Gene Boes
President & CEO
Gene Boes joined Northwest Center as CEO in 2017, after serving on the Northwest Center Board of Directors for three years. Previously, Boes was a management consultant serving as Principal for the Seattle office of the North Highland Company. In addition to his consulting duties, Gene also served as an Adjunct Professor at Seattle Pacific University and Seattle University, and is a Mentor for the Albers School of Business. Prior to joining North Highland, he was Managing Director at Loft9 Consulting, a Bellevue-based Management Consulting Firm. His career also includes nearly 14 years at Microsoft, two years with Deloitte Consulting, and nine years serving in the US Navy.
13
Oct. 13, 2026
Disability Inclusion at Work: Rethinking Disability Hiring with Gene Boes of Northwest Center
What could employers discover by challenging their assumptions about disability talent? In this episode of Disability@Work, host Ashley Sims speaks with Gene Boes, President and CEO of Northwest Center, about how outdated perceptions of disability can block employers from hiring qualified talent. Gene shares why he encourages employers to “suspend disbelief,” get curious, and approach disability inclusion through the lens of real business challenges, including retention, productivity, quality, and safety. The conversation explores the return on inclusion, how data and storytelling can change employer perceptions, and a real-world example of an accommodation developed in an Amazon sortation facility that addressed safety concerns while benefiting the broader workforce. The episode also introduces Accessibility Minute, featuring Aaron Linson, with practical guidance on writing more useful alt text for digital content.
Guest: Gene Boes