At the next program of the NYC chapter of the Hearing Loss Association, speakers will include Sara Bahri, the senior outreach coordinator for the MTA Accessibility team; David Nelson, manager, Passenger Accessibility Office, Amtrak; and Eric Lipp of the Open Doors Organization, who will speak about air travel.
Sara Bahri serves as the senior outreach coordinator for the MTA Accessibility team. In this role, she leads efforts to engage with the disability community to shape the MTA’s accessibility projects and priorities, and ensure riders are aware of work underway to improve accessibility, in particular on subways, buses and Access-A-Ride. She also leads training for MTA staff from across the agency on topics related to accessibility infrastructure in the transit system and disability awareness and customer service best practices. She has coordinated pilot programs to test hearing loops on subway platforms and buses, including engaging with community members in extensive testing and feedback gathering.
David Nelson, Sr., community outreach specialist in Government Affairs, has been employed at the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) for 25 years. He is responsible for providing accessibility information, managing outreach activities to the disability community and coordinating internal projects to ensure accessible compliance. Prior to joining Amtrak, David worked as a computer system manager for the Honorable Tony Coelho (D-CA), one of the authors of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). He gives presentations on deaf culture and how to serve deaf and hard-of-hearing customers to various groups and companies. He also has participated on advisory boards for Amtrak Cross-Cultural Diversity, Northwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Greyhound Lines and the Open Doors Organization. In 2015 he was selected as the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) 2015 Distinguished Alumnus for the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in recognition of his professional accomplishments and community achievements.
After personally experiencing the restrictions that people with disabilities face in their everyday life, Eric Lipp, founder and executive director of the Open Doors Organization (ODO), has made it a mission to make goods and services accessible in travel, tourism, and transportation. Eric frequently speaks at travel, tourism, and transportation events internationally. He is the co-author of the Easy Access Chicago Guide and the accessible landing page at I Love NY. In addition, he was appointed to the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory board in 2022 and consults with outside individuals/organizations to better make their services accessible for all individuals. His personal experiences have enabled him to make an impact on the aviation industry and a difference for the disability community.
If you would like to join us for this captioned program, click here. After registering, you will receive an email with the Zoom link.
Can’t Hear? We are here for you!
The New York City Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America is a vibrant, diverse community dedicated to helping people with hearing loss lead more satisfying and productive lives. At the chapter’s monthly meetings, speakers address topics such as hearing aids and hearing-aid alternatives, assistive technology, interpersonal strategies, and advocacy initiatives. Those of you who are interested can find information about our organization on our chapter website by clicking here.
