In this episode of Investing in Accessibility, hosts Kelvin Crosby and Chris Maher sit down with Lauren Lobrano, Head of Accessibility and Global Disability Inclusion at Amazon’s Inclusive Experiences and Technology (IXT) group. Lauren shares her powerful journey from public service and humanitarian work with the American Red Cross and Wounded Warrior Project to leading accessibility efforts at one of the world’s largest companies.

Together, they explore the realities of acquired and non-apparent disabilities, the importance of long-term support systems, and why disability inclusion must be designed into products and workplaces—not bolted on afterward. Lauren introduces Amazon’s “Three Bs” framework—Bolted On, Built-In, and Born Inclusive—and explains how this mindset helps organizations reduce burnout, innovate faster, and scale accessibility globally.

This conversation dives deep into:

• Why most disabilities are acquired during working age
• How inclusive design benefits everyone, not just people with disabilities
• The role of lived experience in driving meaningful innovation
• What it takes to deliver consistent, global employee accessibility at scale
• Why community, collaboration, and courageous leadership matter now more than ever

If you’re a business leader, technologist, investor, or advocate looking to go beyond compliance and create systems that truly work for all, this episode is for you.

Links & Resources:

Lauren Lobrano: LinkedIn

Amazon Inclusive Experiences & Technology: Website

Amazon In This Together: Website

COMING SOON!

American Sign Language (ASL) and Captioning for each episode will be provided on our YouTube channel. Go to handle @SamaritanPartners.