Biography

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Jim Pecht joined the U.S. Access Board in November of 1991 after receiving a Masters degree in Architecture from the University of Maryland. One of his first duties was to assist with the rulemaking for the accessibility guidelines under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He then coordinated the work of the Board's Federal Facilities Workgroup, which began the process of revising the accessibility guidelines for Federal facilities covered by the Architectural Barriers Act. He was part of the team that developed the new combined guidelines for the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Architectural Barriers Act. Jim provides technical assistance to the building design and construction industry, State and Federal agencies, and consumers with disabilities. He has particular responsibility for the administration of the Board's 5200 plus volume technical library on accessibility issues. Jim has been a speaker before many professional and business groups affected by the ADA, including the American Institute of Architects. He has also advised several Federal agencies covered under the ABA and the Rehabilitation Act, including the White House, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Social Security Administration, the Federal Communication Commission, and the U.S. Census Bureau. Jim is a member of the National Fire Protection Association and is an associate member of the American Institute of Architects.