Disability Pride Month
We Belong Here,
and We’re Here to Stay
Join us for a live virtual event on
Friday, July 11 at 10:00 a.m. PT
This July, we’re celebrating Disability Pride Month, echoing The Arc’s powerful theme: “We Belong Here, and We’re Here to Stay.” We’re honoring the journey towards visibility and equal opportunities by recognizing the disability community’s vibrant, vital contributions.
Our program will spotlight Catharine McNally, who at age three, was among the youngest to receive a cochlear implant after losing her hearing to meningitis. In 1986, despite limited access to information and resources, her audiologist skillfully programmed the implant to her unique needs. This remarkable journey of adaptation, resilience, and innovation propelled Catharine into a career focused on accessibility, including roles at museums, in software consulting, and as a product manager at X (formerly Twitter) and GitHub.
Join us to celebrate Catharine’s inspiring story and her vital contributions to a more inclusive world.
This Month’s Coffee Talk
Staff Program Manager
GitHub
Catharine McNally lost her hearing to meningitis at 8 months old and has been a technology pioneer since receiving one of the first cochlear implants as part of FDA clinical trials in 1986. Instead of being defeated by a world of barriers and separation, McNally developed opportunities for inclusion in all aspects of her life. McNally has transitioned her career into program management, integrating and embedding accessibility processes and policies at Phase2, Twitter, and now at GitHub. As Sr. Program Manager, McNally is responsible for developing cross-functional partnerships to drive accessibility inclusion across digital experiences.
Catharine McNally