Ed Schipul, CEO of Schipul – The Web Marketing Company, is an entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience in marketing and software programming. His Houston based company developed the Tendenci software which powers more than 400 web sites and has over 1.4 million users. The company's broad client base includes the Society for International Affairs, YMCA Houston, Metropolitan New York Library Council, Susan G. Komen for the Cure Houston, and Tony Chachere's. Schipul has been the recipient of awards such as the Aggie 100 (2005-2009), the Houston Fast 100 (2007-2011) and the Houston Fast Tech 50 (2004-2005, 2010-2012).

As a speaker, Ed has engaged audiences all over the country. He has presented at the Bulldog Reporter National Conference, PRSA’s International Conference, the Sarasota International Design Summit, Mom 2.0 and SXSW Interactive. Groups he has spoken to include the Public Relations Society of America, the American Advertising Federation, the Southeast Texas Museum Association, The Houston Technology Center, the International Association of Business Communicators and the American Creativity Association. Ed has also served as a guest lecturer at Texas A&M, the University of Houston and Rice University.

Ed has been published in national journals including The Public Relations Strategist, PR Tactics, Houston Business Journal, Association News and Nonprofit World. He blogs for Hearst Newspaper’s Houston City Brights and has been interviewed on NBC and ABC news as an expert on Social Media and Technology.

Growing up, Rachel’s family moved frequently. Imagine having to adapt to a new school, a new country, a new culture, even a new type of Braille every other year. At 18, she came to the University of Kansas to study but there she encountered even greater obstacles after being struck by a car while crossing the street. The accident resulted in compressed vertebrae, the loss of kidney function, and eventually a kidney transplant at the age of 29. That didn’t keep her from earning two undergraduate degrees, an MBA, and a Master’s Degree in Interaction Design.

Accessibility Advocate, Interaction Designer, Innovation Strategist

Today, as the world’s only blind Interaction Designer, Rachel researches and develops models and prototypes that bring the accessible user experience to life. She works closely with designers and developers to not only meet accessibility standards but to grasp the importance of the accessible user experience, and incorporate it into every project from the beginning. When it comes to accessibility, Rachel is a true visionary in spite of her disability. She has an extraordinary ability to identify problems, develop solutions, and implement change, and she has made it her mission to inspire, learn, teach, and make the world more accessible and efficient for everyone.