Claudia L. Gordon

Claudia L. Gordon is a dedicated advocate for people with disabilities with nearly 30 years of versatile professional expertise. As the first deaf Black female attorney in the United States, she has a personal mission to level the playing field and ensure the same opportunities are provided for all. She currently serves as the Senior Accessibility Strategist with T-Mobile US, Inc. In this role, she drives strategies for a disability inclusive culture and an accessible plus equitable work environment.

Gordon has held senior leadership positions with Sprint Corporation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the National Council on Disability (of which she is now Chair), and the National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center. During the Obama-Biden Administration, she served as the Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and the Associate Director of Public Engagement for the White House Office of Public Engagement.

Adding to Gordon’s professional expertise is her lived experience as an immigrant at the intersections of race, disability, and gender, which is the foundation for the strong emphasis on disabled individuals with multiple marginalized identities that she brings to her work.

For her unrelenting commitment to advocacy, compliance, civic engagement, and mentoring, Gordon has been recognized by the American Association of People with Disabilities, Google, AT&T Humanity of Connection, National Disability Mentoring Coalition, National Association of the Deaf, National Black Deaf Advocates, Forbes 50 Over 50 and The Root 100. A native of Jamaica, Gordon is a graduate of Howard University and of American University’s Washington College of Law.