GUEST BIO

Mike Hess is the Founder and Executive Director of Blind Institute of Technology (BIT), a nonprofit dedicated to closing the employment gap for professionals with disabilities. After two decades managing multimillion-dollar tech projects for Fortune 500 companies, Mike grew frustrated with being seen as the “token blind guy.” He recognized that the skills he developed through blindness were an asset – not a limitation – and set out to challenge stereotypes and break down employment barriers.

Since launching BIT, Mike has built global partnerships and connected talented professionals with disabilities to career opportunities at leading companies. He also created the BIT Academy®, the only Salesforce-approved training provider for professionals with disabilities, offering accessible training in Salesforce Administration and Digital Accessibility.

Under his leadership, BIT launched a U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship program and secured a Disability Innovation Fund grant to scale its workforce development model nationwide. Mike’s work continues to reshape how organizations view talent and opportunity.