Session title
Building Disability Confidence Through Community
Day 1
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Time
Location
Format
Hybrid: In-person and online.
Recommended for
Categories
—
Content Topics
ceu(s) available
SHRM
Category
Breakout
Track
Core
Length
60 minutes
About this session
Organizations often focus on policies, accommodations, and compliance, yet many struggle to create a workplace where employees with disabilities truly feel they belong. In this session, Accessibility & Community Strategist Kareemah Batts shares how the principles of intentional community-building can strengthen disability confidence and transform organizational culture. Drawing on more than 14 years of building integrated adaptive climbing communities, attendees will explore practical strategies that translate beyond recreation into any workplace. Participants will leave with a framework, tools, and actionable next steps they can immediately apply to foster belonging, increase engagement, and build more inclusive organizations.
presented by
Kareemah Batts
Accessibility & Community Strategist
Kareemah Batts Consulting
Kareemah Batts is an Accessibility & Community Strategist, speaker, and the Founder & Executive Director of Adaptive Climbing Group, a national nonprofit advancing disability inclusion through community-based recreation. For more than 14 years, she has worked with organizations to build environments where people with disabilities are not only accommodated, but empowered to participate, lead, and belong. As a Team USA paraclimber and internationally recognized disability advocate, Kareemah brings both lived experience and executive leadership to her work. Her approach combines practical strategy with real-world implementation, equipping organizations with actionable tools to strengthen accessibility, organizational culture, and disability confidence. She is a recipient of the American Alpine Club's Change Maker Award and the Access Fund's Advocate of the Year Award.
