Jenna Udenberg advances accessibility and inclusion across her community

Jenna Udenberg, founder of Above & Beyond With U, is being recognized for her work in accessibility education, disability advocacy and nonprofit leadership in the Greater Duluth area. Her background spans 19 years in music education, community leadership and local volunteer work aimed at making spaces more inclusive.

Why it matters: - Udenberg’s work focuses on making schools, nonprofits and public spaces more usable for people with disabilities. - Accessibility is framed as a communitywide issue, not a niche concern, because about one in four U.S. adults lives with some type of disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. - Her approach emphasizes inclusion that goes beyond minimum legal requirements to address communication access, sensory needs and welcoming environments.

What happened: - Jenna Udenberg, founder of Above & Beyond With U, is being recognized by Influential Women for her accessibility and inclusion work in Two Harbors and the Greater Duluth area. - Udenberg leads a nonprofit focused on creating more accessible and inclusive spaces through education, advocacy and community engagement. - The recognition highlights her shift from a 19-year career in music education to disability advocacy and nonprofit leadership.

The details: - Udenberg built inclusive music programs in parochial, charter and public schools, including adaptive music, beginning band, high school choir and jazz ensembles. - Her adaptive elementary general music program supported students’ IEP goals, made content accessible at multiple levels and gave students and support staff extra time to succeed in class and performances. - The same classroom approach also helped peers learn to interact and communicate with a wider range of people. - Udenberg earned a double bachelor’s degree in Music Education, instrumental and vocal, from the University of Minnesota-Duluth. - She later earned a Master of Education with a focus in technology integration from the College of St. Scholastica. - Her leadership experience includes the 2020 Bush Fellow program, the Shannon Leadership Institute and the Blandin Foundation Community Leadership Program. - Her honors include the Journey Award from the Miller-Dwan Foundation, Coach of the Year for High-Tech Kids Robotics and the 2026 Lake County Volunteer of the Year Award. - Udenberg is also a published author and columnist. - She supports the Gitchi-Gami Trail Association, which is building a paved recreational trail along the North Shore of Lake Superior. - She coaches the Robo Dweebs LEGO robotics team, helping young people build skills in engineering, programming and teamwork. - More information is available through her Influential Women profile.

Between the lines: - Udenberg’s work connects education, disability rights and community leadership into one long-running mission. - Her emphasis on interdependence and collective action suggests a leadership style built around collaboration rather than individual achievement. - The focus on generational change points to a field that needs both institutional memory and new ideas to keep accessibility work moving forward.

What's next: - Udenberg says the biggest challenge and opportunity in her field is helping newer generations preserve knowledge while adapting to changing needs. - Sustainable funding and participation will remain important as accessibility work grows and leadership changes hands. - Her ongoing nonprofit, volunteer and coaching roles suggest continued community-based advocacy in northern Minnesota.