Relay Resources wraps DisabilityNext Summit with 250-plus attendees

Relay Resources concluded its second annual DisabilityNext Summit in Portland on Oct. 7, drawing more than 250 leaders for two days of talks on neuroinclusion, workplace mental health and accessible technology. The event also marked the launch of DisabilityNext Learning, a new leadership education platform aimed at turning disability inclusion into a business advantage.

Why it matters: - The summit focused employers on disability inclusion as a workforce and business issue, not just a compliance topic. - Relay Resources used the event to introduce DisabilityNext Learning, a platform meant to help leaders convert inclusion goals into action. - The event addressed issues that can affect hiring, retention and disclosure in the workplace.

What happened: - Relay Resources concluded the second annual DisabilityNext Summit on Oct. 7 in Portland, Oregon. - More than 250 attendees gathered at the Hyatt Regency Portland for two days of programming on Oct. 6-7, 2026. - The summit featured keynote addresses, DisabilityNext Talks, panel discussions, fireside chats and structured networking. - Relay Resources announced DisabilityNext Learning during the summit.

The details: - Session tracks covered neuroinclusion in the workplace, workforce mental health, technology enablers for disability inclusion and building inclusive workplaces. - The summit included more than 20 speakers. - Speakers included Marisa Hamamoto, Zach Anner, Grant Harris, Jhillika Kumar, Lacey J. Henderson, Dr. Joe Grasso, Dr. Victoria Verlezza and Amy Wood. - Amy Wood, Accessibility Manager at Salesforce, served as part of the speaker lineup and represented the summit’s Diamond Sponsor. - Relay Resources said the summit discussed the labor force participation gap between disabled and non-disabled people, employee disclosure rates and the revenue advantages of employing disabled people. - The event offered ASL interpretation, CART captioning, assistive listening devices, a sensory break room, sighted guides, a service animal relief area, Sunflower Lanyards and trained venue support staff. - Attendees described the program as diverse in both panel makeup and topics, and said the accountability-focused format helped translate learning into action plans. - The next DisabilityNext Summit is scheduled for 2028.

Between the lines: - The summit framed disability inclusion as a leadership and talent strategy, not only an accessibility requirement. - By pairing programming with accommodations, Relay Resources modeled the practices it is urging employers to adopt. - The launch of DisabilityNext Learning suggests Relay Resources is expanding from convening conversations to selling ongoing education and consulting.

What's next: - Relay Resources plans to hold the next DisabilityNext Summit in 2028. - The organization will likely build on the summit by promoting DisabilityNext Learning to employers and leaders. - Relay Resources says its broader mission includes helping companies build disability-inclusive workplaces and helping disabled people find and keep competitive jobs. - More information is available in Relay Resources’ announcement.