SELLEST OSAST
In this episode of the EVOLVE Talent & HR Show, Anna Morgan sits down with Torin Ellis, entrepreneur, talent strategist, and founder of Ngoma, for a meaningful conversation about accessibility, inclusive leadership, and building trust through better human experiences.
Torin shares his journey from recruiting and diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting to building Ngoma, a trust assurance layer for products, systems, and solutions. He explains how the company's mission centers on one important question: What happens when someone uses a product or system that wasn't designed for them?
Anna and Torin explore why accessibility must go beyond recruitment and hiring. From workplace technology to driverless vehicles, they discuss how systems can create barriers for people with disabilities and why organizations must consider accessibility from the earliest stages of product development.
The conversation also examines the role leaders play in helping employees succeed. Torin explains why leaders have a responsibility to develop, inspire, resource, and support their teams, and how understanding people's experiences can strengthen relationships, engagement, and retention.
Throughout the episode, Torin emphasizes the importance of listening, learning from lived experiences, and creating solutions that support independence and inclusion. From Ngoma's disability-inclusive testing teams to the importance of transparency, he shares how organizations can build more accessible products and earn people's trust.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How Torin's career in recruiting and DEI led to the creation of Ngoma
What happens when people with disabilities use products and systems not designed for them
Why accessibility should be considered from the beginning of product development
How inclusive leadership helps employees feel supported and perform at their best
Why lived experiences are essential to understanding accessibility barriers
How NOMA uses disability-inclusive teams to test products and identify gaps
Why organizations should build on their own strengths instead of copying others
How transparency, accountability, and trust contribute to better experiences
01:50 – Torin's journey from recruiting to DEI consulting
03:11 – Building Ngoma and its mission
06:28 – Real-world accessibility challenges with driverless vehicles
10:01 – Leadership, employee support, and accountability
16:58 – How lived experiences shape Torin's approach
19:13 – Why organizations should build on their own strengths
23:24 – A leader's responsibility to develop and support people
26:25 – How Ngoma tests products through disability-inclusive teams
32:52 – Practical ways to make events more accessible
39:44 – Introducing the Ngoma Trust Index
(Torin Ellis is an entrepreneur and talent strategist with experience in recruiting, consulting, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. As the founder of Ngoma, he focuses on helping organizations evaluate products, systems, and solutions through the lived experiences of people with disabilities to improve accessibility, trust, and inclusion.)
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