
Be on Offense: Navigating Inclusion and Accessibility with Dustin Giannelli
From Think Inclusive by Tim Villegas
March 12, 2026 · 1h 5m · Season 13 · Episode 25
About this episode
Dustin Giannelli discusses his journey as a profoundly deaf individual and the importance of inclusion and accessibility in workplaces.
Dustin Giannelli is the CEO and founder of Hears Dustin, a consultancy dedicated to helping organizations create more inclusive and accessible workplaces. Profoundly deaf since childhood, Dustin navigates the world through lip reading, captions, and a strong sense of self-advocacy. His professional journey is marked by a commitment to enhancing communication, inclusion, accessibility, and workplace culture. Giannelli is a nationally recognized keynote speaker known for his authentic storytelling and leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion spaces. In this episode of Think Inclusive, host Tim Villegas engages in a meaningful conversation with Dustin Giannelli, a prominent advocate for inclusion and accessibility, and the founder of Hears Dustin. Dustin, who is profoundly deaf, shares his life journey, highlighting the importance of self-advocacy, the motto of being "on offense," and how inclusion is a continuous journey rather than a destination. This episode sheds light on the nuances of communication for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and emphasizes the significance of making small adjustments to daily practices, which can foster inclusivity and participant…
People in this episode
Host: Tim Villegas
Guest: Dustin Giannelli
Topics covered
- inclusion
- accessibility
- self-advocacy
- communication
- workplace culture
Keywords
- inclusion
- accessibility
- deaf
- self-advocacy
- communication
- workplace culture
- diversity
- equity
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Hears Dustin
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