Kate Sweeney has spearheaded a transformative effort to make web applications and documents accessible to people with disabilities, revolutionizing the culture, development, and implementation processes. Through innovative approaches and a managed service model, she has optimized available technology and tools to streamline content releases and reduce rework. She collaborated with partners to address Section 508 standards compliance for products/platforms that lacked inherent accessibility features.

 

Despite limited funding, Kate developed a strategic vision and maturity plan for her program, proposing a funding model to "buy accessibility services" aligned with her vision. She strategically allocated resources within the existing department budget to maximize impact. By identifying quick wins, adopting a shared services model, and addressing gaps and challenges, Kate ensured cost-effective utilization of funding and holistic improvements in HHS guidance and content quality.

 

Her focus on scalability allowed the solutions to be adopted by other government teams. Kate established an Accessibility Center of Excellence and implemented robust processes, leading to a significant reduction in backlog, decreased testing/remediation time, and increased technical resources available to content owners. The implementation of an enterprise website accessibility scanning tool led to cost savings for HHS Operating Divisions. The program has delivered over 7,000 defect-free pieces of content, system sprint releases, and applications that the public relies on daily.

 

These achievements have had a direct and tangible impact on the public, providing improved access and usability for individuals with disabilities. The streamlined processes have reduced barriers and ensured that citizens and the public can engage with HHS content, applications, and services more effectively, enhancing their overall experience.