Meet Tom
Tom works for Comcast Cable, one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services. Comcast is developing new and innovative communication technologies at a rate that is faster than ever before. So it is extremely important that their products and services are easily available and functional for everyone to be able to use these technologies that have become essential for communication, education and entertainment. It is Tom’s responsibility to develop a strategic plan focused on the usability of Comcast's products and services by people with disabilities and pursue opportunities to further enrich the customer experience for the disability community.
Tom joined Comcast after working for AOL, Inc. where he led accessibility efforts for the past decade. At AOL, it was Tom’s job to ensure AOL’s products and services were accessible to not only customers who are blind, but also those with other disabilities, including auditory, cognitive and mobility impairments. As part of his responsibilities, he worked closely with AOL’s engineers and product developers and helped educate company employees about the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in the Internet age. He also collaborated with disability and business organizations to increase understanding and awareness of accessibility issues. Among his many accomplishments there, he oversaw the launch of AIM Relay, which allows people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech disabled to place phone calls to their friends and family through telecommunication relay services.
Prior to joining AOL, Tom worked at the National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM), part of Boston public broadcaster WGBH’s Media Access Group, which pioneered television captioning and video description. While at NCAM, he helped develop audio menus for DVDs and guidelines to improve the accessibility of science and mathematical software. He also consulted for a range of organizations, including Fortune 500 companies. Mr. Wlodkowski holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College. He currently sits on the Board of Trustees for the American Foundation for the Blind and is a member of the Loudoun County Disability Services Board. He previously served on the FCC Consumer Advisory Committee and the Board of Trustees for the National Braille Press. Tom lives in the Philadelphia area with his wife and son.
- For information about job accommodations for people with vision impairments, see JAN’s A to Z of Disabilities. To see and read about other people with disabilities in their workplaces, return to JAN’s Homepage.