of Germantown Maryland where she enjoys time cooking, singing and most of all playing with her dog Sofy.

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Additional questions

Title (Academic/Diplomatic/Aristocratic/Political)

Global Engagement Lead: Accessibility, Disability & Neuro-inclusion

Pronouns

she/her

I speak the following languages:

EnglishFrenchSpanish

Areas of Activity

Employment

Entrepreneurship and micro-finance

ICT (Information and Communication Technologies)

Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Big Data Solutions

Other Areas of Activity

Independent Living and Political ParticipationAccessibility

At #ZeroCon25, I am looking for...

Increase expertise in accessibility and inclusionInvitations to international conferencesNetworkingProject Cooperations

At #ZeroCon25, I am offering...

Increase expertise in accessibility and inclusionNetworkingProject CooperationsConsulting

Speaker sessions (1)

Wednesday, 5 March 2025

15:00 - 16:30

Inclusive employment strategies of large companies

Format:In-personLocation:M2Track:Zero Project Awardees
  • Supported Employment
  • Matchmaking
  • ICT innovations
  • English captions | International Sign

What are the strategies of global leaders in inclusive employment? Zero Project Awardees from three continents will highlight their innovative practices in this session.