AI and the Future of Deaf Leadership

Dr. Abraham Glasser
Dr. Abraham Glasser is a faculty member in the Accessible Human-Centered Computing and Policy (AHCP) program at Gallaudet University, where he also co-directs the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technology for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH RERC). He is a member of the Coalition for Sign Language Equity in Technology (CoSET) and has contributed to standards work supporting AI-based interpreting. He and his students conduct Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research involving AI, immersive technologies, and accessible computing for Deaf and Hard of Hearing users.

Dr. Raja Kushalnagar
Dr. Raja Kushalnagar is a Professor and Director of the Information Technology undergraduate program and the Accessible Human-Centered Computing graduate program at Gallaudet University. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and an LLM in Intellectual Property and Information Law from the University of Houston, and a JD from Texas Southern University. With over fifteen years in accessible technology, he studies information and communication access disparities between hearing and Deaf people and advocates for laws advancing accessible computing, such as automatic captioning. He has mentored over 100 students, secured over $10 million in grants, and published nearly 100 articles.

Dr. Opeoluwa Sotonwa
Dr. Opeoluwa Sotonwa is the Commissioner for the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, having previously served as Executive Director of the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. A lawyer by training in Nigeria, he helped draft the Nigerian disability rights law and more than twenty pieces of Missouri legislation. He founded the Opeoluwa Sotonwa Foundation, providing scholarships to economically disadvantaged Deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Nigeria. He holds law degrees from the University of Ilorin, Howard University, and a Doctor of Law and Policy from Northeastern University.