Judy Brewer directs the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) at the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). She has coordinated five areas of work with regard to Web accessibility since 1997, ensuring that W3C technologies (HTML, CSS, SMIL, XML, etc.) support accessibility; developing accessibility guidelines for Web content and applications, browsers and media players, and authoring tools; improving tools for evaluation and repair of Web sites; developing resources for education and outreach on Web accessibility; and monitoring research and development which may impact future accessibility of the Web.  WAI guidelines include the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, developed through a collaborative effort with individuals and organizations around the world, and adopted by an increasing number of governments to ensure accessibility of the Web for people with disabilities.
Ms. Brewer coordinates accessibility standardization efforts for W3C, promoting awareness and implementation of Web accessibility internationally, and ensuring effective dialog among industry, the disability community, accessibility researchers and government on development of consensus-based accessibility solutions. She holds an appointment as a research scientist at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and as a consultant with the European Research Consortium on Informatics and Mathematics (ERCIM).
Ms. Brewer is the recipient of a RESNA Certificate of Appreciation for efforts related to assistive technology policy through national health care reform; an Equality of Access and Opportunity Award from the American Foundation for the Blind for advocacy to increase the accessibility of the Windows 95 operating system; and an Access Advancement Award from the Association of Access Engineering Specialists for efforts related to Web accessibility. She was named in the August, 2000 issue of Internet World as one of the "Net's Rising Stars." She received the Harry J. Murphy Catalyst Award at the CSUN 2002 Conference; the Roland Wagner European Award for Computers Assisting People with Special Needs in 2002; and the Susan G. Hadden Pioneer Award from the Alliance for Public Technology in 2003.
Prior to joining W3C, Ms. Brewer worked on several US-based initiatives to increase access to mainstream technology for people with disabilities and to improve dialog between industry and the disability community. These initiatives included work on Section 508 of the Workforce Investment Act, Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act, accessibility of the Windows 95 Operating System, and access to durable medical equipment for people with disabilities. Ms. Brewer has a background in management, technical writing, education, applied linguistics, and disability advocacy; and an interest in biotechnology.