Tanner Gers

Founder of AccessAbility Officer

Before founding AccessAbility Officer in 2021 and launching the Certified AccessAbility Testing Program in 2022, the only instructor-led functional skill-based training and certification program that guarantees part-time employment for the blind, Tanner unexpectedly joined the disability community when he woke up in 2004 as an adult in the hospital with a broken back, deadly brain infection, a second infection eating his eye from the inside out, his jaw wired shut, bone sticking out of his face, and totally blind. Tanner was lucky enough to find sports for the blind several years later, re-igniting his love for competition.

Tanner’s athletic achievements include being a US National Paralympic team member, 2011 Para Pan American gold medalist, 2012 Paralympian, 2013 World Championship team member, 3-time National Beep Baseball Association World Series MVP and Hall of Fame inductee, as well as being a 2-time National Champion in track cycling. Blind sports helped drive Tanner to succeed in other areas of his life, including as a professional and TEDx speaker, published author, and podcaster, with featured guest appearances on many radio shows, podcasts, and news broadcasts. Tanner’s story was written about by Dr. Jim Afremow in his best-selling book “The Champion’s Comeback” and Dr. Diane Hamilton in her 2019 book “Cracking the Curiosity Code”. Tanner earned his Bachelor’s in Communications from the University of Arizona, Masters in Business Administration from Louisiana State university at Shreveport, and is a former CPACC holder from the International Association of Accessibility Professionals. Tanner lives in Phoenix Arizona and has one daughter who’s 4 going on 24.