About me

Hi, I’m Mark Barlet, lifelong gamer, Service-Disabled Air Force veteran, accidental nonprofit founder, and one of the early voices who helped spark the modern game accessibility movement.

Twenty-something years ago, my best friend faced a sudden flare-up of a disability that made it impossible for her to play games. That moment, that mix of fear, loss, and determination, became the catalyst for what would eventually grow into AbleGamers, one of the most influential disability nonprofits in the video game industry. I didn’t set out to build a movement. I just knew that games mattered, connection mattered, and people with disabilities deserved better tools, better access, and better opportunities to play.

I’ve spent my career working for some of the world’s most influential companies — from IBM to AT&T, building software, shaping customer experience, and pushing organizations to think differently about how people interact with technology. I’ve also supported national missions as a contractor for agencies like the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and the FBI, where precision, usability, and accessibility weren’t optional; they were mission-critical. And all the while, what most people thought was my “side job" founding and growing AbleGamers, became the work that brought all those threads together: accessibility, technology, storytelling, and real-world impact.

Along the way, I’ve collaborated with some of the biggest game studios and platforms on the planet, helped shift how an entire industry thinks about disabled players, and learned firsthand what it takes to run a nonprofit with heart, and survive the parts they never put in the brochures.

This site is my personal space to write the kinds of things that don’t fit neatly into press releases or board reports.
Think of it as a mix of:

• Essays on accessibility, the practical, the philosophical, and the deeply human.
• Stories from my years leading a nonprofit, the wins, the mistakes, and the lessons you only learn by doing.
• Behind-the-scenes reflections on founding a movement, what it took, what it cost, and what I wish more people understood.
• Thoughts on leadership, community, and the messy work of building something that matters.

My goal isn’t to preach or present a polished myth. It’s to tell the truth, with empathy, humor, and the occasional gamer reference, and to help others who care about accessibility find their own path forward.

If you’re someone who believes in inclusion, innovation, or just the power of a good story to spark change, then welcome. You’re in the right place.

Let’s build something better together.