We are honored to welcome Laurel Van Horn, Director of Research & Design at Open Doors Organization (ODO), to speak at the 2025 Airport PRM Leadership Conference in Miami. Internationally recognized as a leader in accessible travel and tourism, Laurel brings over two decades of experience working to improve services and facilities for travelers with disabilities, with a focus on airlines and assistive service companies.

At ODO, Laurel’s work centers on enhancing customer service for passengers with disabilities, developing universal design strategies, and supporting airport teams in making their infrastructure and operations more inclusive. She also plays a key role in the design and analysis of the ODO/Harris Poll Studies of Adult Travelers with Disabilities, providing critical data that informs accessibility standards across the industry. In addition to her research and training efforts, Laurel currently contributes to multiple Airport Cooperative Research Program projects and is a member of planning and design teams at airports including BHM, MEM, MFE, and PHL.

At this year’s conference, Laurel will present a timely and thought-provoking session titled “Obstacles to Improving Assistance Services at US Airports.” Her presentation takes a detailed look at the financial, operational, and systemic barriers to delivering safe, dignified, and timely assistance to travelers with disabilities. With passenger complaints on the rise, and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently revising the Air Carrier Access Act and issuing a landmark $50 million fine to a major U.S. carrier, the industry is at a crossroads. Laurel will ask the industry’s most pressing questions: Will these actions be enough to improve service? Or are more fundamental changes needed to close service gaps and better support both travelers and the employees who serve them?

Attendees will come away with a deeper understanding of how the division of responsibility between airports and airlines complicates service planning, what the latest DOT requirements mean for assistance services and mobility device handling, and what it would truly take to create long-term, meaningful improvements in the U.S. airport environment.

With her combination of research expertise, practical experience, and unwavering advocacy, Laurel Van Horn’s session promises to be one of the most impactful conversations of the day. We look forward to welcoming her to Miami and sharing her insight with our attendees!

Spots are filling fast. Register here to see Laurel’s speech on May 13 in Miami.