This year marks the 34th anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Fishers-based Skulski Consulting LLC has been instrumental in making parks and recreation facilities more accessible to people with disabilities.
Skulski Consulting serves federal, state, local and private entities, and its principal, Jennifer Skulski, is a nationally known expert on ADA compliance with over 30 years of experience. Her work has not only shaped accessibility and disability inclusion policies for organizations such as the National Park Service, the Field Museum, and the Audubon Nature Institute, but also supported ADA compliance for cities like Fort Collins, Minneapolis, Mobile, Fishers, Zionsville, Fort Wayne and West Lafayette.
Skulski has conducted accessibility assessments of more than 1,800 municipal recreation facilities and 60 national parks. These assessments have led to significant improvements in accessibility, such as the installation of accessible entrances and restrooms, the addition of accessible picnic facilities and trails, and the redesign of playgrounds to be inclusive for all. These changes have not only met ADA requirements, but have also enhanced the overall experience for all visitors. Skulski recently completed ADA plan reviews for the Fort Wayne riverfront expansion and the Fishers community center under construction.
“I love my job and our amazing clients who want to improve accessibility for their residents with disabilities, not because it is the law, but because it is the right thing to do when it comes to building healthy communities,” Skulski says. Her passion and commitment to inclusion of people with disabilities has galvanized organizational change for hundreds of entities throughout the country over the last three decades.
The data and recommendations from Skulski Consulting provide municipalities with guidance on making their parks, playgrounds, trails, picnic areas, golf courses, swimming pools and other facilities accessible to people with disabilities.
“While we are 34 years into implementation of the ADA, we have found that public entities still need guidance on policy, procedures, design and construction to ensure their services are accessible and inclusive of people with disabilities,” says Skulski. “Successful inclusion of people with disabilities starts with a commitment from the top, quality customer service on the frontline, and a thorough understanding of the standards, regulations and emerging best practices.”
An Indiana University graduate, Skulski started her career at the Rockford Park District in Illinois as the ADA coordinator, shortly after the federal legislation was passed. She completed one of the first model Title II self-evaluations and oversaw the district’s ADA transition plan implementation there. In 1995 Skulski joined the National Center on Accessibility at Indiana University’s Bradford Woods. She quickly emerged as one of the premier national experts on including people with disabilities in parks, recreation and tourism. Over the years she has consulted with organizations such as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Grand Canyon National Park, Alcatraz, Hoover Dam, Rocky Mountain National Park and the Smithsonian Institution. Skulski is likely most well-known in the parks and recreation industry for her research on the accessibility of playground surfaces. She authored the U.S. Access Board publication “7 Things Every Playground Owner Should Know About the Accessibility of Their Playground Surfaces.”
She has worked with numerous manufacturers to improve the accessibility of products like playground equipment, swimming-pool lifts and drinking fountains. Currently she serves as the vice chair of a national standards committee working to adopt accessibility standards and a test method for outdoor surfaces. In 2014 Skulski formed her own consulting firm in Fishers to work more closely with clients to implement their accessibility management programs and better include people with disabilities in all facets of service delivery. She says that as a mother, she can relate to parents who want the best for their children regarding accessibility. She says speaking with hundreds of parents over the years has served as the catalyst for her career.
“This fall we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of Skulski Consulting,” Skulski says. “It was a huge leap of faith to leave the university setting and go out on my own as a woman-owned, small business. Thanks to the incredible support of my family, it has proved to be the best career decision. I love working directly with clients, and it’s most exciting to see families be able to access parks and recreation facilities because of our recommendations.”
