Open Doors Organization

12/12/2025

Craig and some others from the ODO team just returned from New York City. They were there doing a pilot training program for the airport system through the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ). We ran the pilot program over the course of seven sessions in three different airports including John F. Kennedy International Airport - JFK, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport - EWR. If feedback comes back positive then we will roll this out Port wide next year. Making moves and continuing to improve the travel experience for people with disabilities will be something we will never stop doing.

In the picture are as follows. Far left is Raimy Cheyne, Program Manager Aviation Customer Experience, then Laurel Van Horn (ODO), Craig Kennedy (ODO), Matt Mellinger (ODO Trainer), and William DeFeis also a Program Manager Aviation Customer for PANYNJ.

12/03/2025

Our November newsletter is out! The note from Eric at the beginning gives a great summary of what we are up to! It says, “As we approach the end of another productive year, I’d like to give credit to our great staff. Very wise and inquisitive, ODO employees are more than dedicated. Everyone one of us is dedicated by our heart. We are here because we want to make a difference behind the scenes. We are not the group that screams the loudest, but we are the ones with boots on the ground, heads down and focused on problem solving. We do not listen to a specific group of people, we speak with everyone. It’s thanks to the great team at ODO that we continue to deliver great results. As you start to think about those end of year donations, please keep ODO on your list. Visit our website to donate. Eric Lipp, Executive Director, Open Doors Organization”

Head to this link to read the November newsletter: https://opendoorsnfp.org/newsletter-page/

Alt text photo description: A screenshot of the beginning of the newsletter. It shows a written letter from Eric Lipp.

12/02/2025

Today is Giving Tuesday! As a nonprofit, we rely solely on donations from the community at large. Your support would mean so much to us. Head to our website and go to the donation page. Your donation is 100% tax deductible. Link is in our bio.

Alt text photo description: A screenshot of our donation page. The text says,
“Support ODO. We Appreciate Your Support
The Open Doors Organization envisions a society in which all persons with a disability have the same opportunities as everyone else. Your gift ensures increased opportunities for these individuals and older adults. With your ongoing support, our programs will continue to make significant contributions to the disability community. The Open Doors Organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and your donation is fully tax-deductible.”

11/26/2025

Recently, we were in Miami at the Miami International Airport - MIA reviewing all operations for Spirit Airlines— taking a close look at accessibility, customer service, and the full passenger experience.

A large seating area inside Miami International Airport is cordoned off with “MIA Miami-Dade County” barriers. The chairs in the section all display blue accessibility symbols. Several blue airport transport wheelchairs are lined up in the center. A few people sit or use their phones around the area. In the background are shops, including “Mercado Miami,” bright overhead lights, and large white columns throughout the space.

11/18/2025

Last week, Open Doors Organization was thrilled to be a sponsor and participant at the Blind Travel Summit in Austin, Texas. Mike May, Board Member and Founder of the Blind Travel Summit, shared, “This summit is not about talking at people — it’s about bringing lived experiences to the table and co-creating better solutions with the community.”

ODO is so grateful for every opportunity to collaborate and help shape the present and future of accessible travel and tourism.

Alt text: Eric Lipp, Founder of Open Doors Organization sits at the far left end of a wooden conference table, facing the audience. Four additional panelists sit beside him in a row, each with microphones in front of them. The panel is set in a conference room with a projected screen behind them, while attendees sit in the foreground listening.

Blind Travel Foundation

11/08/2025

Thanks Eric for all you do! We can’t wait to be at the summit!

Meet Eric Lipp!

Eric is the Executive Director of , a Bronze Sponsor of the Blind Travel Summit! His organization has been a trailblazer in making travel and hospitality more accessible for people with disabilities. We are thrilled to have Eric joining us as a speaker!

Where do you live today?

Chicago, IL

What are your goals for attending the Blind Travel Summit?

To make travel easier but also to be a resource to travelers who are blind.

What is a travel feature, product, or accessibility improvement you hope will happen in the future?

I hope that indoor and outdoor GPS with AI works to make walking simplified and give people more independence.

What are you most excited to do in Austin besides the Summit?

Warm weather, good food, and UT

What three destinations are on your bucket list and why?

Australia because its looks so cool. India because it is one of the most beautiful and populated countries in the world with great food. Lastly, I have never been to Branson, Missouri and I want to get down there.
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Thank you to the Blind Travel Summit 2025 sponsors!

Gold Sponsors: and
Silver Sponsor:
Bronze Sponsors: AGIGA, .io, , , , ,
Virtual:
In-Kind: ,

A special thank you to the Gordan and Llura Gund Foundation for their continued support of the Blind Travel Foundation!

11/07/2025

We are looking forward to this event! So exciting.

WE ARE ONE WEEK AWAY from the Blind Travel Summit in Austin, Texas!

HUGE SHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!

Gold Sponsors: and
Silver Sponsor:
Bronze Sponsors: AGIGA, .io, , , , ,
Virtual:
In-Kind: ,

To learn more about the Blind Travel Summit go to BlindTravel.org/Blind-Travel-Summit

Link is in our bio too!

11/03/2025

Check out this post featuring Anthony Corona!

It’s time to meet Anthony Corona from the Open Doors Organization. He will be speaking with Executive Director Eric Lipp. We are very thankful for their sponsorship!

Where do you live today?

Paradise; otherwise known as Miami, Florida
What are your goals for attending the Blind Travel Summit?

I’m excited to present as part of the Open Doors Organization team. I am also very excited to get to know new friends and potential colleagues across the advocacy spectrum. I have also never been to Austin so this is a great chance to spend a little bit of time getting to know what I have been told is an absolutely fabulous city!

What is a travel feature, product, or accessibility improvement you hope will happen in the future?

I am very excited about the autonomous vehicle potential for both public transportation and Paratransit services. I am also very excited to share information on the Open Doors Organization’s service animal portal.

What are you most excited to do in Austin besides the Summit?

Live music, ax, throwing, exploring downtown… And I’m always looking for good food.
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If you want to learn more about the Blind Travel Summit go to BlindTravel.org/Blind-Travel-Summit The link is in our bio too!

Thank you to the Blind Travel Summit 2025 sponsors!

Gold Sponsors: and
Silver Sponsor:
Bronze Sponsors: AGIGA, .io, , , ,
Virtual:
In-Kind: ,

A special thank you to the Gordan and Llura Gund Foundation for their continued support of the Blind Travel Foundation!

11/01/2025

Have you subscribed to our monthly newsletter? The October newsletter just came out and it’s packed full with the whereabouts of ODO. The beginning of our newsletters always starts with a note from our founder Eric Lipp. This month it says, “This month has been filled once again with many different projects, ongoing and new. I will have even more exciting news before the end of the year as we keep building from success to success. I’m super proud of everything we’ve done including the small changes that have a big effect across the travel, tourism and transportation industries. And I’m proud of all of you who are out there making a difference every day. Happy Halloween!
Eric Lipp, Executive Director, Open Doors Organization”

Head to the link to read the full newsletter: https://opendoorsnfp.org/newsletter-page/

Alt text photo description: a screenshot of the very top of the newsletter. There are black bold letters that read, “ODO in Columbia, New Airport Project, Free KultureCity Training...and More!” Below that in green letters says, Open Doors Organization, opening doors for people with disabilities in travel and tourism.”

10/28/2025

Arriving at the Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (FCO), there was a large disability assistance area, which had different types of wheelchairs, both manual and power, to assist travelers with disabilities. Overall, the accessibility while in Italy at the airport and the train station was very hands-on. At the train station, any traveler with a disability was told to book an appointment at the disability assistance office and then was personally escorted to their train. Way to go, Europe.

Alt text photo description: At the airport terminal near a baggage or transfer area, several people are present. In the foreground, a man in a navy uniform bends over a blue manual wheelchair with luggage attached. To the right, another staff member assists a seated woman in a powered blue airport wheelchair labeled “ADR Assistance.” That wheelchair is a power wheelchair with attendant control on the back. Other travelers walk or sit nearby, some with bags and one heading toward an escalator in the background. The scene shows airport mobility assistance in action under bright overhead lighting.

Rome Airports

10/23/2025

Accessibility in Action at DCA!
Craig Kennedy and Joe Gavic were recently in Washington, D.C. at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport leading another round of accessibility experience sessions with American Airlines.

The training class included Customer Service Managers, Supervisors, and Ground Handling Crew Chiefs, all dedicated to learning how to better support travelers with disabilities.

We remain committed to advocating for smoother, more inclusive travel experiences for everyone.

Alt text photo description: (Left to right) Craig and Joe are in front of the group. They are sitting in their wheelchairs and actively engaged in talking with the group in front of them who are sitting in chairs in rows and listening intently.

10/15/2025

ODO travels far and wide! Recently we were in Punta Cana! The country of Dominican Republic is now officially committed to making tourism more accessible for people with disabilities. La Romana will be the model for the rest of the country.

This was a huge deal - a partnership between (from the far left) the La Romana Hotel Association, the minister of tourism, and our friend Rafael Blanco, President of Travegali. Andres Fernandez, and David Collado.

The image shows three men standing side by side in front of a blue backdrop with a circular logo and the words “UN PARAÍSO PARA TODOS” (“A paradise for everyone” in Spanish). They are all wearing light-colored shirts and holding dark folders. Several photographers and videographers are in the foreground capturing the moment. The logo behind them features a stylized human figure with outstretched arms, and there’s text in the lower left corner that appears to say “Ministerio de Turismo” (Ministry of Tourism).