ATscale welcomes Leopoldine Huyghues Despointes as Goodwill Ambassador: A champion for disability inclusion and the transformative power of AT

A smiling woman in a black, ribbed long-sleeve top and black pants sits in a wheelchair. She is holding a small gray dog on her lap. Around her neck is a red lanyard with "GLOBAL CITIZEN"

ATscale Goodwill Ambassador Leopoldine Huyghues Despointes on stage at the Global Citizen Festival in New York City, Saturday, 27 September 2025. Photo: ATscale

ATscale is proud to announce the appointment of its first Goodwill Ambassador.  Producer, actress, and advocate, Leopoldine Huyghues Despointes, made a series of appearances during her first week as ATscale Goodwill Ambassador on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, culminating in a high-profile moment on stage during the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park. 

Leopoldine brings to the role not only her considerable public profile and influential network, but also a deeply personal understanding of the transformative power of assistive technology. Born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, commonly known as brittle bones, and navigating life as a wheelchair user with a vision impairment, Leopoldine has firsthand experience of the challenges and opportunities faced by persons with disabilities.

“I am deeply honored and incredibly excited to join ATscale as its Goodwill Ambassador,” said Leopoldine. “Inclusion has been the cornerstone of my success, serenity, and happiness. I am living proof that it is possible to thrive when given the opportunity and the right support. Assistive technology is not just about tools; it’s about empowerment, independence, and dignity. It’s about unlocking the potential within each and every one of us, regardless of our abilities.”

For Leopoldine, UNGA week kicked off on 22 September, with a keynote address during a panel and networking event at Goals House New York hosted by the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity entitled, Unlocking Potential: Disability Inclusion as a Catalyst for Sustainable Progress. The discussion convened donors, advocates, civil society, and global development leaders to explore the opportunity of inclusion and the need for bolder investment and action to accelerate progress for all.

A group of six people is standing and sitting for a photo outdoors. Two women in wheelchairs

The Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity brought together Tala Al Ramahi, Catherine Townsend, and Leopoldine Huyghues Despointes, who challenged assumptions and argued for inclusion to be designed into every system rather than added as an afterthought.

Her busy week of engagements continued the following day at a UNOPS Hosted Engagements Reception, where a meeting with Jorge Moreira da Silva, the Executive Director of UNOPS, formalized her role.

A photo of three people posing indoors. A woman in a wheelchair is on the left, wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and gray plaid pants.

Leopoldine with Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director of UNOPS, and Pascal Bijleveld, CEO of ATscale, at the UNOPS Hosted Engagements Reception.

As Goodwill Ambassador, Leopoldine will play a pivotal role in raising awareness of the critical gap in access to assistive technology for people in LMICs and advocating for increased investment in assistive technology. Her responsibilities will include supporting ATscale’s resource mobilization efforts, engaging in public advocacy campaigns, participating in high-profile events, and sharing her personal story to inspire action.

Leopoldine’s commitment to ATscale is already well-established. She was part of the launch of the Unlock The Everyday campaign at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2024, a campaign designed to highlight the everyday challenges faced by people without access to AT and to showcase the transformative impact of AT. More recently, in June 2025, she participated in a high-level event during the UN Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD COSP), where she also spoke at an official side event to launch ATscale’s policy brief on AT and Employment

ATscale CEO Pascal Bijleveld expressed his appreciation, stating, “We are incredibly fortunate to have Leopoldine join the ATscale family as our Goodwill Ambassador. With her lived experience, diverse network and incredible energy, she will be a real asset to advance our mission. I am very impressed with her ability to connect with different audiences on an emotional level and to articulate the importance of assistive technology in a clear and compelling way.”

The appointment of Leopoldine as Goodwill Ambassador is a powerful demonstration of how high-profile individuals with lived experience can use their voice, experience, and strong connections to elevate an issue to the world stage, increasing visibility and attention towards an important cause that both the individual and the organization passionately support. This reinforces ATscale’s commitment to prioritizing assistive technology within the global development agenda and accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Find out more about Leopoldine