Fred MAAHS, JR.

Fred suffered a spinal cord injury and became paralyzed from the chest down just a few days before starting his first year in college. He has used a wheelchair ever since. After obtaining his degrees in Business and Marketing, he spent more than 30 years as a corporate executive working for Fortune 100 and Fortune 50 companies while traveling the world and building his expertise and reputation as an internationally recognized keynote speaker, disability advocate, and accessibility travel and tourism expert.

Fred served on three panels at the White House regarding issues that impact the lives of people with disabilities. He has also appeared before the United States Department of Transportation to discuss issues faced by people with disabilities when traveling by air. Most recently, Fred joined friend and former Comcast NBCUNiversal colleague, Tony Colantonio, as a Partner and together they are Co-Founders of Journeyable.  This amazing platform is a content storytelling website which features an original accessible travel series hosted by Fred.  On this site you will find content from some of the world’s most-recognized accessible travel writers, celebrities, and renowned experts on topics ranging from mental health and wellness, to stories of empowerment, as well as some of most impactful organizations around the globe.  Fred also founded FJM Solutions, LLC in 2019 and Maahs Travels in 2021. Maahs Travels works with international governments and Ministries of Tourism, including the Caribbean, Dubai, Jordan, Portugal, the UK, Israel, and the United States, businesses, airports and airlines, plus hotels and travel destinations across the globe to refine accessible travel, provide accessibility, diversity and inclusion training, and define market potential and strategies to attract more people to global destinations.  He has worked with the local, state, and federal levels of government in the US on disability-related issues. Also, in 2019, Fred joined Tarita Davenock and Travel for All as a partner and Chief Operating Officer. Travel for All is headquartered in Canada and provides global, accessible and inclusive travel experiences tailored to the unique needs of each traveler, especially those with disabilities. In 2020, Fred helped to launch Melange Accessibility for All as Editor of this digital publication, and he served on President-Elect Joe Biden’s Disability Policy Committee. In addition, he worked with governments and nonprofit groups throughout the Americas and the Caribbean to plan and present at the 5th Continental CBR Congress of the Americas and the Caribbean in November of 2022. He is a leader for the World Events Disability Coalition based at St. Cloud State University on major projects, including World Expo Dubai 2020 and all future World Expos.  He is invited to speak about his journey, as well as accessibility issues and solutions, on stages around the world, including Dubai, Israel, Nepal, Africa, Guyana, Hong Kong, the Americas, the Caribbean, the UK, and Australia. And, he is expanding his portfolio to address disability, inclusion, and accessibility solutions in Asia and Europe.

Fred is a Founding Board Member of the Center for International Disability Advocacy and Diplomacy at St. Cloud State University. He is a Past Chair and currently serves on the National Board of Directors for the American Association of People with Disabilities, the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport Travelers with Disabilities Advisory Committee, as well as Advisory Boards for several Israeli tech startup companies serving people with disabilities. His company, Maahs Travels, is one of only 77 successful organizations globally to be listed in the Valuable 500 Directory - a unique resource featuring expertise within digital, physical and cognitive accessibility, as well as tools for inclusive recruitment and branding practices.

He received his B.S. in Business Management from West Chester University, an A.S. in Business from Widener University, is certified in Corporate Social Responsibility Leadership from the Center for Corporate Citizenship at the Carroll School of Management at Boston College, and resides in Wilmington, Delaware.