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Forbes magazine honored Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Cheri Blauwet, MD, senior vice president and chief clinical officer, by naming her to its “Accessibility 200” list of 2026. Not only is Dr. Blauwet a world-renowned physiatrist at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, but she also is an elite athlete and seven-time Paralympic medalist with leadership roles with the International Olympic Committee, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and the Boston Athletic Association (the organizers of the Boston Marathon).
Dr. Blauwet joined Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in 2025 and provides clinical and strategic leadership across the organization’s entire enterprise — the downtown Chicago flagship hospital, more than 30 sites of care in Chicagoland, and partnerships with hospitals across the nation and internationally. In the process, she ensures world-class quality, safety and performance throughout all aspects of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s medical practice.
“Accessibility has evolved from a legal mandate to a bustling frontier of innovation, impact and profit,” said Alan Schwarz, assistant managing editor of Forbes. “Accessibility innovation inspires new features, products and services that transform how people with disabilities — and often the wider world — communicate, travel, learn, work, play sports and so much more. It’s now beyond ‘the right thing to do’ — it’s integral to a smart business.”
Dr. Blauwet is a longstanding champion of accessibility and was featured last year in Forbes’ inaugural roster of top global impact-makers in accessibility-related fields. The 2026 list features an illustrious group, representing 23 different countries on six continents — superstars in education, consumer products, robotics, sports and recreation, travel and entertainment, and more. They were selected by an advisory board of experts from around the world.
“Accessibility and universal design are reshaping how people live, work and engage with the world around them,” said Dr. Blauwet. “At Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, advancing human ability is at the center of everything we do. Through patient care, research, technology and innovation, we are helping unlock human potential in transformative ways. I’m honored to be part of this work and to be recognized by Forbes for the second consecutive year.”
