Bridge Staff and Consultants
Ruth Acevedo
Accessibility Project Manager
Ruth Acevedo, Accessibility Project Manager for Bridge Multimedia, supervises department workflow, coordinates assets, manages script writers, translators, engineers, and voice talent to ensure all multimedia final deliverables. Previously, Ms. Acevedo was a freelance producer with Rujifilm Productions and a Media Education Coordinator for Manhattan Neighborhood Network, where she developed programming to provide hybrid classroom instruction to students. Ms. Acevedo was also a production facilitator at New York’s El Barrio Firehouse Community Media Center and a promotion assistant at Univision Communications Inc. She was also a post-production supervisor at New Jersey City University.
John Cavanagh
Special Projects and Content Direction
In addition to developing and promoting special projects for Bridge Multimedia, John Cavanagh is responsible for investigation, analysis, and dissemination of the latest social, technical, and legal developments regarding accessibility and its implementation. He also drives expansion initiatives, delivers company presentations, and develops promotional content. Cavanagh writes much of Bridge’s accessible multimedia content, including corporate audio description scripts, and alternative text. He has produced elearning scripts, training programs, and video games and has been with Bridge since the company’s inception.
Dennis DeJesus
General Manager
Dennis DeJesus, Bridge Multimedia’s General Manager, oversees the myriad daily business activities of Bridge and its studio operations, Mr. DeJesus works to improve overall business functions, trains department heads, manage budgets, develop strategic plans, and enact companywide policies. Previously, Mr. DeJesus worked as Post Operations Manager at DuArt, a New York City-based film and recording studio.
Luisa Guerrero
Production Team
Luisa Guerrero, a member of the Bridge Multimedia in-house production team, is a bilingual, Emmy Award-winning video editor, producer, and videographer, Luisa provides Bridge with unique perspectives on cutting edge editorial processes. Luisa has worked as a freelance video editor and post producer for over a decade. Her responsibilities included ingesting media, adding VO, scoring, formatting lower thirds/text elements, incorporating graphic elements, adding sound effects, basic audio mixing and color correcting. Clients included MAKERS Women, AOL, MTV, VICE, Vox Media, Refinery29, and Yahoo News.
Alison Hannigan
Filmmaker
Alison Hannigan is a filmmaker dedicated to making films more accessible to those with disabilities, which allows making film more immersive as a whole. Ms. Hannigan is featured on the ReelAbilities website, writing about her philosophy as a filmmaker: “I am constantly seeking ways to improve my craft and enhance my skills. With a deep understanding of the fundamentals of filmmaking, I am eager to take on new challenges and expand my knowledge in all areas of the industry. Whether I am working on a film set Video Description of Educational Programming Project H372C210003 Consumer Advisory Group June 30, 2023 as a director, cinematographer, editor, or sound designer, I always approach each project with the same level of enthusiasm and commitment. I believe that every role in filmmaking is important, and that each member of the team plays a crucial part in creating a successful film.”
Matt Kaplowitz
PResident, Bridge Multimedia
Matt Kaplowitz is President of Bridge Multimedia, a social enterprise founded in 2002 with the conviction that accessibility increases the freedom, independence, and productivity of people with disabilities – and fosters a more open and dynamic society. Since its establishment, Bridge has worked to increase literacy access to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through multi-sensory learning. Bridge has also expanded the benefits of audio description to children on the autism spectrum and to English Language Learners. Presently, Bridge is leading a two-year research study in partnership with PBS KIDS. Its purpose is to explore promising practices and innovative approaches to American Sign Language for children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing. As a Grammy, Emmy, Peabody and Webby awardwinning media producer, Mr. Kaplowitz has worked with Ravi Shankar, Joshua Bell, Stephen Sondheim, The New York Philharmonic, Carol Burnett, Christine Aguilera, Chris Botti, Dave Matthews, and Sting.
Sheilarae Lau
Head Description Writer
Sheilarae Lau brings 22 years of experience to her work in audio description. In her role as Head Description Writer for Bridge Multimedia, she writes description for television, films, and museums; develops new writers; and oversees Bridge’s audio description standards. Ms. Lau produced Bridge’s “Disability Bible,” a resource for producers and filmmakers who wish to incorporate characters with physical and cognitive differences. She also created a syllabus for “Disability 101,” a course for student filmmakers who wish to collaborate with colleagues of varying abilities and produce universally accessible media. Ms. Lau, a former children’s television producer and writer, earned an MS in Broadcasting at Boston University. She is an adjunct professor of communication, teaching courses in mass media, forgiveness, intercultural communication, and social science research methods. She is currently teaching Audio Description at Montclair State University.
Louis Milisci
Technical Engineer
Louis Milisci, a graduate of NYU Tandon School of Engineering, is a Brooklyn native who’s been working as a technical engineer at Bridge Multimedia for over 4 years. Before that, Louis’ passion for film, media, and accessibility led him to work for the Marlene Meyerson JCC, supporting the New York ReelAbilities Film Festival. Mr. Milisci worked coordinating, quality checking, and preserving film deliverables. His technical skills, attention to detail, and strong work ethic then brought him to Bridge, where he creates captions, transcripts, and accessible documents. In addition, he currently conducts research into emerging accessibility fields and technologies to increase the possibilities of accessibility for all. Mr. Milisci has also worked as an audio description writer and narrator for The Ability Exchange, a documentary film about an innovative Disability Studies course at NYU Polytechnic.
Steve Noble
Content Specialist
Steve Noble serves as Principal Researcher for Accessibility at Pearson, as Content Specialist in Mathematics and Science for Bridge Multimedia, and as adjunct faculty for the University of Louisville. At Pearson, Steve conducts accessibility and usability research to support the effective usage of Pearson’s Video Description of Educational Programming Project H372C210003 Consumer Advisory Group June 30, 2023 digital assessment platforms for students with and without disabilities. He has an extensive research background on digital accessibility with a special focus on how to make mathematics and science content accessible to students with disabilities. Previously, he has served as Director of Accessibility Policy at Design Science, Inc., as a Policy Analyst for the Kentucky Assistive Technology Service (KATS) Network, and as Manager of Product Development for Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, in Princeton, NJ (now known as Learning Ally). He also served a 10-year term as a member of the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standards (NIMAS) Board for the US Department of Education.
Lisa Reynolds
ASL Interpreter for the Deaf
Lisa Reynolds (she/her/hers) has worked as an RID certified ASL interpreter for the Deaf since 2007, which has brought her into many different contexts and experiences through the Deaf community both locally and abroad. She holds a BFA in theater from Cornish College of the Arts and an MFA from Brooklyn College in Performance and Interactive Media Arts. She has worked as an artist and producer for over 20 years, producing both small- and large-scale international projects. After 10 years of producing in Norway, in close collaboration with the Royal Norwegian Consulate General New York, she co-founded i.c.a.p. (international collaborative arts productions), based in Bergen, Norway. She is currently studying Forensic Mental Health Counseling (MA) at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. DIANE
Diane Rodriguez
Associate Dean and Professor
Diane Rodríguez, Ph.D., is an Associate Dean and Professor at the Graduate School of Education at Fordham University. Her research is at the intersection of special education and bilingual education. Dr. Rodríguez has been an invited speaker at national and international conferences on Special Education and Bilingual Education. Univision selected Dr. Rodriguez as an example of “Orgullo de Nuestra Comunidad,” which highlights individuals who give back to the community. She was recognized for her work with individuals with disabilities. She has published extensively in journals and is the co-author of three books: (1) The Bilingual Advantage; (2) STEAM Meets Story: Using Adolescent Fiction and Film to Spark Deeper Learning; and (3) Equitable and Inclusive Teaching for Diverse Learners with Disabilities. A Biography Driven Approach published by Teachers College Press. She is the founder of Every Girl is Important a non-for-profit organization to educate and empower young girls www.everygirlisimportant.org
Wendy Sapp
Sr Project Director
Wendy Sapp (she/her), Ph.D., Senior Project Director, leads numerous educational accessibility initiatives, including an OSEP funded cooperative agreements to further accessibility of educational video programming. Additional projects include the development of four award-winning accessible games available for free on the PBS KIDS website, the production of thousands of hours of audio description for children’s educational television programming, the exploration of best practices in American Sign Language for children who are Deaf, the development of new technologies to increase access to media, and the creation of multiple accessible videos to promote universal design in learning. Dr. Sapp is excited about improving accessibility for children with disabilities by partnering with Bridge’s extensive network of professionals. All of Dr. Sapp’s work is informed by her background as a teacher, orientation and mobility specialist, and early interventionist working with children who are blind, deaf, or deafblind, which reminds her daily of the impact accessibility has on the lives of children.