Wil Hansen is an expert on disability issues, who speaks from personal experience as well as extensive research. Born with cerebral palsy that affects his mobility, Wil pursued a career in media and communications . In 2006, his consulting firm wilhansen.biz decided to focus its work in a unique segment of organizational development: assisting companies to more effectively manage disability issues.

Wil uses his life experiences to create practical advice for businesses. The tangle of federal and state disability access regulations, the threats of lawsuits, and the general public misunderstanding of disability make this issue a minefield for employers. Wil is knowledgeable about the legal and regulatory aspects of access and employment related to disability, but his true strength is a comprehensive perspective on life for people with disabilities – What do they want as customers? What are their needs? How can an employer accommodate an employee with a disability? How can the workplace foster communication to avoid misunderstanding? How can a business profit creating a corporate culture that is universally accessible, practical and functional?

After receiving a degree from the State University of New York at Canton, Wil spent several years as a radio news reporter, worked in television news production, and produced local portions of a national radio series for a regional public radio network on healthcare and disability. He has also written for regional business publications.

In 2002, Wil was asked to take on a business challenge as a founding board member of Cerebral Palsy of the North Country. The organization was one he was very familiar with having been a patient and community volunteer for them since he was a teenager. The challenge was to spin off this 25-year-old state division and create a self-sustaining Cerebral Palsy of NY affiliate. Wil and his fellow board members built a business structure from the ground up that now allows the organization to operate independently in 5 counties, with over 500 employees and a $14 million operating budget.

As a result of his personal experiences as well as those of others he has met through the years, Wil feels a passion about accessibility and accommodation for people with disabilities. Misunderstanding leads to the majority of conflicts about disability, Wil believes, and better communication and modest adjustments are often all that is required to meet an employee’s needs or serve a disabled customer better. Wil brings his comprehensive and compassionate perspective to his consulting projects, seeking to help businesses find comfortable and reasonable ways to accommodate this growing sector of the population.