Massachusetts names state’s first chief IT accessibility officer

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Technology Services and Security announced on Tuesday it has hired the state’s first chief information technology accessibility officer.

Ashley Bloom, who joins the administration from Fidelity Investments where she built an accessibility program, is the fourth statewide chief IT accessibility officer to be named in the country, a news release said. She’ll chair the state’s Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board and be responsible for ensuring the state’s digital applications are fully functional and accessible to all Massachusetts residents.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey created the new office by executive order last summer. The order also established the Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board, which state Chief Information Officer Jason Snyder told StateScoop will help fix “highly variable” access to digital services across the state.

Bloom plans on Jan. 24 to convene the board’s second meeting, her first as the board’s chair. The board will soon seek applications for its public seats, the news release said.

“As the first Chief IT Accessibility Officer for Massachusetts, I am honored to serve as a representative and an advocate for the disability community and to help create inclusive access to digital environments,” Bloom said in the news release. “This role is especially meaningful for me since working toward accessibility for everyone has been a driving passion of mine as a person with a disability.”