Keynote Speaker

Andy Arias

Andy Arias is a seasoned  program director, policy development professional, actor, and producer with extensive experience in national initiatives. He self-identifies as a disabled, Latinx, and queer individual. Andy currently serves as a Senior ADA Access Consultant with Matrix Design Group, an international design and architectural firm. In this role, his primary focus is inclusion and accessibility, leading a team that advances ADA compliance and digital accessibility for projects across the U.S. and internationally. He supports clients with policy development, strategic planning, and implementation, and facilitates community engagement efforts that bring large and diverse stakeholder groups into the design and decision-making process.

Previously, Andy served as a Manager and LEND faculty member at Georgetown University (GU). Before his work at Georgetown, he was a Policy Advisor for the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy, collaborating with federal agencies and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) partners to develop disability-inclusive employment policies and state workforce strategies that expand access to American Job Centers for jobseekers with disabilities. In this role, he supported states in aligning WIOA State Plans and workforce systems to improve competitive integrated employment outcomes for people with disabilities. He also led efforts to promote braiding and blending of federal and state funding streams so workforce boards, vocational rehabilitation, and community partners could leverage resources to create more robust employment options for individuals with disabilities.

Andy’s DOL work includes managing a 3.4-million-dollar return-to-work grant for the State of Connecticut, advancing disability employment initiatives across several states, and helping shape WIOA state plans connected to his portfolio while at the U.S. Department of Labor.

He also worked as a Systems Change Advocate and Program Manager for Orange County and Los Angeles, where his projects consistently focused on building inclusive career pathways for marginalized communities, particularly individuals with disabilities. His expertise in policy development and DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) practices has earned him recognition as a national subject matter expert.

In addition to his policy work, Andy is deeply involved in the entertainment industry. He has acted in numerous productions and had the privilege of working alongside renowned actors such as Tom Hanks, Mark Ruffalo, and Hilary Swank. As an accessibility consultant, he advises producers and directors on creating greater media visibility for people with disabilities. Andy has also produced films that highlight the intersectionality between disability, LGBTQIA+, and Latinx identities, including "The Unicorn Closet" and "Extra Special." Currently, he is producing a documentary titled "Dani's Twins," aiming to portray intersectionality and marginalized identities through a diverse disability lens.

Andy's advocacy extends beyond the entertainment industry. He frequently speaks and trains at universities, high schools, workforce systems, and for Congressional leaders on ADA compliance, disability employment policy, and the inclusion of people with disabilities and BIPOC communities. He has received multiple awards for his efforts in promoting LGBTQIA and disability equality.

Furthermore, Andy's leadership experience enabled him to develop and implement a successful youth program in Southern California, serving over 150 young adults with disabilities. The curriculum he created for this program continues to be utilized by county agencies today. Andy's work has also extended to the corporate sector, where he has worked to expand disability awareness and equality and to help organizations braid and blend internal and external resources to build sustainable, inclusive employment pathways for people with disabilities.