APAC-BE Certificants

Not only specializing in all things accessibility all over the world, but also Universal Design consulting.

Mrs. Anderson has been the Interior Designer and a Project Manager for Meyer Engineers for the past twenty-two (22) years. From 2009 until 2017 she had been selected to be a grader on the Grading Committee for both the Spring and Fall National Council for Interior Design Qualifications Exam (NCIDQ Exam) Grading sessions. The NCIDQ Exam is the Interior Design licensing exam required by various states, including Louisiana, and the country of Canada. Recently Mrs. Anderson became ADA Certified in the built environment. 

Her responsibilities include Client Contact, Project Management, Program Writing and Development, Probable Construction Costs Estimates, mentoring young professionals in the office, and assisting the Architects in design, accessibility, preparation of construction documents, and specification writing for various projects. 

During construction Mrs. Anderson is often coordinating with the owner and contractor, and performing site visits as needed. Additionally she makes finish, color and material selections on numerous projects for the interior and exterior environment, selecting colors and materials for color renderings, project perspectives and creating material boards during design and construction phases. 

In addition to Interior Design, Mrs. Anderson is a specialist in understanding and implementing the ADA Accessibility Standards in the built environment, consulting on various projects for Meyer Engineer, Ltd. 

Mrs. Anderson completed required ADP hours to become eligible to take the ARE Exam through work experience. She is currently preparing to take the remain 4 of 6 exams required for architecture licensure. Mrs. Anderson is also a member of the Accessibility Professionals Association (APA) and has taken the APAC-BE exam to become a certified Accessibility Professional in the Built Environment. 

As a member of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), Delta Region, she regularly attends enlightening design meetings and continuing education classes.  When participating in the bi-annual grading sessions of the NCIDQ Exam, she grades the systems integration and accessibility portions of the exam.  Additionally Mrs. Anderson is frequently organizing in office meetings to review new products and continuing education sessions.

Gene is a project manager at Code Consultants, Inc., a multi-discipline consulting firm headquartered in St. Louis Missouri with additional offices in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. In addition to accessibility consulting, the firm provides life safety consultation, egress computer modeling and smoke control computer modeling, engineered fire alarm and fire sprinkler design, and low voltage building systems design.

Included in Gene's activities are proactive plan reviews for facilities in the design phases and during construction for access and means of egress relative to disabled accessibility. These reviews are based on the Federal standards adopted for the specific facility (i.e. ADA, Title II, ADA Title III, ABAAS, DoD, GSA, VA, FHA, UFAS, etc.). Additionally, state and municipal codes are reviewed to address the applicable provisions by the state and local entities (i.e., TAS, IBC, etc.). A few interesting projects include the New York World Trade Center buildings, Hudson Yards in New York, and Google's new facilities in Mountain View, CA.

Gene actively participates at ICC code development. He represents the National Association of Theater Owners as a voting member of the ICC/ANSI A117.1 Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities.

For existing facilities and recent construction, he performs on-site surveys of in-situ conditions. Evaluations of existing accessible elements are based on a multi-faceted approach: compliance with state/federal barrier removal requirements, compliance with applicable accessibility regulations at the time of construction; and, recommendations based on current and proposed accessibility standards and regulations.

One of the interesting tasks is to provide FHA Compliance training. This program is intended to address obligations under FHA Consent Decrees by the Department of Justice as well as provide general useful information on the Fair Housing Act and Owner/Architect obligations. He has also been expert witness for the defense on FHA complaints.

Karen L. Braitmayer, FAIA is the founder and managing principal of Studio Pacifica, an accessibility consulting firm in Seattle. She and her team provide consulting services to local governments, school districts, architects, engineers, companies, and individuals concerned with complying with federal laws and state codes, as well as simply creating spaces that work for the unique needs of individual users. Karen also leads presentations and workshops around the country to further educate professionals about codes, standards, and inclusion.

Early in her career, it occurred to Karen that as an architect and a wheelchair user, it was possible for her to make a unique contribution to the field. Her professional focus on accessibility and her advocacy efforts for inclusion have certainly done that!

As a registered architect, Karen was admitted to the prestigious College of Fellows by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). In 2010, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to the United States Access Board, a policy position that she held until 2023. In 2019, she was awarded the Whitney M. Young Jr. award by the American Institute of Architects in recognition of her leadership in civil rights for people with disabilities, social sustainability, public policy and universal design. In addition, Karen was named 2019 Person of the Year by New Mobility Magazine. Most recently, she was awarded AIA Seattle’s 2025 Gold Medal Award, honoring her dedication to supporting equity and full inclusion for persons with disabilities in the built environment.

Karen is also an active volunteer and non-profit board member.

Steve Cain is a registered architect and accessibility consultant with over 40 years of experience in the design and construction industry. For nearly half of that time, he has focused extensively on accessibility compliance, particularly in hospitality and multifamily residential projects.

Steve has served as an expert witness in numerous ADA and FHA cases, supporting property owners, developers, design professionals, and contractors. Known for his practical, solutions-oriented approach, he is a trusted resource who brings clarity and insight to accessibility challenges across all phases of design, construction, and operation of facilities.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Construction Technology from Purdue University and a Master of Architecture from the University of Illinois. Steve is certified by the International Code Council as an Accessibility Inspector and Plans Examiner and holds an APAC-BE certificate from the Accessibility Professionals Association. He is also an active member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI).

^{Fred Dwain Cawyer AIA, NCARB, RID, RAS, APA}

Registered Accessibility Specialist - RAS #86

“Universal Design” Accessibility Consulting 

Fred is the founding partner and owner of the firm.  He received his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Managements from Abilene Christian University (ACU) / Abilene, Texas in 1975 – a cross-disciplined educational program dealing with both Business Administration and Industrial Technology.  Areas of study included:  Accounting, Economics, Business Law, Financial Management; and, Architectural, Structural, Mechanical / Electrical / Plumbing Systems drawing documentation, Crafts, Power Mechanics, Welding, and Woodworking.  Fred also received a Bachelor of Environmental Design & Master of Architecture from Texas A&M University (TAMU) in College Station Texas in 1978 – with a building design emphasis was in healthcare planning & deign.

Fred’s first career was with Harwood K. Smith and Partners (HKS, Inc.) Architects / Engineers / Planners in Dallas, Texas.  Fred is also the President of ARS, pllc - Accessibility Resource Specialists.  He is a Registered Accessibility Specialists (RAS #86) specializing in accessibility compliance consulting, as certified by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation – Architectural Barriers Division (TDLR-AB) to provide 2012 Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS) accessibility / mobility Plan Reviews and on-site Inspections on behalf of the State of Texas.  Fred is also Vice President of CAC – Cawyer & Associates Consulting LLC - a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) enterprise within the State of Texas – Certification #1205788694200 & File / Vender #511404.  He provides specialized architectural & accessibility consulting services and expert witness investigations and testimony through CAC.

Fred is a licensed Architect & Interior Designer in the State of Texas (No. 08209 & No. 00614), respectfully); a certified member of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Certificate Holder No. 26338 - which allows a reciprocal architectural license with other State Boards within the USA. While a student at TAMU, he was awarded the Alpha Rho Chi Metal / National Professional Organization of Architectural Students - 1979 Bronze Metal award recipient for “Outstanding Leadership, Service and Merit”.  He has been active in the statewide Texas Society of Architects and the local Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects – awarded as an Outstanding Young Architect of the Year in 1987.

Fred was a founding "Charter Member" and a past President of the APA – Accessibility Professionals Association (2010) and is an active member of the Board of Directors the worldwide Global Universal Design Commission (GUDC).  

Fred has committed his professional life to meeting the physical accessibility compliance needs of the citizens of Texas, the United States of America and beyond - through his dedication to meeting the State of Texas and the federal government’s Americans with Disabilities (ADA) – to make the building environment inclusive to a universe of people !

Kim holds a a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from the University of Texas at Austin.  She has a background in corporate interiors and has focused her career on accessibility consulting since 1997.  In 2001, Kim founded Access by Design Inc. and has grown her business from a one-woman enterprise into a thriving consulting practice serving clients and projects not only across the nation, but across the globe.  She is a founding member of APA, has served as Board President, and given her time to multiple APA committees.  Kim has obtained the special APA designations for ADA Specialist, Assembly Area Specialist, and Transient Lodging Specialist.  In 2023, she obtained the APAC-BE certification.

Bill is an architect (licensed in Colorado, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Louisiana) with more than 30-years’ experience in facility access compliance, including litigation experience on the public housing cases against Los Angeles and Chicago, as well as on behalf of the US Department of Justice in ADA and FHA matters and the City of San Francisco. For more than a decade he taught summer seminars on accessibility as an Instructor in the Office of Executive Education at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design.  A proud graduate of LSU Architecture School (1984 graduate - Geaux Tigers). He consults with developers, architects and contractors on accessibility issues for new construction and alterations around the US.  

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Greg Izor is the Principal Architect and President of an architectural consulting firm in Escondido, California. In the 40 years of operating his own architectural firm, he has provided services for a wide variety of projects, and won several local and national design awards. Mr. Izor is experienced in all phases of architectural services for residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional projects in both the private and public sector. His firm is currently specializing in providing ADA access compliance services, ADA training and expert witness services in ADA related litigation. Mr. Izor is one of the first Certified Access Specialist in the State of California. Mr. Izor has provided access compliance services for both private, public and institutional clients over the last 15 years. ADA TRAINING SEMINARS: Greg Izor is an AIA/CES Registered Provider and over the last fifteen years has been providing ADA training for architectural and construction professionals. He is a well known as an engaging speaker providing access compliance training to professional organizations such as; AIA National Convention, Monterey Design Conference, AIACC, AIA Local Chapters, CSI, ICC, AGC, SARA, Staff of LAX, San Diego Port Authority, ASLA and other architectural and construction firms. 

Susan established Access Compliance Consulting in August of 2021 to use her thirty-plus years of experience to provide training, consulting, and publications on accessibility in the built environment. She is the sole proprietor of a woman-owned business.

As a sole proprietor, she has:

• Obtained AIA CES Provider and ICC Preferred Provider status.
• Conducted plan review consulting services for multi-family housing projects to ensure compliance with Federal and state regulations and codes.
• Developed and delivered online webinars for the following topics.
• In-depth scoping for Accessible Housing
• Accessible Housing Site Elements and Facilities
• Common Areas within Accessible Housing Facilities
• Accessible Housing Dwelling Units
• Highlighting Accessibility Amendments in the 2022 California Building Code
• Accessible Residential Unit Kitchens
• Accessible Residential Dwelling Unit Toilet and Bathing Rooms

As a sole proprietor and at the Division of the State Architect, she developed and delivered online webinars specific to the needs of the following clients. 

• LAHD Development Team and Architect Training
• American Public Works Association
• City of Petaluma
• Pacific ADA Center
• University of California
• California State University 
• National ADA Symposium
• Certified Access Specialist Institute
• CALBO Training Institute

Her experience at the Division of the State Architect from January 2011 through July 2021 included the following tasks. 

•    A team member who participated in the 2013 California Building Code rulemaking. During that rulemaking cycle, the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design became the model code for Chapter 11B. That required a complete rewrite and reformatting of Chapter 11B.

•    Participated in subsequent rulemaking cycles where she focused on the federal housing-related regulations to bring Chapter 11B in alignment with those regulations. 

•    Developed training sessions for the DSA Academy and delivered in-person and online training. The in-person training consisted of four one-day sessions, including plan review, public housing, housing at a place of education, and updates to Chapter 11B.

•    She authored the code change that completed the separation between Chapters 11A and 11B and the Guide to Public Housing Regulated by Chapter 11B of the California Building Code.

•    She designed the first open book exam for the CASp examination and is a CASp subject matter expert.

I am a Registered Architect and Senior Accessibility Consultant at Jensen Hughes, and I provide accessibility consulting for a variety of project types including commercial, corporate real estate, hospitality, entertainment, institutional, multi-family residential, and mixed-use projects. I assist owners, designers, contractors, and facility managers to comply with the accessibility regulations applicable to their projects and facilities. I am well versed in applying the requirements of Federal accessibility regulations such as ADA, ABA, Fair Housing Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; of model codes and standards such as IBC and ICC/ANSI A117.1; and of state- or jurisdiction-specific accessibility codes and standards. I specialize in design peer reviews, facility assessments of existing facilities, construction phase observations, and accessibility consulting for a range of occupancy types. I enjoy that my work allows me to take part in a variety of exciting projects involving new construction and existing or renovated facilities around the U.S. and beyond!