Transcript: https://www.rev.com/transcript-editor/shared/Yk8ZzAqMj8RkwPWrnDeD2ibMVVMjS7t0vqVjpPxoDH4jXaLZ2Fb7JEVDBL1uBZ8FM7u-mRzlf79V3Oy6_8Rn_20k0hQ?loadFrom=SharedLink

Before starting the Runway of Dreams Foundation in 2014, Mindy spent 20 years working in fashion as a designer for the INC collection and as a stylist for Saks Fifth Avenue. Mindy was inspired to start Runway of Dreams after her son Oliver, who has Muscular Dystrophy, dreamed of wearing jeans like everyone else. After using her design skills to adapt jeans that met his needs and increased his confidence, she went on to conduct extensive research as to the modifications required to mainstream clothing to meet the needs of the largest minority in our world- people with disabilities.

In 2016, Mindy partnered with Tommy Hilfiger to make fashion history by creating the first mainstream adaptive clothing line in the market. Runway of Dreams was founded on the basis that clothing is a basic human need. The foundation develops, delivers, and supports initiatives providing a platform to broaden the reach of mainstream adaptive clothing and promote people with disabilities (PWDs) in the fashion industry. This year’s Runway of Dreams fashion show was recognized as one of the top seven NYFW shows by Forbes, highlighting the latest designs from the Adaptive category featuring brands such as Kohl’s, Target, JCPenney, Zappos.com and Tommy Hilfiger.

Due to the overwhelming amount of requests Mindy received at Runway of Dreams from a multitude of brands and industries for connection to PWDs, in 2019, Mindy created GAMUT Management. GAMUT is a trailblazing consulting and talent management company that represents people with disabilities (PWDs), across the fashion, lifestyle, and entertainment industries.

GAMUT exists to lead brands towards doing better, more inclusive business, helping to engage with, and develop new products for PWDs. GAMUT works with a diverse range of clients including Adidas, Victoria’s Secret, Footlocker, Kohls & QVC.

Mindy has been featured in Newsweek’s “The Creative Class of 2019: Innovators,” and People magazine’s “Heroes Among Us: Making the Fashion Industry More Inclusive”. She has also been featured in USA Today, Parents Magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vogue Business, WWD, NBC’s Today, ABC’s Good Morning America & The View, Access, CNBC, Forbes, Hollywood Reporter and Fox News Channel.

An inspiring TED Talk speaker, Mindy has received numerous awards including Arc’s Catalyst Award for “Marketing Influencer of the Year”, Citrin Cooperman’s “Women at the Wheel Leadership Excellence Award”, the Association of Image Consultants “International Bravo Award” and Enable Inc.’s “Michael Graves Award for Creativity and Persistence”. Mindy has also been given the honor of ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange in recognition for her innovative work in the Adaptive space towards raising awareness and driving change for people with disabilities.

Mindy studied Fashion Design with a dual program at the University of Vermont and Fashion Institute of Technology.

TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/mindy_scheier_how_adaptive_clothing_empowers_people_with_disabilities?language=en

ABC The VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9KA-ftCtng

Connect with the Rocky Mountain ADA Center at https://rockymountainada.org/ or find us on social media. Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or anywhere else you get your podcasts!