A website is a necessity in today's society. Hundreds of millions of users are connecting to the Internet from all over the world. But for people with disabilities this can be an uncomfortable, and sometimes frustrating, experience. Clearly new design approaches are needed to address specific needs of people with disabilities.

Sarah Horton's goal is universal usability, and she wants to get there by educating Web designers on how to put sites together that don't exclude anyone.

Is her new book Access by Design: A Guide to Universal Usability for Web Designers worth buying? Find out how James McNally, contributing writer for the Digital Web Magazine, criticizes her work.

Innovative use of the Internet has become a mainstay for nonprofit organizations, with many using interactive technologies for education, collaboration, member communications, management of meeting attendance, and publishing. What was once considered innovative is probably mainstream today, as both nonprofit organizations and their members become more comfortable going online.

Yesterday [September 22], in mid-town Manhattan, four nonprofit organizations were honored for their outstanding work in ePhilanthropy. Hosted by the ePhilanthropy Foundation, the 2005 International ePhilanthropy Awards recognized 23 finalists whose innovative use of the Internet in meeting their missions set them above the rest of the nominees. The awards, distributed in four categories, consisted of a $500 cash award to a charity and an original glass sculpture, and were presented to the winners during a two-hour ceremony led by Bob Carter, President and CEO of Ketchum.

Click here to find out which organizations won the awards (article by Kate Golden, OnPhilanthropy).

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Here is a shot that I took this past Labor Day weekend on my quick trip to Lake Willoughby in Vermont.

Have you heard the buzz?...

I (dba Zayko) was featured in the main story (Branding Your Creative Business) of the Fall 2005 Boston edition of CREATE Magazine.

We unravel the mystery behind cutting-edge branding by revealing what creative types in Boston are doing to brand their own businesses - says CREATE Magazine.

I was very surprised when I learned I was selected along with only three other creative professionals from the Boston area! There is always this feeling of "am I worthy of this?"... but apparently, the answer is "yes."

Linda K. Pilgrim (the writer) has truly captured and communicated the essence of Zayko brand:

Sotirova's brand is simultaneously linked to her personally - as is her approach to her work as a designer.

I am so happy and hopeful this wonderful opportunity will open doors for new friendships.