Luncheon Keynote Speaker
Sumaira “Sam” Latif
Senior Director, Company Accessibility Leader, Global People with Disabilities Leader
Procter & Gamble
Sam Latif is P&G’s first Company Accessibility Leader – a role within which she is responsible for driving forward innovation to make the company’s 65+ brands inclusive and accessible for the 15% of people around the globe who experience some form of disability. Sam’s passion for her work stems from her personal experiences. She was born with a rare genetic condition known as retinitis pigmentosa, meaning that by the age of 16 she had lost 97% of her sight. Unwilling to let anything stop her from achieving her dreams, Sam went on to have a hugely successful IT career within P&G, joining the company in 2000.
In 2015, Sam switched from running IT businesses to focusing on embedding accessibility into P&G, and in 2019 she was promoted to Senior Director, taking on the formal title of Company Accessibility Leader.
In recent years she has inspired international audiences with her story: overcoming blindness, dealing with rejection, learning to be interdependent, forging a successful career and life in a world that wasn’t designed with her in mind, being true to herself and her values and finding compromises that work. She has developed an approach to making the world that is more inclusive for all. She has got there by living in a way that is patiently persistent and finds practical solutions that transform ways of working.
Sam loves to share her story with people who have a genuine interest in building more accessible and inclusive communities that make people feel that they belong. Although her story is unique, she finds that people resonate with her challenges and are left feeling inspired to make the differences that are within their power.
Closing Keynote Speaker
Kenyetta McCurdy-Byrd
Chief Operating Officer
REACH Riverside Development Corporation
Kenyetta McCurdy-Byrd was diagnosed with Stargardt disease when she was 31 years old, but she hasn't let her disability slow her down. Kenyetta has dedicated over 25 years to building organizations that empower people and drive extraordinary results. Her leadership at West End Neighborhood House—where she served for 22 years—established education and employment programs that remain a community model. As the current Chief Operating Officer of REACH Riverside Development Corporation in Wilmington, Delaware, she plays a central role in transforming the Riverside neighborhood with a $600 million holistic revitalization.
Kenyetta's record of service has been recognized by Nonprofit HR (Social Impact Women to Watch), Delaware Today (top 40 Most Empowering Women in Business); Delaware Business Times (Excellence in HR); the Office of the Governor (Governor's Outstanding Volunteer Award for Education/Literacy); and the U.S. Department of Labor (Excellence in the delivery of employment and education services).
As a Black female and legally blind executive, she champions diversity, equity, and inclusion, breaking workplace barriers. She has deep empathy for and works tirelessly to open doors and clear the runway for those who face obstacles navigating life's challenges. She works hard to live her personal creed that, "Great vision does not require great sight."
