WT Group is proud to announce the promotion of Tatum Storey to Principal - Operations and Tanya Scheibe to Principal - Standards within our Accessibility Consulting Practice Area. With a shared commitment to ensuring built environments are inclusive and compliant, both Tatum and Tanya bring extensive expertise and leadership to their new roles. In the Q&A below, they reflect on their professional journeys, the meaningful impact of ADA compliance, standout projects that have shaped their careers, and their perspectives on the future of accessibility consulting.
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My journey to the field of accessibility is unique. During my undergraduate program, I worked with the Innocence Project of West Virginia, where I helped incarcerated and exonerated individuals and their families plan for reintegration to their communities. Following, I went to graduate school where I was a Research Assistant with the Job Accommodation Network (JAN). JAN is the leading source of free, expert guidance on title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Throughout my time as a Research Assistant, I conducted research on the success of workplace accommodations nationwide and formed an interest in understanding the complexities of the ADA. After I graduated, I returned to JAN as an Accessibility Consultant, specializing in Title I ADA interpretation, which allowed me to combine my interests in law, policy, and accessibility. My continued passion for the ADA ultimately led me to join WT Group, where I discovered the Accessibility Practice—a perfect fit for my skills and aspirations.
What motivates me most about working in the field of ADA compliance is the opportunity to engage with communities and bridge the gap between access based needs and understanding. I am inspired by moments when our clients experience a breakthrough in understanding, whether it’s having a “lightbulb moment” themselves or when we create a space where communities truly feel heard. These moments inspire me to go the extra mile, strengthening our comprehensive and thoughtful solutions that make a meaningful impact.
One of the most rewarding aspects of our work is seeing our clients achieve significant milestones in accessibility. It’s gratifying to hear that they are receiving recognition or awards for their efforts to improve access, or that they are making retrofits that exceed the ADA’s minimum requirements. Additionally, it’s incredibly rewarding to revisit a community where we’ve provided recommendations and witness the tangible improvements made in their facilities and mindsets, based on our work.
I’m excited about the opportunity to continue learning from my talented team and peers at WT Group. I am committed to strengthening our processes to ensure our practice continues to meet the highest standards of excellence. My goal is to work collaboratively with my team to provide the unmatched, outstanding services and deliverables, while always striving for continuous improvement.
One accomplishment I’m particularly proud of is the implementation of community engagement surveys. Prior to my start with the practice, surveys were not part of our community engagement strategy. Through collaboration, we successfully integrated online surveys into our approach. This transition dramatically increased participation, allowing us to collect hundreds of responses for our clients, compared to just a handful in previous engagement methods. Not only has this initiative enhanced our ability to set priorities more effectively for our clients, but it has also provided a much-needed platform for people with disabilities to have their voices heard.
WT Group’s uniqueness lies in the diverse range of projects we take on. We serve clients with massive budgets and large, modern assets and infrastructure, as well as clients who have dated assets and limited resources. This diversity allows us to learn from each project and share insights, ultimately strengthening our skillset and expertise. This dynamic environment has been instrumental in shaping my career and expanding my proficiency in accessibility. It also acts as a reminder to meet our clients where they are, and work to promote growth by setting objectives that align with the shared goal, while being tangible and effective.
I see the field of accessibility consulting, particularly at WT Group, continuing to evolve and grow. As public awareness of the complexities of the ADA expands, our practice will remain at the forefront of guiding organizations to achieve meaningful compliance.
By 2030 the Census Bureau predicts that for the first time in history, there will be more people over the age of 65 than under the age of 18. Accessibility will only become more critical, and I believe the field will continue to expand beyond current standards, demanding greater innovation and expertise.
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My journey is not typical of the paths of colleagues or others on our team. I graduated with a Bachelors in Architecture in 2009 and started pursuing work as a drafter for an architecture firm. I found myself working as a drafter for a company called Corporate Design and Development Group (now Design & Program Management as part of WT Group). It was a challenging time for the design and construction industries and as workload slowed during the recession, I needed to start looking for other opportunities. That ultimately led me back to WT Group where I joined our Accessibility Practice as an Accessibility Technician. Working with John McGovern’s team and with a focus on the ADA seemed like a great way to build knowledge in an area of design that unfortunately seemed to get overlooked often. At that time, my goal was primarily to build knowledge to benefit future career moves back into architecture and design. Fast forward 15 years later - I have grown through several positions on our team, taken on new titles, new roles, and new responsibilities. I have, and still do, learn so much about all facets of accessibility and disability every day in my work with our Accessibility Practice.
My interests in accessibility have and always will stem from looking at opportunities and relationships of design and usability. It is so important that all customers, guests, residents, employees, friends, and more are able to properly and comfortably have access to a facility, to services, and to opportunities.
For me, it’s very rewarding to help our clients, often units of state and local government, understand how to comply with ADA requirements and to help them understand how items that are not fully compliant can impact their customers. Seeing the connections “click” while having conversations about everything from codes to design ideas is fantastic.
Much of my role will remain the same with a little more responsibility in some areas and continued and improved responsibility in others. I look forward to continuing to support our team and our colleagues at WT Group as they navigate ADA compliance.
I’ve been fortunate to work with many very unique and interesting clients in about 29 different states over the last 15 years! I’m proud to have been able to add plan review services to our team’s offered services and to continue to lead on this aspect of our work.
Working with a company that includes so many disciplines under one roof has provided some wonderful learning opportunities both related and unrelated to my work with our Accessibility Practice.
While I’m confident we will still continue to work with many parks, recreation, and local government clients, I anticipate we will also see more opportunities to help businesses as they navigate improved building codes and more awareness of accessibility requirements. In the broader world of accessibility codes, I expect we will continue to see requirements and guidance developing and becoming finalized for outdoor recreation assets, EV charging stations, and more.
