Steven is the Founder of award-winning disability accessibility consultancy Direct Access. Direct Access was born out of Steven’s passion for inclusivity following his struggles as a deaf cochlear implant user. He was awarded the MBE in Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday Honors list in 2021 for improving access for people with disabilities. He has a degree in Architecture and more than 20 years’ experience in Accessibility with a specialist expertise in parks and recreation. Steven is frequently sought as an International Speaker and has presented on accessibility in USA, Canada, Spain, UK, Ireland, Poland, United Arab Emirates and Germany.

Steven was the lead Access Consultant working on ADA Transition Plans for the Cities of Allen, McKinney and South Lake, Texas, accessibility plans in Vermont both with the town of Bethel and with DAIL housing programs across the State. He has worked with Native American organizations in Montana where the ADA is not enforceable but clients want to be inclusive. Steven also leads the Direct Access team working with Starbucks and delivering inclusion programs for media production companies in New York.

Steven’s expertise means he has been highly sought after internationally. Since 2018 he has been the Universal Design Project Director then Director of Accessibility for Expo 2020 Dubai, the largest ever world exposition and the first ever in the Middle East. As the expo came to a natural end, the site is being repurposed to a new residential development to include support programs for residents with disabilities and it recently hosted COP28.

Steven has delivered disability awareness training in Arizona and worked on hotel and retail facilities in West Virginia, delivered presentations on accessibility within education facilities in Utah and Georgia and museums in New Hampshire.