Leadership Award from 1EdTech Consortium honors Hermann’s contributions to creating open, trusted and innovative digital ecosystems for learners

University of Phoenix is pleased to share that Vice President of Accessibility, Equity and Inclusion, Kelly Hermann, was recognized as a 1EdTech Leader by 1EdTech™ Consortium (1EdTech), the world-leading non-profit, edtech collaborative, on June 4, 2024, at the Learning Impact Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The award is given to individual 1EdTech Contributing Members who go above and beyond within the 1EdTech membership community to lead the way in creating open, trusted, and innovative digital ecosystems that power learner potential.

“Access to higher education for all students is central to our mission at the University of Phoenix,” Hermann stated. “I am extremely proud of the work we do to increase digital access, specifically for our students with disabilities, and to help all students feel a sense of belonging at the University. We believe in the potential of each student that we serve, and I am grateful to work alongside so many dedicated colleagues who understand that supporting accessibility, inclusion and belonging in is critical to our mission.”

Hermann chairs the Accessibility Taskforce for 1EdTech and has been collaborating on a project developing an accessibility vetting rubric to help institutions improve access for students with disabilities, and to improve trust by evaluating the non-technical aspects of accessibility that can impact purchasing decisions and helping to establish a common tool evaluation framework.

Outside of her work with 1EdTech, Hermann’s accessibility leadership is broadly recognized in the education technology community, and she has co-authored a chapter on accessibility to the Routledge text, Leading the eLearning Transformation of Higher Education, as well as other organizational texts by Anthology, D2L, WCET, and OLC, and by leading educational publications, including Inside Higher Ed, EdSurge, Diverse: Issues In Higher Education, The evolllution and eCampus News.

"1EdTech’s Learning Impact Awards highlight individual members who demonstrate leadership to create an open, trusted and innovative digital learning ecosystem for all learners,” said Sandra DeCastro, vice president of marketing and higher education programs for 1EdTech. "Kelly’s leadership was instrumental in creating the 1EdTech Accessibility Rubric that will help suppliers highlight their efforts to prioritize accessibility in their tools to help institutions make informed purchasing decisions.”

In her role at University of Phoenix, Hermann serves as the Vice President of Accessibility, Equity and Inclusion. She has oversight of the university’s accessibility initiative, including the evaluation and remediation of curricular resources, the Student Accommodations office, which provides accommodations to students with disabilities and the Office of Educational Equity, which works with University stakeholders, community partners and corporate sponsors to create an inclusive educational environment for the students, faculty, and staff. The OEE supports students and faculty year-round with programs like the Inclusive Leadership Summit and an internal offering for staff and faculty, The Inclusive Café.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

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