Kara Lock Van Roekel
About Kara Lock Van Roekel
Kara Lock Van Roekel is a Senior Accessibility Specialist at Thomson Reuters, where she has worked since 2020. She has extensive experience in accessibility services, having held positions at Level Access, Simply Accessible, and Elsevier, and possesses expertise in WCAG 2.1 and inclusive design.
Work at Thomson Reuters
Kara Lock Van Roekel has been serving as a Senior Accessibility Specialist at Thomson Reuters since 2020. In this role, she focuses on enhancing accessibility across various platforms and products. Her responsibilities include implementing accessibility standards and guidelines to ensure that all users can effectively engage with the company's offerings. She actively participates in team training sessions, sharing her knowledge of advanced accessibility and design concepts.
Previous Experience in Accessibility Services
Before joining Thomson Reuters, Kara worked at Level Access as the Manager of Accessibility Services from 2018 to 2020. She also held the position of Senior Accessibility Consultant at Level Access for a brief period in 2018. Prior to that, she was an Accessibility Specialist at Simply Accessible from 2016 to 2018. These roles contributed to her extensive experience in accessibility and user experience, allowing her to develop a strong foundation in the field.
Education and Expertise
Kara Lock Van Roekel earned her Master of Information Science (MIS) degree from the University of Michigan - School of Information, where she studied Human Computer Interaction from 2000 to 2002. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from Cornell University, where she double majored in Archaeology and Art History, with minors in Anthropology and Computer Science, from 1994 to 1998. Her educational background supports her expertise in accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.1, Section 508, ARIA, and inclusive design.
Background in User Experience
Kara has a significant background in user experience, having worked at Elsevier in various roles from 2004 to 2015. She served as a User Experience Specialist for six years and later as a Senior User Experience Specialist for five years. Her experience in user experience design complements her work in accessibility, enabling her to create inclusive and user-friendly digital environments.
Personal Interests
Outside of her professional work, Kara participates in the Society for Creative Anachronism as a fencer, showcasing her interest in historical reenactment. Additionally, she is an avid photographer with a passion for exploring the Pacific Northwest, where she captures the region's natural beauty through her lens.