Karen Peltz Strauss

Karen Peltz Strauss is one of the country's most respected disability rights attorneys and telecommunications access advocates, with more than four decades of experience turning policy into real change for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind Americans. Her work has directly shaped landmark legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA), and closed captioning mandates. Karen has served twice at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), most recently as Deputy Bureau Chief, and founded the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology, a coalition of nearly 300 organizations nationwide. She is the author of A New Civil Right: Telecommunications Equality for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Americans and holds an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Gallaudet University.