01 — Overview
Making Space
for Disabled
talent & customers.
The end-to-end disability economic mobility platform. We connect Neurodivergent, Chronically Ill, and Disabled professionals with meaningful careers, free education, and community — while equipping employers to hire inclusively and build workplaces that work better for everybody.
Disabled professionals supported
Increase in self-ID rates
Manager confidence increase
Lifetime economic impact
Trusted by
02 — The Problem
The largest minority in the world is still locked out of work.
More than 1.3 billion people live with a disability. Most want to work. The systems that determine hiring, promotion, and culture were not built with them in mind — and the cost, to people and to companies, is measured in trillions.
adults globally have a disability — 1.3 billion people, yet most companies report only 4–7%.
WHO · BCG
Disabled people are twice as likely to be unemployed and to live in poverty — yet millions want to work.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics
surge in disability-related discrimination claims in the US over the last five years.
US EEOC
Disability inclusion drives 28% higher revenue, 2× net income, and 30% higher profit margins. Sustainable change requires coordination across hiring, learning, and culture.
03 — The Platform
One end-to-end system.
Hiring, learning, speaking, and consulting — designed to work together so progress compounds across your organization.
— 01
Inclusive hiring & talent access
Hire from a global network of skilled Disabled professionals. Automated job scraping, ATS integrations, targeted role campaigns, and AI-powered job matching that translates lived experience into transferable skills.
- → ATS integrations (Greenhouse, Workday, Lever)
- → AI job-matching trained on lived experience
- → Targeted role campaigns to a 50K+ candidate pool
- → Automated job scraping & syndication
— 02
Disabled-led learning
A library of self-paced disability awareness courses backed by measurable data on participation, impact, and performance improvement — all built in-house.
- → 15+ self-paced courses, 30–45 min each
- → Custom modules tailored to your industry
- → Manager dashboards with completion & impact data
- → SCORM-ready for any LMS
— 03
Live speaking & workshops
Disabled-led keynotes, workshops, and facilitated discussions — customized to your audience and delivered virtually or in-person.
- → Keynotes & fireside chats
- → Manager & ERG workshops
- → Facilitated leadership roundtables
- → Virtual or in-person, fully accessible
— 04
Specialized consulting
Project-based consulting to operationalize accessibility — audits, inclusive marketing, ERG governance, and an expert marketplace of vetted SMEs.
- → Physical & digital accessibility audits
- → Inclusive marketing & comms review
- → ERG strategy and governance
- → Expert marketplace of vetted Disabled SMEs
Making Space
- + Designed by, not just for, Disabled people
- + Integrated hiring, learning & consulting
- + Built for accessibility, scale & measurement
- + 50,000-strong global community
- + Ongoing outcomes measurement
Traditional Approaches
- − Compliance & awareness only
- − Role-by-role sourcing
- − Generalized content
- − Limited scalability & reach
- − Activity without sustained impact
04 — Course Library
Disabled-led courses, built in-house.
Making Space's employer-facing course library, plus keynotes and lunch & learns, is designed and delivered by Disabled facilitators and built for behavior change rather than compliance hours. All courses are developed in-house and can be tailored to your organization, with flexible launches ranging from pilots to company-wide.
15 courses
- — 0130 min
Welcoming Customers with Disabilities
Confident and respectful customer-facing practices that ensure Disabled customers feel seen, respected, and included.
Customer - — 0245 min
Disability Inclusive Hiring
Practical tools to recruit, interview, and retain Disabled talent by building inclusive, accessible hiring systems that strengthen teams and expand the talent pool.
Hiring - — 0345 min
Neurodivergence in the Workplace
Strategies to understand, support, and empower neurodivergent employees so teams can collaborate more effectively and inclusively.
Awareness - — 0430 min
Being an Ally to the Disabled Community
How to use inclusive language, avoid common missteps, and take action toward creating a more confident workforce.
Awareness - — 0530 min
Planning Accessible Events
How to design inclusive events from the start, ensuring every guest can participate comfortably and fully.
Events - — 0645 min
Understanding Disability, Awareness & Action
A foundational understanding of disability, exclusion, and accessibility — and how to put inclusive principles into action at work and beyond.
Awareness - — 0730 min
Hidden Disabilities in the Workplace
How to support employees with non-visible disabilities through stigma reduction, better processes, and communication.
Hidden disabilities - — 0830 min
The Essentials of Leadership & Management
A practical, reflective course on leadership as a daily practice, designed with Disabled professionals in mind. Build trust, communicate clearly, manage up and across, make decisions, and lead sustainably — no title required.
Leadership - — 0945 min
Strategic Thinking in Action
How to think strategically in real-world situations — practical tools for Disabled professionals to ask better questions, set direction, and make clear decisions.
Leadership - — 1060 min
Anti-Ableist Manifesto (Becoming Anti-Ableist)
How to unpack biases, challenge ableism, and actively build inclusive environments using principles from The Anti-Ableist Manifesto.
Awareness - — 1190 min
Disability Inclusive Tourism
How to design accessible travel experiences that improve guest satisfaction, expand your customer base, and strengthen business outcomes.
Tourism - — 1230 min
Accessibility 101 by Microsoft
A foundational introduction to accessibility — key concepts, why accessibility matters, and how assistive technologies support inclusive digital and workplace experiences.
Digital - — 1330 min
Disability 101 for Film & TV Professionals
Practical guidance for creating authentic and accessible film and TV productions — from inclusive casting and storytelling to accessible sets and equitable hiring practices.
Film & TV - — 1430 min
What are ABLE Accounts and How Can I Optimize Them?
An overview of ABLE accounts and how they support financial stability and long-term planning for Disabled individuals.
Financial - — 1545 min
Transferable Skills Disability Builds
A workshop on recognizing the transferable skills disability builds, and how to find, assess, and unlock them — turning lived experience into measurable strengths like adaptability, problem-solving, and resilience.
Leadership
What our customers say
Trusted by teams building real change
“Making Space transformed how our talent acquisition team thinks about hiring. The Capability Translation Framework gave our recruiters practical tools they actually use. We're seeing a measurable shift in how we evaluate candidates from nontraditional backgrounds.”
“Keely and the team brought data and practical frameworks that cut through the noise. Our team is still referencing the materials months later, and policies have changed because of their content.”
“Making Space sparked conversations across departments and partners that we'd been trying to start for years. The ROI on this kind of training is hard to quantify, but we really feel it.”
“Making Space came in with deep knowledge of our hiring systems and built something that fit our culture and worked with our platform Trailhead. They delivered the content two months ahead of schedule and were a pleasure to collaborate with. The feedback and engagement from employees has been some of the best we've seen.”
“Partnering with Making Space on accessibility training has been one of the most impactful things we've done for our people managers. The content is grounded in real data, the facilitation is world-class, and the outcomes speak for themselves.”
“Keely was so kind and personable, and her presentation on Hidden Disabilities was incredible. She was informative, passionate and engaging — her keynote was perfect for our Disability ERG's event! We will definitely book her again.”
05 — Accessibility Consulting
Disability-inclusive consulting.
Across customers, workforce, and brand — we help organizations design products, spaces, and experiences that work better for everybody. Disabled-led, human-centered, and built for sustainable change across sectors: tech, retail, media, live events, cultural institutions, and beyond.
people globally have a disability — more than 1 in 6 adults.
WHO
of all purchasing decisions are influenced by Disabled people and their networks.
Return on Disability
in annual disposable income held by working-age Disabled people in the US alone.
American Institutes for Research
of consumers prefer brands that actively include and represent Disabled people.
American Marketing Association
How we partner with you
— 01
Training & talent access
- → Live, Disabled-led workshops on visitor interaction, sensory support, and access protocols
- → Self-paced courses on hiring, customer service, and disability awareness
- → Role-specific training for hiring managers, HR, frontline staff, and leadership
- → Talent sourcing from a 50K+ network of Disabled professionals
— 02
Physical space & experience
- → On-site accessibility audits led by pan-Disabled, intersectional teams
- → Recommendations across seating, queuing, sensory spaces, and wayfinding
- → User input on navigation and end-to-end experience
- → Innovation Council — a standing advisory group to sustain accountability
— 03
Digital accessibility
- → WCAG 2.2 AAA audits of websites, products, and customer UX/UI
- → Disabled user testing with real assistive tech
- → Live audio description integrations (Be My Eyes, Meta Glasses)
- → Engineer-to-engineer remediation support
— 04
Marketing & brand
- → Disability-inclusive comms and storytelling strategy
- → Authentic representation across campaigns and editorial
- → Inclusive language and image guidance for marketing teams
- → Brand reputation positioning around access leadership
Five-stage methodology
- — 01Discovery & benchmarking
- — 02Co-design — audits & focus groups
- — 03Strategy & prioritization
- — 04Implementation roadmap
- — 05Knowledge transfer
Maturity model
We benchmark where you are today across five stages — from Informal awareness to Optimal — and map the path forward.
How we’re different
Not a traditional accessibility consultancy.
ADA consultants tell you what the law requires; we start where compliance ends — embedding lived experience, Disabled-led co-design, and cultural change across your customers, workforce, and brand. The result is an organization that works better for everybody.
— Genuinely accessible · Innovation-led
Designed for everybody. Built ahead of the curve.
- → Co-designed with Disabled people
- → Integrated into the core experience
- → Better for parents, elders, tourists — everyone
- → A capability, not a checkbox
— Live example · The Broad, Los Angeles
12 months in
~10% → 96%
Staff confidence supporting Disabled guests
- → Ticketing language that lets visitors self-identify needs without disclosure.
- → Elevators and ramps redesigned as art experiences, making accessible routes feel intentional.
- → Innovation Council of cross-functional stakeholders and Disabled leaders setting long-term direction.
- → Market-leading assistive technology (e.g., Be My Eyes, Meta Glasses) for live AD and wayfinding.
- → On-floor Accessibility Specialists with enhanced training to proactively support Disabled visitors.
- → 15+ access programs launched in year one — from tactile tours to ASL-led openings, each co-designed with Disabled creatives.
- → 3× increase in Disabled visitor return rate — measured against pre-program baseline.
— Where innovation lives
AI + assistive tech
Live audio description via Be My Eyes & Meta Glasses, AI job-match across a 50K+ Disabled talent network.
Co-design at scale
Innovation Councils that turn Disabled lived experience into product, space, and policy decisions.
New standards
Industry-firsts — from the first wheelchair user in space to venue access standards now replicated globally.
The curb cut effect
Curb cuts were fought for by wheelchair users — now they’re used by parents with strollers, travellers with luggage, delivery workers, kids on scooters, and elders with canes. Designing for Disabled people lifts everybody. That’s the standard we hold every project to.
ACCESSIBILITY IS THE ORIGIN OF INNOVATION.
06 — ASCEND FELLOWSHIP
Accelerating economic opportunity.
A 12-month workforce mobility initiative supporting two 6-month cohorts — combining accessible education, career preparation, mentorship, and employer engagement.
Lifetime economic impact
Disabled professionals supported
Employer confidence increase
Social return on investment
— 01
Early Career Track
For Disabled individuals entering the workforce or returning after disruption.
- → Leveraging lived experience
- → Job search & interview prep
- → Financial empowerment tools
- → Networking & social capital
- → Accommodations & disclosure
— 02
Mid-Career Track
For experienced Disabled professionals who are underemployed or overlooked for advancement.
- → Career mobility
- → Leadership strategy
- → Communicating impact
- → Preparing for promotion
- → Rebuilding momentum
For employers — three ways to participate.
Each cohort includes a small group of employer partners who help shape career readiness and visibility for Disabled professionals.
- No cost
- Access to emerging talent
- Inclusive hiring insights
— 01
Live employer sessions
60–90 min · virtual
Host a virtual session introducing your organization, workplace culture, and hiring practices. Participants get insight into different industries; you build visibility with a pipeline of skilled Disabled talent.
— 02
Resume reviews
2–4 hrs · async
Volunteers provide written feedback on participant resumes — helping translate lived experience and non-linear career paths into language that resonates with hiring teams.
— 03
1:1 mentorship
~1 hr / month · 6 months
Match with a Fellow for the duration of a cohort. Provide industry insight, career guidance, and leadership advice — and gain a direct line into the lived realities of Disabled professionals.
What employers gain
- → Early access to vetted Disabled talent
- → Manager confidence in inclusive hiring
- → Real-time feedback from Disabled professionals
- → Brand visibility as an inclusion leader
What Fellows gain
- → Direct exposure to hiring teams
- → Resume translation & coaching
- → Industry mentorship over 6 months
- → Pathways into sustainable employment
Outcome
- → 100% of partner employers report increased confidence
- → Multiple direct hires across past cohorts
- → $220M projected lifetime economic impact
Past Ascend partners
Indeed · VISA · Red Bull · Salesforce · Shutterstock
07 — Case Studies
Impactful outcomes across media, tech & live events and more.
Our work is rooted in lived experience and informed by rigorous frameworks — anchored by our Accessibility Maturity Model and the Social Model of Disability.
— 01
+ Open− CloseMuseums
The Broad
Objective
Create a museum experience that is truly accessible — physical and digital — reflecting equity, innovation, and community engagement.What we did
- → In-person training + role-specific online courses
- → On-site accessibility audit & report
- → Expansion review & inclusive design consultation
- → Digital accessibility audit
- → Innovation Council formation
Outcomes
- ✓ Staff confidence supporting Disabled guests rose from ~10% to 96%
- ✓ Embedded accessibility into future expansion plans
— 02
+ Open− CloseEnterprise
Salesforce
Objective
Equip Salesforce people managers with practical, disability-inclusive leadership training that builds confidence and consistency globally.What we did
- → Self-paced curriculum on Trailhead, delivered 2 months early
- → Rolled out to 76,000 employees globally
- → Five core modules: 101, accommodations, hiring, onboarding, retention
- → Hosted 4,000+ open jobs surfaced to our community of 50,000+ Disabled people
Outcomes
- ✓ Some of the highest course satisfaction scores Salesforce had recorded
- ✓ Disability embedded as a core leadership capability
- ✓ 4,000+ open roles hosted for a community of 50,000+ Disabled jobseekers
— 03
+ Open− CloseAerospace
Blue Origin
Objective
Shape the future of accessible travel across aviation and commercial space.What we did
- → First-ever accessibility workshop for the airline + space industries
- → Brought together leaders across aviation, space, and disability inclusion
- → Addressed cabin access, lavatories, and future commercial design
Outcomes
- ✓ The first-ever wheelchair user went to space
- ✓ Established accessibility as a foundational design principle
— 04
+ Open− CloseGlobal Brand
Red Bull
Objective
Embed disability inclusion across Red Bull's workplace and talent ecosystem.What we did
- → Built disability confidence across recruiters and hiring managers
- → Modernized accommodations practices
- → Audited physical and digital workplaces
+ 20 more available on request
- Sesame Street
- NBC Paris Olympics & Paralympics
- Champions (Film)
- Netflix
- Cannes Lions
- Monopoly Lifesize
- Angel VR
- BFI London Film Festival Expanded
08 — The Founder
Keely Cat-Wells.
CEO & Founder
Entrepreneur and Disability rights advocate. After acquiring a disability at 17 and facing discrimination in the creative industry, Keely founded C Talent — the leading agency representing Disabled artists in The Hunger Games, Avatar, and The Last of Us — acquired in 2022 in the largest acquisition of a Disabled-led talent company.
She then founded Making Space to close the disability employment gap, now trusted by Netflix, NBC, Microsoft, Coca-Cola and Salesforce. Its flagship Ascend program has generated over $220M in projected lifetime economic impact. Keely is also co-producer of Fight to Fly with Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine, a Forbes Contributor, and a Disability subject matter expert to leaders from President Biden to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
- L'Oréal Women of Worth
- Forbes 30 Under 30
- Diana Award
- Cartier Fellow
- Obama Leader USA
- Presidential Leadership Scholar
- One Young World Entrepreneur of the Year
09 — Our Approach
Human-centered. Systems-level.
We integrate intersectionality, universal design, and real-world implementation across physical, digital, and cultural environments. At the core of our methodology is our Accessibility Maturity Model and the Social Model of Disability.
- — 01
Co-design with communities
Lived experience shapes every product, course, and engagement.
- — 02
Beyond compliance
Practical strategies that go far past the bare legal floor.
- — 03
Capacity building
Onboarding and continuous knowledge transfer so changes stick.
- — 04
Strategic integration
Embedded across marketing, HR, infrastructure, and digital ops.
10 — Contact
Let's make space together.
Whether you're hiring, training, or rebuilding access from the ground up — tell us where you are and we'll meet you there.