SALT LAKE CITY – (March 28, 2023) Sorenson, the global leader in inclusive language services for Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and diverse people, today announced that Chief Relationship Officer (CRO) Lance Pickett has received the Outstanding Integration Accessibility Award from Deaf in Government (DIG), a non-profit advocacy organization that supports local, state, and federal employees who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing.  Pickett received the honor earlier this month at the 38th Annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, organized by the Center on Disability Studies in partnership with DIG.

The award recognizes leaders who advance DIG’s mission of supporting government employees who seek to overcome communication barriers, resolve accessibility issues, and promote a fully inclusive work environment through networking and fostering professional growth.

“Lance has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to supporting the Deaf community and to creating an environment that enhances communication between friends, co-workers, and families,” said Cham Le, DIG President. “I look forward to continuing to work with Lance to help our members benefit from Sorenson’s next-generation technologies and platforms.”

Pickett joined Sorenson in 2003 as a Director of Technical Support, advancing steadily to a Vice President of Corporate Marketing role.  In April of 2022, he was appointed Chief Relationship Officer, becoming Sorenson’s first Deaf C-level executive, and playing a critical leadership role in meeting people who are Deaf to evaluate their needs and wants and to collect customer feedback. Pickett also supports community events and works to improve customer retention and strengthen Sorenson’s long-term customer value proposition.

“Lance exemplifies Sorenson’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility,” said Jorge Rodriguez, CEO of Sorenson. “His leadership, insights, and experience are essential to defining and executing our business strategy and advancing our vision of delivering seamless communication to diverse and underserved communities.”

Deaf in Government and Sorenson have a longstanding collaborative relationship aimed at expanding access to communication tools and creating a fully inclusive work environment that fosters professional growth among workers at all levels of government. To that end, Sorenson was recently awarded a General Services Administration contract, which entitles the company to sell selected accessible language services to federal, state, and local government and non-profit entities.  

“I’m honored to be recognized by Deaf in Government,” said Pickett. “It’s a privilege to work with Cham and his team, and I look forward to continuing our collaboration to ensure inclusion and accessibility for Deaf employees at every level of government.”