Shelley Cowan is a disability rights campaigner and entrepreneur from Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. Her personal journey and advocacy work have made her a prominent voice in accessibility for the hospitality industry.

Shelley was diagnosed with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) while still in school, which led to a 12-year period of being confined to bed, tube-fed, and experiencing limb paralysis. She subsequently spent a decade as a wheelchair user, giving her firsthand experience of the challenges faced by people with disabilities in accessing hospitality venues.

Motivated by her experiences and research findings, Shelley founded Access Avenue, a business venture aimed at improving accessibility in the hospitality industry. She launched the #accommodationforall campaign to promote inclusive access for all guests in hotels and venues.

Shelley will be speaking on the TechFoundHer Women In Tech Panel.