Accessibility Professionals Association

2027 APA National Conference Keynote Speaker Spotlight: Gordon Hartman

Mark your calendars for the 2027 APA National Conference in San Antonio! We are thrilled to introduce our keynote presenter, Gordon Hartman.

Gordon is a San Antonio-based philanthropist, former homebuilder, and the visionary founder of Morgan’s Wonderland—the world’s first Ultra-Accessible™, fully inclusive theme park. As Founder and Board Chair of Morgan's, he leads a growing portfolio of ventures dedicated to redefining accessibility and inclusion.

-Keynote Address: "Inclusion through Innovation"
-Theme: The Wonders of Accessibility
-When: January 20–22, 2027
-Where: Estancia del Norte San Antonio

Learn more about Gordon and keep up with conference updates at APAaccess.org/APA-National-Conference.

Attendee registration will open in November; exhibitor and sponsor applications are currently being accepted.

Through the Excellence in Accessible Design Education (EADE) project, APA is advocating for accessibility codes and universal design principles to be included directly in college curricula and accreditation standards.

We want to give a big thank you to the organizations that have already signed on to support this effort:
United States Access Board
APAC Accessibility Certification
Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture
International Code Council
United Spinal Association
(See our first comment below for additional supporting organizations! 👇)

Want to show your support? Whether you are signing on behalf of your organization or as an individual advocate, learn more and sign the statement here: https://www.APAaccess.org/EADE/
hashtag

Excellence in Accessible Design Education (EADE) Excellence in Accessible Design Education Show your support for Excellence in Accessible Design Education (EADE) and emphasize the importance of including accessible design principles and their associated codes and standards into the curricula of professional architecture and design programs. Fill o...

A HUGE thanks to the Great Plains ADA Center for another tremendous ADA Symposium! We'll see you next year!

Get certified in the built environment. The APAC-BE is now accredited by the NCCA! Thank you to Great Plains ADA Center for partnering with us to administer the APAC-BE exam.

The APAC-BE exam is the only accredited national certification for accessibility professionals working in the built environment. To register and learn more about the APAC program, visit APACExam.org













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Come visit us in Phoenix! We're giving away a free APAC-BE exam application, valued at $750!

VISIT US at Booth #2 at the ADA Symposium and enter to win. Need not be present to win.

Get certified in the built environment. The APAC-BE is now accredited by the NCCA! Thank you to Great Plains ADA Center for partnering with us to administer the APAC-BE exam.

The APAC-BE exam is the only accredited national certification for accessibility professionals working in the built environment. To register and learn more about the APAC program, visit APACExam.org















The image shows an overhead view of the Phoenix hotel, with white text on a blue background.

Registration is open for the upcoming APA Texas Chapter Webinar!

Join us on Thursday, August 27, 2026, for a four-hour event designed specifically for Texas Registered Accessibility Specialists (RASs).

This webinar features two expanded sessions:

Texas Accessibility: From CAD to TABS (Expanded Version)
Presenter: Meghan Simecek, Texas Accessibility Group
Credits: 2 HR, AIA|CES APA 361 2 LU, ICC 52275 .20 CEU
Tech Talks: Texas Caucus 2026 (Expanded Version)

Presenter: Corey Credeur, ACI Consulting Architects
Credits: 2 HR, AIA|CES APA 362 2 LU, ICC 52276 .20 CEU, APAC #174 2 CEU, ADACC 2 Elective

Event Details: Date: Thursday, August 27, 2026 Time: 8:00 AM – 12:15 PM CDT Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Registration is open to everyone; APA members and APA Texas Chapter members receive a discount!

Register here: https://members.apaaccess.org/apa-calendar/Details/apa-texas-chapter-webinar-1732641?sourceTypeId=Hub

APA Member Spotlight:

This month, we are highlighting Thomas P. Wilkins, owner of TAS TEXAS, LLC, and a member of the APA Texas Chapter.

Thomas has over 25 years of experience in Texas accessibility, working as both a Registered Architect and a Registered Accessibility Specialist (RAS). His practice covers plan reviews, site inspections, and building assessments for commercial, educational, and medical facilities across the state.

View his full profile: https://members.apaaccess.org/public-facing-hire-a-professional/Details/thomas-p-wilkins-3994649

Thomas P Wilkins Thomas P Wilkins Back to Search Thomas P Wilkins Owner, TAS TEXAS, LLC. Categories APA Texas Chapter APA Individual Member Send Email TASTEXASLLC.COM About Thomas P. Wilkins, dba TAS TEXAS,LLC has 25+ years of Texas accessibility involvement, Experience includes 20+ years as a Registered Accessibili...

Thank you to Marsha Godeaux, Jonathan Sparks, and Jamie Hill of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation for sharing their expertise and presenting at this week's Texas Accessibility Academy hosted by APA! We appreciate your time and dedication to making Texas more accessible.

Missed this session? Our next Academy is coming up in October. Registration will open later this summer, so keep an eye on the APA event calendar for updates. Link to calendar: https://members.apaaccess.org/apa-calendar

Calendar Events Sidebar - Accessibility Professionals Association APA Calendar APA Calendar Start Date End Date 6/26/2026 - 6/26/2027 Results: 13 TUE July 21 APAC-BE Exam Registration - 2026 ADA Symposium 8:00 PM - 11:59 PM Register to take the exam at the 2026 ADA Symposium in Phoenix, AZ Register THU August 27 APA Texas Chapter Webinar 8:00 AM - 12:15 PM Join th...

ANNOUNCING!

APAC-BE Exam Awarded Prestigious NCCA Accreditation

The Accessibility Professionals Association Certification (APAC) Program has earned accreditation from the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) for its Accessibility in the Built Environment (APAC-BE) examination. This milestone makes the APAC-BE the only national, third-party validated certification for accessibility professionals in the built environment.

The NCCA is widely recognized as the gold standard for credentialing organizations. To earn this accreditation, the APAC Program underwent a rigorous peer review ensuring compliance with the industry’s highest benchmarks for test development, security, psychometric soundness, and organizational governance. Accreditation is designed to safeguard public health, safety, and welfare.

The APAC Program joins an elite group of organizations dedicated to credentialing excellence. This accreditation enhances the value of the APAC-BE certification and gives employers, clients, and regulatory bodies unmatched confidence in certificants’ expertise. The APAC-BE credential serves a broad cross-section of professionals, including architects, engineers, ADA coordinators, and compliance consultants, assuring stakeholders that certificants possess the validated expertise to mitigate compliance risks and ensure equitable access.

For more information regarding the APAC-BE exam and eligibility requirements or to view the directory of current certificants, please visit APACexam.org or contact [email protected].

About the APAC Program

The APAC Program is dedicated to elevating professional standards, enhancing individual performance, and designating those who demonstrate knowledge essential to ensuring accessibility.

About NCCA and I.C.E.

Created in 1987 by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, the National Commission for Certifying Agencies ensures public health, safety, and welfare by using a strict peer-review process to accredit certification programs that meet stringent professional assessment and administration standards.

Save $25 when you take the exam at the ADA Symposium in Phoenix. Great Plains ADA Center

We are excited to welcome the International Code Council (ICC) as our first sponsor for the upcoming 2027 APA National Conference in San Antonio!

ICC has been a long-time supporter of the APA Conference year after year. Their steadfast commitment to advancing accessibility, safety, and excellence in the built environment aligns perfectly with our mission. Thank you to ICC for your continued leadership and for helping us build a more accessible world!

2027 APA National Conference: The Wonders of Accessibility
January 20 - 22, 2027 | San Antonio, Texas

Registration for conference attendees will open in November. Applications for exhibitors and sponsors are now being accepted at APAaccess.org/Exhibitor-Information.

APAC Spotlight: Fred Cawyer, AIA, NCARB, RID, RAS, APAC-BE, President, Accessibility Resource Specialists

Fred is a founding member and past president of APA, and he currently serves on the APAC Appeals Committee. We at APAC and APA continue to value his expertise.

Take the paper-and-pencil APAC-BE exam at the Great Plains ADA Center ADA Symposium and save $25! The APAC-BE exam is the only national certification for accessibility in the built environment.

For more information about the APAC program, visit APACExam.org.















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