About Dave

About Dave Bahr

Dave Bahr, sitting in a director's chair, wearing a big smile, stylish jacket and black t-shirt.

Dave Bahr

Dave Bahr is an author, speaker, and comedian fo­cused on demystifying the public’s perception of how to interact with people with disabilities. As the founder of In-Sightful Living, Dave works as an accessibility con­sultant, aiding organizations to enhance their systems, environments, events, and cultures to be supportive of people with disabilities. Blind from birth, he teaches that having a disability is not a hindrance, but an asset.

Dave holds a B.A. in Psychology and a Masters of Historical Musicology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and is proud to have studied with the Coaches Training Institute to further his personal development and leadership skills.

Dave’s funny and often irreverent wit allows him to use storytelling to illustrate that people should not be afraid of disability. He encourages curiosity, tact, and hu­mor over political correctness, fear, and ignorance. Outside of accessibility and advocacy, he is passionate about music and baseball.

Schedule a call with Dave.

Priscilla in black pants, and red slip-on shoes is holding a green reacher tool in left hand and wearing a black t-shirt that says

Priscilla Carlson

Priscilla Carlson (1978-2017), Dave’s wife, was a strong and vivacious personality packaged in a small body. She was born with a genetic disorder that caused her bones to be extremely brittle. This led to suppositions from the general public that:

  • Her body would turn into dust if touched.
  • Her sternum, with its odd shape, just might house some sort of explosive device at the airport security checkpoint.
  • And that her electric wheelchair could be lifted easily off a curb despite weighing 370 pounds.

Dave and dog Katie looking at each other

Katie the Dog

Katie the dog (2004-2018) was born to be a service animal to guide Dave. This led to odd misconceptions among the general public including:

  • Asking if she was an attack dog as well as a guide dog.
  • Thinking that she could tell when the streetlight changed color.
  • And that she has some sort of superpower wherein Dave could say, “Katie, library!” And whoosh!
    They would arrive without any distractions from other dogs or people to the exact destination requested.

All of the above examples are real. They all happened multiple times in the lives of these three individuals pictured here. They are, as one might guess, extreme examples of the public at large simply Not Knowing what to do when encountering a situation involving a person with a disability.

Dave Bahr’s Mission

Through writing and public speaking, Dave works tirelessly to demystify the public’s perception of how to interact with people who have disabilities and those who help them such as service animals.

Dave’s style can be described as Lenny Bruce meets outspoken advocate for disability rights and awareness worldwide. Dave uses storytelling and a very dry, biting, and usually irreverent wit to illustrate that people should not be afraid when confronted with a person with a disability.

Instead, curiosity, appropriate questioning, and some semblance of tact are offered as alternatives.

Visit the Contact page learn more and/or to have Dave speak at your event, or to contact Dave .