Accessible Communication: Making Communication Better, for Everyone - IABC Asia Pacific Region

Matisse Hamel-Nelis (she/her) is an award-winning communications and digital accessibility consultant based in Toronto. With extensive public relations experience, Matisse is the principal of Matisse Nelis Consulting and a part-time professor at Durham College.

Matisse is the founder and host of PR & Lattes, a podcast and blog that offers a platform for communications professionals to share insights and ideas on public relations, communications and marketing.

Matisse is a recognized authority on accessibility in digital communications. She is certified as an Accessible Documents Specialist (ADS) and a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) through the International Association of Accessibility Professionals.

Her book, Accessible Communications: Create Impact, Avoid Missteps and Build Trust, which she co-wrote with Lisa Riemers, provides actionable insights for creating inclusive and impactful messaging in a digital-first world.

Matisse’s passion for accessibility and inclusion drives her to empower organizations and professionals to break down barriers and build meaningful, equitable connections in all their communications.

Lisa Riemers (she/her) is an independent communications consultant, author and trainer who helps organisations connect their people and tell their stories. She co-wrote Accessible Communications with Matisse and helps people create impactful, accessible, user-centred content that makes information easier to understand. She’s a co-host of the WB-40 podcast and bridges the gap between communications, digital and technology teams. She’s often found working in and around intranet and digital workplace projects as well as helping organisations communicate with external audiences.

Based in London, UK Lisa advises large and complex organisations including world-leading universities, charities, insurers, business-to-business (B2B) companies and the UK government. She's also an artist, who brings her creative flair to the workplace.