What does an accessibility strategist do?
It’s a question Erin Lucas never expected to answer when she began her career in design.
But after years in government tech, startups, and at Microsoft, she’s focused on building accessibility that centers on people.
In a recent conversation with The ADNA Presents, Erin shared how her design roots shaped her approach to accessibility, why audio description resonates with her, and what she’s seeking in her next professional role.
Listeners will hear Erin’s honest reflections, practical strategies, and behind-the-scenes stories from her career. If you’re curious about accessibility careers, digital inclusion, or how creativity meets strategy, this episode offers valuable insights you won’t want to miss.
Audio Description: Where Accessibility Meets Emotion
Asked what draws her to audio description, Erin replied simply: “It’s a feeling.”
She described how familiar voices, consistency, and warmth can create emotional connections for audiences who rely on audio description. For Erin, describing visuals offers comfort and trust beyond just information. Her perspective reframes audio description from a technical task to a human interaction.
What Does an Accessibility Strategist Actually Do?
An accessibility strategist helps organizations remove digital barriers for people with disabilities. Erin’s work goes beyond meeting compliance standards. She focuses on understanding end users, identifying obstacles, and collaborating with teams to address real-world needs.
Her experience spans government design work, startups, and large-scale companies like Microsoft. In each role, she’s developed approaches that prioritize people over checklists, asking questions like: Who’s being left out? How can we help them get in?
From Government Tech to Startups: A Career Pivot
A cold message on LinkedIn led Erin to pivot from government work to a Chicago-based startup. There, she met directly with disability services teams, listened to their challenges, and helped build support programs from the ground up.
That hands-on experience changed her career. Erin credits the team’s support-and her own willingness to jump into unfamiliar situations-with giving her the confidence to shape accessibility work that felt personal and meaningful.
Scaling Accessibility Work at Microsoft
After the startup, Erin joined Microsoft, where accessibility work expanded across teams and technologies. Working alongside leaders like Jenny Lay-Flurrie, Erin saw how accessibility can be the foundation of everyday business operations.
Her role focused on ensuring digital products and services worked for disabled users, at the scale of a global company. Erin continues to advocate for embedding accessibility directly into project planning and product development.
Creative Thinking in Accessibility
Erin’s background in design influences her professional approach. She loves developing themed presentations or identifying patterns others overlook. Creativity remains central to how she solves accessibility challenges.
She describes herself as someone who enjoys creating themes, building frameworks for storytelling, and finding unusual ways to connect with people. Her goal is always clear: make accessibility engaging, practical, and effective.
What Erin Lucas Is Looking For Next
Now exploring her next career move, Erin seeks opportunities where she can apply her accessibility expertise in higher education, tech, or other mission-driven organizations.
She’s especially interested in roles that combine direct service to disabled communities with the chance to influence systems and structures. Her focus remains simple: help people remove barriers and create lasting change.
Whether working with campus disability services, building accessibility plans for corporations, or consulting on inclusive UX, Erin brings a human-centered approach backed by real-world experience.
Accessibility Is Human Work
Erin Lucas listens to people, understands their needs, and designs environments where everyone can participate.
From building audio description that conveys emotion to scaling digital accessibility for a global audience, Erin’s career shows how accessibility work connects design, technology, and human connection.
Organizations seeking an accessibility strategist who blends creativity, collaboration, and practical expertise will find that Erin’s focus stays where it matters: helping people get access to what they need.
Tune in to the full episode to hear practical advice for aspiring accessibility professionals, learn how to build human-centered accessibility programs, and discover why Erin believes creative thinking is essential to accessibility work. Whether you’re an industry veteran or new to the field, Erin’s story offers inspiration, guidance, and actionable ideas.
To listen to this episode, visit https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/theadna/Erin_Lucas.mp3
and for a little tease, here’s a clip (words appear along with audio, while a blue ball explodes in sync):