Andy Imparato, CEO of Disability Rights California, delivers the keynote address at the National ADA Symposium.
Mizzou’s Great Plains ADA Center brought together accessibility leaders from across the country as it hosted the National ADA Symposium, the nation’s premier conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act, July 19-22, in Phoenix.
Housed in the Department of Architectural Studies within the College of Arts and Science, the Great Plains ADA Center has advanced accessibility through education, training, and technical assistance for more than 30 years. The center began hosting the symposium as a regional conference in 1998 before expanding it into a national event in 2006. This year’s symposium marked the 20th time the center has hosted the national conference, reinforcing its longstanding leadership in advancing accessibility and supporting ADA professionals nationwide.
Great Plains ADA Center Staff and volunteers at the National ADA Symposium in Phoenix, July 19-22, 2026.
(L to R): Molly Wuebker, Lydia Olmsted, Michael Edwards, Ryan Smith, Mackenzie Brandow, Claire Jennings, Dr. Janna Lancaster, Anna Stewart, Kristen Newman
“One of the symposium's greatest strengths is the opportunity to connect with peers who understand the unique challenges of ADA implementation,” said Mike Edwards, assistant project director of the Great Plains ADA Center. “Attendees leave with practical strategies, current legal and regulatory updates, and resources they can immediately apply in their organizations and communities and develop professional networks that continue long after the conference ends.”
This year’s symposium featured keynote speaker Andy Imparato, CEO of Disability Rights California, along with sessions led by national experts on employment, state and local government, law enforcement, accessible design, and emerging technologies. Attendees also had opportunities to earn professional certification credits.
The Great Plains ADA Center administers the nation’s only comprehensive certification program for ADA coordinators, liaisons, and facilitators, extending its impact beyond the annual symposium. The center is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research.