Ben Foss
Inventor of the Intel (r) Reader, Ben Foss is a Dyslexia Advocate and Disability Rights Leader who empowers audiences to tap into their creativity and resourcefulness to change the world. Read Full BiographyAbout Ben Foss
“If you want to understand a dyslexic child or a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, 35% of whom are dyslexic, Ben Foss has the insight to inspire audiences and help people find their strengths.” —James Gandolfini, actor, HBO’s The Sopranos
Ben Foss is the Founder of Headstrong Nation®, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving the dyslexic community, a prominent Disability Rights Leader, and the inventor of the Intel Reader (r), a device CNN called “too ground breaking to ignore.” The Intel Reader (r) is a mobile device that takes photos of text and reads it aloud on the spot to people who have difficulty with text, creating what Ben calls “a ramp into a book”.
Identified as a dyslexic at the age of eight, Foss became successful by developing a unique approach to his disability. After years of hiding his his dyslexia, he challenged himself to use it as a bridge to the rest of the world, realizing that if he thought of himself as being “from dyslexia,” he could integrate his history and harness his strengths. As a compassionate and skilled speaker, he shares this message with Fortune 500 companies, human resources and public policy organizations, and colleges and universities across the country.
Foss graduated from Wesleyan University, where he received the prestigious Truman and Marshall scholarships. He also earned a JD/MBA from Stanford Law and Business Schools and was hired by Andy Grove, former CEO and Chairman of Intel to develop technology for people with disabilities. He has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fox Business News and on ABC, CNN and the BBC. He also appears in the HBO documentary, Journey Into Dyslexia.
Foss connects with audiences on a personal level, inspiring and empowering them to connect with their inner entrepreneur and use those skills to realize their full potential. Random House will publish his first book, The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan: A Blueprint for Renewing Your Child’s Confidence and Love of Learning, in Fall 2013.
