Biography

Christy Vanek leads Global Disability Accommodations & Accessibility at Otis Worldwide Corporation and co-chairs the Otis Thrive ERG, serving interests of colleagues with disabilities, caregivers, and mental health and wellbeing of all colleagues. As a white woman living with a disability since childhood, Christy navigates privilege, discrimination, inclusion, exclusion, micro-aggressions, and intersectionality daily.

Christy speaks publicly about her personal experience navigating mental health challenges of depression and anxiety. She breaks apart stigmas surrounding mental health and barriers to discussing this topic at work. Christy is legally blind and is a strong and graceful self-advocate for disability awareness and acceptance, as well as a champion for systems-level change to improve digital and physical accessibility.

She holds expertise in mindfulness, meditation, yoga, personal organization, DE&I, and disability inclusion. A graduate of the University of Michigan, she holds a BBA from the Ross School of Business and a BA in Organizational Studies. Christy resides in Chicago with her husband and their two pets.