We hope you enjoy this series where we meet and get to know employees from across campus. Would you like to be featured? Contact us at campusnews@csufresno.edu.

Name: Teira Wilson
Title: Digital Accessibility Specialist
Department: Technology Service – Office of Digital Accessibility
Academic Degree(s):

• B.A. in Psychology, University of Phoenix
• M.A. in Organizational Behavior, Alliant International University

How long have you worked at Fresno State?
I was hired in April 2022, and have only worked for ODA in Technology Services.

Are you a Valley native?
I am not a Valley native. I have a bit of an unusual origin story, but I'll give you a brief summary. I moved here in 2010 after surviving 10 months in Anchorage, Alaska. Before Alaska, I lived in Arizona for most of my young adult life. However, I grew up on Long Island in New York. I also lived in San Jose, San Diego, and North Chicago.

I moved to Fresno to be closer to my family in California, and it was supposed to be temporary. Fun fact, Fresno has been my home longer than anywhere else I have ever lived in my adult life. It has unexpectedly become my rock-solid foundation.

Do you have a campus mentor or someone who has helped you in your career?
ODA is an office of two people; Mike Harding and myself. Mike has been a great help in sharing his years of knowledge and wisdom with me. I am genuinely grateful to have his guidance as I navigate the campus. We make a great team and share many interests and values, particularly regarding accessibility.

Tell us about your department and what people may not know about it.
ODA is a department within Technology Services that is crucial in providing technological support to the university. Our focus is to help staff ensure that all online documents are accessible and that any new or renewed technology meets accessibility standards. We also provide training for staff on how to incorporate digital accessibility best practices into their daily work routine.

What is your most notable accomplishment in your field, and why was it important?
Document accessibility has become the cornerstone of my whole existence lately. I like to tell people that it is my superpower. Had I been given a choice, I would have chosen the ability to fly, but it is what it is. I am good at making documents accessible. I have had the pleasure of helping three colleges in Fresno with their document accessibility needs. In total, I have remediated and designed well over 100,000 documents. I am now finishing my dissertation on digital accessibility. I want to share my knowledge and help organizations navigate the digital accessibility world. If everything goes according to plan, I will officially be Dr. Teira in May.

What are you most passionate about in your field and why?
I am passionate about shifting the perspective on disability from the medical model to the social model that promotes inclusion for all individuals. We should not place the responsibility on the person with a disability but rather strive to create a world where everyone has an equal chance to succeed. It is important to note that not all disabilities are obvious or visible. That is why adapting to universal design methods is crucial. Universal design ensures that environments, systems and services are created with accessibility in mind from start to finish.

A graphic depicting that not all disabilities are visible.

What is a memorable moment you had at your job?
I find the most fulfilling moments in my job when I am helping divisions or colleges to make their documents accessible. I am assisting in the rollout of a new mandatory document accessibility training program. At first, I was nervous about how it would be received, but it has gone very well so far. Many people thank me for sharing my knowledge and helping them understand why this training is important. It is heartening to know that I work for an organization that embraces new ideas and strives to create an inclusive environment for learning and working.

What is your favorite quote or saying?
“When you do things right, people won’t be sure you’ve done anything at all” – Matt Groening, Futurama, 2002.

What is the most interesting or unusual job you've ever had?
I have done a lot of cool things in my life. If I had to choose anything, it would be that I owned not one but two of my own businesses, not at the same time. In 2008, I was the owner/operator of Bisque It Paint on Pottery in Casa Grande, AZ. Sadly, the housing crisis during that time turned our town into a ghost town, and most people moved away. I was unable to keep the store open through that.

The second was in 2011. I had a farm in O’Neals, just north of Fresno. We raised Mangalitsa pigs (wooly pigs), milked cows, raised 100s of chickens, had seven llamas and some Barbados Sheep. I had to give up farm life when I got divorced, and that is how I ultimately found my way here, so it's not all bad news.

What do you like to do for fun in your spare time?
I am writing a dissertation in my spare time, which is anything but fun. However, I love drawing and taking doodling to the next level. I used to cut up comic books and decoupage things and sell my stuff at local comic cons as well. My husband and I are also huge adult fans of Lego. We have a massive collection of Lego at home. I am afraid to admit how much we have. Just know it is vast.

Hand drawn with pens on a box

Stuff I have created

What is something interesting about you that most people don’t know?
I applied for the job I now have at Fresno State in November 2021, just three months after I had had major surgery.

In August 2021, I had to have a tumor removed from my spinal cord. Fortunately, the tumor was not cancer; I am very grateful. Unfortunately, the tumor was quite large and located in my neck area. They had to break my neck to get to it. Since the tumor was large, it had also displaced my neck vertebrae. They had to fix that using ten screws, two rods and two bridges. My C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, and T1 vertebrae are all fused together now. I like to tell people my head is literally screwed on straight. It turns out my condition affects less than 1% of the population. I was happy to do it when they asked me to sign a form allowing them to use me as a case study for future doctor generations.

Six months after my surgery, I was in McKee Fisk for my second interview. Eight months after my surgery, I became a new employee here. Not even a broken neck will stop me from achieving my goals.

Is there something else you would like to share that was not asked?
I have four wonderful kiddos to brag about.

Nico is 24 and has just completed six years of service with the United States Air Force. I am a very proud momma.

Tyger is 21, and that is his real name on his birth certificate. Tyger can pick up any instrument for the first time and play it as if he’s known it his entire life.

Michelle is 13, and I did not create her. She is a bonus kid I got from my second marriage. Without her, I would never have known the joy of raising at least one girl.

Xavier is 13 and was born on Oct. 10, 2010, at 10:20 p.m. He is my lucky charm and the last kid I will ever have.