At the monthly State of Minnesota Digital Accessibility Coordinator (DAC) meeting, Minnesota IT Services’ (MNIT) Deputy Commissioner Jon Eichten recognized state employees who had recently obtained their digital accessibility certification.

Eichten stated that it was critical for the state to increase its capacity for digital accessibility, calling out the need to increase “competencies and skill sets in accessibility at both MNIT and agencies.” He recounted that just that morning at a hearing “the staff in the House were reiterating how they expect any document that gets sent to them for hearings by state agencies to be fully accessible.”

Two groups of state employees were recognized. The first were the employees who had most recently passed the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC). Those included:

• Kursten Dubbels - Minnesota Department of Education
• Rita Williams-Larson - Minnesota IT Services partnering with Pollution Control
• David Andrews - State Services for the Blind
• Samantha Fischer - Department of Employment and Economic Development
• Tamara Sawyer - Minnesota Management and Budget
• Lea Dooley - Minnesota IT Services partnering with Department of Human Services
• Jay Wyant - Minnesota IT Services

The second group were those who recently passed the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Accessible Systems and Technology Trusted Tester Version 5 (TTV5) certificate:

• JoAnn Rautio - Minnesota IT Services partnering with the Department of Employment and Economic Development
• Kim Wee - Minnesota IT Services partnering with the Department of Education

An even larger cohort was expected to take the exam soon, so watch this newsletter for more updates!

Learn More About Digital Accessibility Certifications