Frances West
Founder & Advisor at FrancesWestCo, Author of Authentic Inclusion™ Drives Disruptive Innovation
Frances West is an internationally recognized thought leader, author, speaker, strategy advisor, and a woman-in-technology trailblazer known for her work in innovation, technology, and business transformation. Frances is the founder of FrancesWestCo, a global strategy advisory company focused on working with organizations to operationalize digital inclusion as a business and technology imperative.
She is also the author of Authentic Inclusion™ Drives Disruptive Innovation. The book draws on her unique background and global business experience in technology innovation—from her journey as a first-generation, non-English speaking immigrant to her professional path as a woman in technology and IBM’s first Chief Accessibility Officer. Frances’ book was recently featured at both CES and SXSW for its innovative thinking and relevance to the inclusion challenges facing organizations today. The book is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Frances speaks around the world at TEDx, CES, SXSW, World Congress of Information Technology, and at government policy forums such as the United Nations, US Department of Labor and China Disabled Person’s Federation’s Accessibility Summits. Her work and interviews have been cited in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Huffington Post, IT Magazine, Big Think, Le Monde, BBC News, and China Daily.
Frances currently serves on multiple nonprofit boards including Knowbility, World Institute on Disability, National Braille Press, G3ict, a UN affiliate focusing on digital inclusion, China Accessibility Product Alliance and the Massachusetts chapter of International Women’s Forum. She is also a strategy advisor to startups. She recently was appointed as an instructor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts in Boston in recognition of her work in accessibility, research, and digital inclusion. Frances was born in Taiwan and educated in Hong Kong and the US.
Takes part in
Dismantling Stereotypes: How to Cultivate Empathy and Inclusion via Technology
- How to attract and retain diverse and highly skilled talent by creating a truly inclusive workplace for all colleagues
- How to create supportive environments within organizations
- How to use technology to build empathy and understanding
Bianca Ghose
Ayumi Moore Aoki
Frances West
Niarchos Pabalis
Shavon Lindley
Julie Hall
Fanny Krivoy