The Synergies Work
EDDIE Awards
On April 27th, 2023, Synergies Work hosted our inaugural EDDIE Awards – the first awards in the United States spotlighting entrepreneurs with disabilities. We brought together entrepreneurs, business leaders, and innovators from across the country for an evening of joy and celebration.
Congratulations to all of our winners for each awards category and a huge thank you to the volunteers, staff, performers, presenters, speakers, and attendees who helped make the evening possible!
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for April 25th, 2024 for next year’s EDDIEs!
Meet Our Award Winners
Entrepreneur of the Year
Vanessa Castañeda Gill, Founder of Social Cipher
Vanessa Castañeda Gill is the founder of Social Cipher, an innovative game-based social-emotional learning platform. With its web-based video game series, Ava, an online curriculum, and a web-based companion application, Social Cipher builds space-pirate adventures that help neurodivergent youth understand themselves and those around them, as well as software that helps educators better understand their students’ social and emotional well-being. Social Cipher's products are in use by 175 therapy centers and schools in four countries, and their 50% neurodivergent team has earned such recognitions as Forbes 30 Under 30s, Facebook Global Gaming Citizens, and most recently, LEGO Play for All Accelerator Fellows.
The Newcomer Award
Trevor Dealy, Founder of Trev's Trades
Trevor Dealy is the founder of Trev's Trades, an artisanal soap-making company that provides meaningful employment to people with disabilities. Trevor, who himself has autism and multiple disabilities, started the company to turn his lifelong dream of finding meaningful employment into reality. Through his company, Trevor not only creates high-quality soaps but has also learned the fundamentals of business, marketing, sales, and customer service. By sharing his story, Trevor aims to inspire others, especially people with disabilities, to follow their dreams. Trev's Trades also aims to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion for all. When you purchase soap from Trev's Trades, you are not only getting a high-quality product but are also supporting a mission that empowers individuals with disabilities.
The Social Impact Award
Dom Kelly, Founder of New Disabled South
Dom Kelly founded New Disabled South (NDS) to address the challenges faced by the disabled community. We know that 8 out of the 11 states that have yet to expand Medicaid are in the South, and that means that hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of disabled people in the region are without access to affordable healthcare. Disabled people live in poverty at twice the rate of nondisabled people, and the large majority of this population in the South are BIPOC. Fifty percent of people killed by law enforcement in the United States are disabled, and more than half of disabled Black men have been arrested by the time they turn 28—double the risk in comparison to their white disabled counterparts. These are just some of the issues facing our community in the South. As the first regional disability rights and disability justice organization in the United States, and as an entirely disabled-led organization, New Disabled South is committed to work that will help solve these problems and more.
The Creativity Award
Lachi, Founder of RAMPD
Lachi, an award-winning recording artist and advocate, founded RAMPD in May 2021 to connect the music, entertainment, and event industries to a fast-growing global network of established music professionals with disabilities. The organization was founded in response to a public talk between the Recording Academy and several disabled artists, which revealed a serious lack of visibility, access, and representation for professional disabled artists in the industry. RAMPD aims to create a more inclusive and accessible music industry by bringing together disabled artists and professionals with the support they need to succeed. Through its global network, RAMPD provides a platform for disabled artists to showcase their talents and connect with industry professionals who can help advance their careers. Lachi's organization is making a significant impact in the industry by providing a platform for disabled artists and advocating for greater representation and accessibility.
The Techpreneur Award
Vanessa Castañeda Gill, Founder of Social Cipher
Vanessa Castañeda Gill is the founder of Social Cipher, an innovative game-based social-emotional learning platform. With its web-based video game series, Ava, an online curriculum, and a web-based companion application, Social Cipher builds space-pirate adventures that help neurodivergent youth understand themselves and those around them, as well as software that helps educators better understand their students’ social and emotional well-being. Social Cipher's products are in use by 175 therapy centers and schools in four countries, and their 50% neurodivergent team has earned such recognitions as Forbes 30 Under 30s, Facebook Global Gaming Citizens, and most recently, LEGO Play for All Accelerator Fellows.
The Heart of the Community Award
Austin Underwood, Founder of Austin's Underdawgs
Austin Underwood is the founder of Austin's Underdawgs, a hot dog food truck and franchise in the Dallas Fort-Worth area. After earning a certificate as a prep chef and working as a chef in an Italian restaurant, Austin founded his own company in 2016. Since then, Austin's Underdawgs has sold over 60,000 hot dogs and has become a local favorite. Recently, the company has expanded to offer franchising options, allowing individuals and families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to achieve meaningful self-employment with a living wage.
Meet Our EDDIE Awards Finalists
After receiving over sixty applications, Synergies Work is excited to showcase the finalists for each of our awards categories! These innovative and ambitious leaders are leading the movement for disability-owned businesses across the country and serving as role models for the next generation of entrepreneurs. The winner of each category received:
- Be invited to the EDDIE Awards Ceremony in Atlanta on April 27th with lodging and travel included
- Be a featured guest at the pre-awards cocktail reception featuring leaders from the business and disability communities
- Receive group coaching from experienced business coaches to help guide and grow their businesses
- Receive a custom designed suit from designer Salil Jaisingh
The Techpreneur Award
The Techpreneur Award recognizes an entrepreneur who is tapping into technology to innovate, change, and expand the realm of possibility for their industry. They may be creating something brand new or using something in a completely different way than it was before. They are challenging us to see problems and solutions through a whole new lens.
Category Finalists
John Samuel, Founder of ABLR
John Samuel is the founder of ABLR, a disability inclusion and digital accessibility company. With a mission to remove barriers for all people with disabilities, ABLR aims to eliminate the digital divide, change the mindsets of people and organizations, and create pathways to employment. The team at ABLR includes many professionals with disabilities who live by the principle of “nothing about us, without us.” Looking to make a positive impact on society, ABLR invites everyone to join in on its mission to create a more inclusive world.
Ruby Taylor, Founder of Financial Joy School
Ruby Taylor is the founder of Financial Joy School, a virtual educational platform and gaming company that provides financial education and investment tools to Black and Brown youth and families. The goal of Financial Joy School is to empower the Black and Brown community with the education, knowledge, and resources to overcome historical barriers and create a more financially stable and equitable future for themselves and future generations. With a focus on closing the racial wealth gap, Financial Joy School has a mission to bring a SMILE to the faces of those they serve.
Vanessa Castañeda Gill, Founder of Social Cipher
Vanessa Castañeda Gill is the founder of Social Cipher, an innovative game-based social-emotional learning platform. With its web-based video game series, Ava, an online curriculum, and a web-based companion application, Social Cipher builds space-pirate adventures that help neurodivergent youth understand themselves and those around them, as well as software that helps educators better understand their students’ social and emotional well-being. Social Cipher's products are in use by 175 therapy centers and schools in four countries, and their 50% neurodivergent team has earned such recognitions as Forbes 30 Under 30s, Facebook Global Gaming Citizens, and most recently, LEGO Play for All Accelerator Fellows.
The Social Impact Award
The Social Impact Award recognizes a leader on a mission to change their community and the larger world we live in. Their business not only has an economic impact but also strives to solve inequities, address systemic problems, and help build a better world for everyone. They are a beacon of hope and a leader to a better tomorrow.
Category Finalists
Dom Kelly, Founder of New Disabled South
Dom Kelly founded New Disabled South (NDS) to address the challenges faced by the disabled community. We know that 8 out of the 11 states that have yet to expand Medicaid are in the South, and that means that hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of disabled people in the region are without access to affordable healthcare. Disabled people live in poverty at twice the rate of nondisabled people, and the large majority of this population in the South are BIPOC. Fifty percent of people killed by law enforcement in the United States are disabled, and more than half of disabled Black men have been arrested by the time they turn 28—double the risk in comparison to their white disabled counterparts. These are just some of the issues facing our community in the South. As the first regional disability rights and disability justice organization in the United States, and as an entirely disabled-led organization, New Disabled South is committed to work that will help solve these problems and more.
John Samuel, Founder of ABLR
John Samuel is the founder of ABLR, a disability inclusion and digital accessibility company. With a mission to remove barriers for all people with disabilities, ABLR aims to eliminate the digital divide, change the mindsets of people and organizations, and create pathways to employment. The team at ABLR includes many professionals with disabilities who live by the principle of “nothing about us, without us.” Looking to make a positive impact on society, ABLR invites everyone to join in on its mission to create a more inclusive world.
Thadeus Brown, Founder of VASLA
Thadeus Brown is the founder of Virtual ASL Academy (VASLA), an educational platform that provides every service in American Sign Language. After experiencing firsthand the inequities and lack of resources in the education system, Thadeus launched VASLA to address these issues and provide otherwise nonexistent resources to support the academic needs of Deaf students. By using a virtual service delivery model, VASLA ensures that every student has access to Deaf adult role models anywhere, anytime.
The Creativity Award
The Creativity Award recognizes an entrepreneur whose purpose lies at the intersection of creative expression and entrepreneurship. They tap into their creativity to have an economic, social, and cultural impact on the world through any form of creative media including art, music, fashion, film, writing, etc. Their imagination is the only limit to what they can achieve in the future.
Category Finalists
Jennifer Parr, Founder of DIYvinci
Jennifer Parr is the founder of DIYvinci, an online crafts store that provides a wide range of supplies, kits, decor, and more to customers. Jennifer's passion for art inspired her to launch DIYvinci with the goal of helping others discover their own creativity and find joy through crafts. Since its launch over five years ago, DIYvinci has served hundreds of customers, providing them with the tools they need to bring their creative visions to life. With its commitment to fostering creativity and providing high-quality supplies, DIYvinci has become a trusted resource for craft enthusiasts across the country. Now, DIYvinci is taking a step toward inclusivity and diversity in the arts-and crafts-community by launching a new marketplace that features products made exclusively by neurodiverse creators.
Lachi, Founder of RAMPD
Lachi, an award-winning recording artist and advocate, founded RAMPD in May 2021 to connect the music, entertainment, and event industries to a fast-growing global network of established music professionals with disabilities. The organization was founded in response to a public talk between the Recording Academy and several disabled artists, which revealed a serious lack of visibility, access, and representation for professional disabled artists in the industry. RAMPD aims to create a more inclusive and accessible music industry by bringing together disabled artists and professionals with the support they need to succeed. Through its global network, RAMPD provides a platform for disabled artists to showcase their talents and connect with industry professionals who can help advance their careers. Lachi's organization is making a significant impact in the industry by providing a platform for disabled artists and advocating for greater representation and accessibility.
Leroy F. Moore, Founder of Krip-Hop Nation
Leroy F. Moore Jr. founded Krip-Hop Nation in Berkeley, California, in 2007 as a global organization of Hip-Hop artists with disabilities. Krip-Hop Nation aims to campaign for equality for people with disabilities worldwide through concerts, tours, workshops, and other forms of activism. The movement raises awareness about the history and challenges faced by musicians with disabilities, while also promoting the musical talents of Hip-Hop artists with disabilities to various media outlets, educators, and scholars. Krip-Hop Nation has published CDs, held conferences, and spoken on issues such as ableism and police brutality against people with disabilities. The organization has been successful in spreading awareness about the -isms facing musicians with disabilities and in bringing attention to the talents and abilities of Hip-Hop artists with disabilities.
The Newcomer Award
The Newcomer Award recognizes an entrepreneur who has launched their business within the last 24 months and is providing an innovative solution within their industry. Their free spirit and fresh perspective are disrupting the traditional assumptions around their product, customers, or community.
Category Finalists
Keisha Greaves, Founder of Girls Chronically Rock
Keisha Greaves is the founder of Girls Chronically Rock, an apparel company that inspires individuals with chronic illnesses to embrace their self-confidence and not let their disability define who they are. After being diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy, Keisha created the brand to provide inspirational T-shirts, adaptive T-shirts, and adaptive swimsuits for the disability community. In addition to being a successful entrepreneur, Keisha is also a motivational speaker who holds a Master’s degree in Business Management. As the Massachusetts State Ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Keisha advocates for individuals with disabilities and promotes body positivity and self-confidence through her brand. Girls Chronically Rock provides clothing that empowers individuals with disabilities and makes getting dressed easier, faster, and more comfortable.
Trevor Dealy, Founder of Trev's Trades
Trevor Dealy is the founder of Trev's Trades, an artisanal soap-making company that provides meaningful employment to people with disabilities. Trevor, who himself has autism and multiple disabilities, started the company to turn his lifelong dream of finding meaningful employment into reality. Through his company, Trevor not only creates high-quality soaps but has also learned the fundamentals of business, marketing, sales, and customer service. By sharing his story, Trevor aims to inspire others, especially people with disabilities, to follow their dreams. Trev's Trades also aims to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion for all. When you purchase soap from Trev's Trades, you are not only getting a high-quality product but are also supporting a mission that empowers individuals with disabilities.
Mohammed Faisal, Founder of Fingem.io
Mohammed Faisal is the founder of Fingem.io, a data-driven edtech platform that provides financial literacy education to teens in a fun and engaging way. His personal experience growing up as a low-income immigrant youth in NYC motivated him to develop a user-tested curriculum and gamify the learning process. After surviving a near-fatal car accident and battling a traumatic brain injury, Mohammed utilized the lessons learned from his experience to design Fingem.io.
Heart of the Community
The Heart of the Community Award recognizes founders that provide a unique service to their local community. These businesses go above and beyond by offering a unique product or service, providing employment opportunities, or fostering a welcoming environment for residents and visitors alike.
Category Finalists
Allison Fogarty, Founder of Doggy Delights by Allison
Allison Fogarty is the founder of Doggy Delights by Allison, a gourmet, handmade dog-treat company that prides itself in using only the highest quality human-grade ingredients. Allison’s love for food and cooking started during a two-year span when she could not eat or drink by mouth due to health issues. She knows how important healthy food is for both people and pets. Her treats are sold frozen or freeze-dried so no preservatives are needed. While she is an entrepreneur with Down syndrome, Allison just wants you to know her as the best dog-treat chef ever!
Ashton Gilbert, Founder of UnBoxed Recycling
Ashton Gilbert is the founder of UnBoxed Recycling, a Tennessee-based company that offers a convenient solution for recycling cardboard for small businesses and residential homes. The company was started as a side project by Ashton in 2017 and has since grown into a successful enterprise. UnBoxed Recycling provides a subscription-based service that includes door-to-door, breakdown, new home move-in, and small business route cardboard pick-ups. The company partners with local recycling industries and has successfully recycled over sixty tons of cardboard as of March 2023. UnBoxed Recycling is committed to being environmentally conscious and plans to expand its operations and hire individuals with unique abilities.
Austin Underwood, Founder of Austin's Underdawgs
Austin Underwood is the founder of Austin's Underdawgs, a hot dog food truck and franchise in the Dallas Fort-Worth area. After earning a certificate as a prep chef and working as a chef in an Italian restaurant, Austin founded his own company in 2016. Since then, Austin's Underdawgs has sold over 60,000 hot dogs and has become a local favorite. Recently, the company has expanded to offer franchising options, allowing individuals and families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to achieve meaningful self-employment with a living wage.
Made Possible Through the Support of Our Partners
Headline Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Silver & ASL Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Cocktail Reception & Bronze Sponsor
Interview Booth Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Dessert Sponsor
Wardrobe Partner
Communications Partner
