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Four are recognized in Access and Inclusion Awards

May 26, 2022

Each year Virginia Tech's Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) hosts their excellence in access and inclusion awards, recognizing students, staff, and faculty for their contribution to creating a welcoming and equitable campus climate for people with disabilities at Virginia Tech. 

This year they recognized all those who, in the past three years, obtained a certification in accessibility, issued by the International Association for Accessiblity Professionals (IAAP).  

Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine has four individuals who completed certifications as certified professionals accessibility core concepts (CPACC), web accessibility specialist (WAS), and certified professional in web accessibility (CPWA).

  • Vianne Greek, web manager: CPACC, WAS, CPWA
  • Hannah Hudson, senior admissions operations manager: CPACC
  • Carrie Knopf, student affairs coordinator and SSD liaison to admissions: CPACC
  • Katherine Murphy, admissions operations manager, CPACC
Group shot, details below
Vianne Greek is pictured with Virginia Tech's Accessible Technologies team. From left: Christa Miller, associate director for SSD; Vianne Greek, VTCSOM web & social media manager, Mark Nichols, director of assistive technologies, and Robert Fentress, senior web accessibility solutions designer

Vianne Greek receives Excellence in Access and Inclusion Award for her work in accessibility

Her nominator wrote: I am writing to nominate Vianne Greek for the Excellence in Access and Inclusion Award. Vianne, web manager for Virginia Tech Carilion School of medicine, obtained CPACC and WAS certifications to become CPWA (certified professional in web accessibility).

Since obtaining those certifications, she has applied the skills she learned at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine by adding captions and transcripts to every video on the website. She takes the extra steps in the monthly newsletters that she creates to make sure they contain alternative text and aria labels so that those using screen readers get an equitable experience. Similarly, she includes a full transcript and slides with alternative text for Town Hall events.

She is also an advocate for accessibility within the school of medicine, educating users on captions, color contrast, meaningful links, etc. and encouraging others within the school of medicine to complete CPACC certifications. To date VTCSOM has 3 more people who hold the certified professional in accessibility core concepts certification.

I applaud Vianne for all she has done to help create a welcoming and equitable experience for prospective students and their families, as well as community members who view the website. She is highly deserving of this award.

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