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About Emma

Pathfinder Accessibility Founder: Emma Gilmour, MA CPACC

Emma Gilmour is a digital accessibility consultant and frontend developer with over 7 years experience in tech teams at digital agencies, e-commerce and HR companies.

Her tech career began in Manchester in 2017 when she joined the first cohort of the TechReturners programme, learning HTML, CSS and basic JavaScript. Following this, in 2018 she signed up for the Northcoders bootcamp, a JavaScript focused fullstack developer programme where she learned React and Node.js

Emma's experience with digital accessibility began early in her first developer role at a HR company in 2019. With very little knowledge, she took the lead on a client project to make a platform compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. After a lot of research and learning, all of the required targets were met, the app successfully passed user testing and the client gave the most positive feedback they'd ever provided.

In 2020, Emma joined AO.com, at that time, a multi-national e-commerce. While at AO, she worked in several different teams, mainly on internal projects built with React and tested with Jest, Cypress and React Testing Library. It was here that she co-founded the Accessibility Guild for the specific purpose of spreading accessibility knowledge throughout the organisation.

She played a central role in the Design System team, building a library of reusable React components to improve and standardise accessibility across teams, refining the accompanying documentation site, built with Next.js, and providing support to cross-functional teams new to using the Design System.

Emma has also been a panel guest and spoken about accessibility at events and conferences, including Leeds Digital Festival and the Northern Ireland Developer Conference.

Prior to tech, Emma has had a varied career as a photographer, artist and art studio manager in Liverpool; before retraining in construction skills and working as a decorator and carpenter, with several bespoke commissions.

Outside of work, she likes hiking, camping, open water swimming and entertaining the neighbours' cat. She also enjoys playing video games and has a small collection of retro consoles.

About Pathfinder Accessibility

Pathfinder Accessibility was founded by digital accessibility consultant and frontend developer, Emma Gilmour MA CPACC, to help organisations improve their accessibility and make a genuine difference for their customers and clients, particularly those who are disabled and most affected by accessibility barriers.

We work with large and regulated organisations, SMEs, digital agencies and more. They may already know that accessibility matters, but often aren't sure where to start, what to do, or how to make progress without being overwhelmed. Many organisations want to be inclusive but lack the time or internal expertise to make changes with confidence. We help teams improve accessibility in a way that is clear, achievable, and sustainable.

Making Accessibility Easier to Understand

Accessibility has become a growing priority, driven by rising expectation from customers and clients, and supported by legislation such as the European Accessibility Act. Yet many organisations are surprised to discover that their websites are difficult, or even impossible, for some people to use. Often, accessibility is seen as complex or technical, making it difficult for teams to know what to do next. Our aim is to remove that uncertainty.

A Practical, Supportive Approach

Accessibility works best when it's understood across teams, embedded into everyday work, and improved over time. We help organisations take a practical, structured approach that supports long-term improvement and better user experience for everyone. Prioritising accessibility early can make problems easier to fix, before they become big issues.

Training That Builds Confidence

Our training is designed for both technical and non-technical teams and delivered in plain English. Sessions focus on what people actually need to know and do, helping organisations build confidence and shared responsibility for accessibility. Training can be delivered through workshops, webinars, or tailored sessions, depending on your teams, needs, and budget.

Consultancy That Brings Clarity

Through our consultancy services, organisations can work with an accessibility specialist to identify the most important issues, understand what to prioritise, and embed accessibility into everyday decision-making. We focus on clear guidance and achievable next steps, helping teams make meaningful progress without creating unnecessary complexity.

Supporting Your Accessibility Journey

Whether you are at the very start of your accessibility journey or looking to strengthen existing work, Pathfinder Accessibility supports organisations to make realistic, impactful changes that reduce accessibility barriers for disabled people and improve the online experience for all users.