Lauren Appelbaum is the SVP, Entertainment & Media, at Disability Belongs™ (formerly RespectAbility). As an individual with an acquired nonapparent disability – Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy – she works at the intersection of disability, employment, and the entertainment and media industries. From entertainment executives to presidential campaigns, she has conducted trainings on the why and how to be more inclusive and accessible.

She works with studios, production companies, writers’ rooms, newsrooms, and nonprofits across the country to create equitable and accessible opportunities to increase the number of people with lived disability experience throughout the overall story-telling process. These initiatives increase diverse and authentic representation of disabled people on screen, leading to systemic change in how society views and values people with disabilities.

Appelbaum also increases hiring initiatives of people with disabilities behind the camera and enriches the pool of disabled talent in Hollywood by connecting them to those who can assist with their careers, both on the creative and business sides of the industry. She is a founder of the Entertainment Lab and Children’s Content Lab, with goals of building the disability community within the industry and connecting Lab Fellows to opportunities as writers, directors, and in below-the-line positions. She received the 2020 Roddenberry Foundation Impact Award for creating the Entertainment Lab.

Appelbaum has a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University and previously worked for NBC News’ Political Unit. She is currently pursuing a certificate in Business and Management of Entertainment through UCLA Extension.