About CAOS

The Center for Accessibility and Open Source is a disability-led open-source organization, with the accessibility of open source being its single mission.

Vision

A world where open source drives disability equity.

Mission Statement

With the goal of expanding opportunities and inclusion for people with disabilities globally, the Center for Accessibility and Open Source supports the creation of accessible open-source projects through explicit disability inclusion in mainstream open-source communities. We are equally committed to supporting the visibility and sustainability of communities developing open-source assistive technologies.

Our Story

CAOS was founded by Dr. Joshua A. Miele, whose work at the intersection of blindness, technology, and open source led to the recognition that no organization existed to champion accessibility as a first-class value in the open-source world. CAOS is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and built on a global community of contributors and collaborators.

“We need to build a future in which the educational and economic opportunities promised by open source are also open to people with disabilities.” — Dr. Joshua A. Miele, CAOS Founder

Officers and Board Members

Josh Miele, Board President

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Dr. Miele is a blind designer of accessibility tools, author, and MacArthur Fellow with decades of experience in disability, accessibility, and non-profit governance and leadership. He is best known for his contributions to screen readers, tactile maps and graphics, and audio description. He lives and works in Berkeley, California, where, in addition to his role as CAOS Founder and President, he serves on the Board of Directors of the East Bay Center for the Blind.

Mina Sun, Board Secretary

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Dr. Mina Sun is an educator, scientist, and accessibility leader working to advance disability inclusion across education, technology, and nonprofit organizations. In addition to her role as CAOS Secretary, she teaches university science courses and serves on the Board of Directors of LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the City of Berkeley Commission on Disability, bringing experience in nonprofit governance, public service, and higher education. Her work focuses on building accessible and inclusive systems through collaboration, innovation, and policy and systems change.

Elizabeth Ruhland, Treasurer

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Elizabeth Ruhland is a former public library manager, organizational consultant, and committed advocate for literacy and democracy. She volunteers as a tax preparer for AARP, writing coach for first-generation college applicants, and is never happier than when she is decluttering a closet.

Jennifer Mankoff, Board Member

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Dr. Mankoff is the Richard E. Ladner Professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington, where they direct the Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences (CREATE). Their research is focused on accessibility through giving disabled people the voice, tools and agency to advocate for themselves. Dr. Mankoff is a SIGCHI Academy member, a SIGCHI Social Impact Awardee and has received the ASSETS IMPACT award, and AccessComputing Capacity Building award and has identified as disabled since graduate school.

Ed Summers, Board Member

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Ed Summers is Head of Accessibility at GitHub, where he empowers people with disabilities to create, collaborate, and contribute to the technology that drives human progress. As a blind developer and accessibility executive, Ed has a burning passion to use technology to level the playing field for people with disabilities globally. When his hands aren’t on a keyboard, Ed is on the go with Loki- his trusty Seeing Eye Dog.

Advisory Board

CAOS is building an advisory board that broadly includes disability and open-source stakeholders across all demographics and identities. Advisory board members provide strategic counsel and help connect CAOS with the broader community.

Advisory board members to be announced.