Meet Caitlin Pratt – Disability Community Month 2024

This December we’re celebrating Disability Community Month at Microsoft, a time dedicated to recognizing the accomplishments of people with disabilities and reflecting on how we can further inclusivity. It aligns with International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, focused on advancing the rights and well-being of people in all spheres of society.

Disability Community Month holds special significance to me. When I was a child, my family moved from Iran to the U.S. to ensure my younger brother, who had cerebral palsy and other disabilities, received the care he needed. My brother taught me the importance of inclusion and I’m proud to work for a company dedicated to creating a more accessible world for all. 

Recently, I grabbed coffee with Caitlin Pratt, a co-lead of our corporate, external and legal affairs employe network, Disability in CELA, and outstanding member of our commercial product marketing team at Microsoft. Caitlin embraces a growth mindset by actively taking on new challenges and creating an environment where we can all be our authentic selves. As a former prosecutor, Caitlin supports our Microsoft Pro Bono program and the Virtual Records Clinic, helping justice impacted individuals clear old convictions. Fun fact: Caitlin is also a Jeopardy enthusiast, and it was a delight to discuss our shared passion for the show. She has intimate knowledge on the preparation and planning required!  Below, Caitlin discusses what Disability Community Month means to her, insights gained from a recent leadership event, and the impact Disability in CELA has made on her life.

Kudos to Caitlin for the amazing work she's doing at Microsoft and her exceptional dedication to fostering diversity and inclusion.  Thanks for having coffee with us!

Hossein Nowbar 

This December we’re celebrating Disability Community Month at Microsoft. Can you share what this month means to you?  

Caitlin: Disabled folks coming together is an act of joyful rebellion. Until recently, we lived in a world that was not made to accommodate us (ADA passed in 1990), wanted to institutionalize us away from our friends and family (made unconstitutional in 1999 via Olmstead v. L.C.), and even tried to stop us from existing (Buck v. Bell, 1927, which somehow has not been overturned). There’s still a way to go, but in this context, having a month dedicated to celebrating our community is monumental.

Was there a moment in your career or life that had a profound impact on who you are today?

Caitlin: The day that I woke up and had no feeling in the lower half of my body was a momentous day for me. It was the start of my journey through a thicket of medical specialists that ended with a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis. Having MS has been no fun at all, but I appreciate the way it has changed my perspective. I know better what matters to me, and I feel gratitude for things that I previously took for granted, like mobility and having the energy to do things I want to do. I also have a greater depth of empathy and find myself moving toward people who are struggling rather than away from them.

I also have a greater depth of empathy and find myself moving toward people who are struggling rather than away from them.

You are a Co-Lead of our department’s Disability Inclusion Employee Network(EN), which is focused on eliminating barriers faced by people with disabilities, fostering allyship, and supporting Microsoft’s efforts to be a more accessible workplace. Can you discuss the impact Disability Inclusion in CELA has made on you personally and professionally? 

Caitlin: The Disability in CELA EN, which we fondly refer to as DICE, was one of the first places I found community at Microsoft. Especially at a time when we were all still working from home, I was grateful for a space where I could build meaningful relationships and find extra support as a new employee. From the start, I was impressed with the connectedness of the group notwithstanding the wide variety of disability experiences among our members. As one of the leaders of the EN, I feel responsible for keeping our community strong, and this year, we’re doing that by celebrating diversity within disability and the ways our intersectional identities connect us with other ENs.

Why is Marketing the best team to work for?

Caitlin: Two reasons: 1. The people. I get to spend my work hours with people who I would gladly spend unpaid time with. We root for each other and celebrate our wins together. It makes the days seem shorter and challenges easier to overcome. 2. The breadth of the work. I support the marketing teams for all our industry verticals. This means that, any given day, I might see issues in education, financial services, healthcare, or sustainability (etc.) related to any of our commercial products. There is a constant flow of fun problems to tackle, and I am always learning.

The Disability in CELA employee network recently hosted a panel on leadership through a diverse lens. Were there any learnings from the event you would like to share?            

Caitlin: I was moved by the personal stories of resilience shared by our panelists and felt extra gratitude for the people who have helped make space for us all in the workplace and, in the words of one of our panelists, practiced D&I before it was a thing. It was powerful to hear how our panelists have used their leadership positions to make others feel comfortable bringing more of their authentic selves to work. The conversation reinforced the importance of leaders having what one of our panelists called “absorptive capacity,” i.e., an ability to take in information and feedback from others and use it to grow. Learning through awareness of others and openness to their experiences will make our teams stronger and more successful (and our lives richer, if you ask me).