For the first time, Massachusetts has a chief information technology accessibility officer.
Ashley Bloom was appointed to the role in the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security earlier this week. She will be responsible for ensuring digital access to state government for all Bay Staters, particularly individuals with disabilities.
The job was created in July by the Healey-Driscoll administration as part of an executive order creating a new Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board. Bloom will lead the board, which will include state officials and members of the public. Only three other states have a similar role, according to the EOTSS.
Bloom previously worked for Fidelity Investments, where she developed the company’s accessibility program.
According to the job posting, Bloom will lead initiatives to make people’s digital interactions with state services “simpler, faster, and more meaningful.” The job will require the creation of user-centered digital products, with a focus on people who are blind or deaf, or have other disabilities.
Bloom identifies as a person with a disability, according to the news release from the EOTSS announcing her hiring. She will be responsible for launching a digital accessibility and equity program within the executive state government, and will evaluate progress across departments. She will develop milestones to measure how the departments are progressing.
In addition to creating this role and the governance board, the July executive order set forth a plan to add a chief accessibility officer position to every executive office.
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