Tim Hindes

Tim Hindes is a creative strategist, entrepreneur, and disabled business leader with a lifelong, newly recognized disability that has shaped his communication style, leadership philosophy, and sense of empathy. As the founder and CEO of TrailBlaze Creative—a disability-owned marketing and communications firm—Tim helps mission-driven organizations amplify their message, build authentic brands, and engage communities through inclusive, purpose-led strategies.

Tim’s lived experience as a business leader navigating the evolving understanding of his own disability informs much of his work. He is a champion for dignified storytelling, creative advocacy, and building systems that reflect the humanity and complexity of every voice. His firm has led crisis communications and rebranding work for disability providers across Ohio and Pennsylvania, including a nationally recognized campaign in East Palestine, Ohio, following the 2023 train derailment. In his own act of community resilience, Tim created the Stronger than Hate symbol that became globally viral following the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh in 2018.

TrailBlaze is also the strategic partner supporting the Southwestern Pennsylvania expansion of Disability Lead, a nonprofit dedicated to developing leadership pathways for people with disabilities. Tim is a board member for the Carnegie Library of Homestead and Brookline Teen Outreach, an after school program that uses mental health and counseling to support youth traditionally underserved. He is also a member of the executive team for the 2026 National Scouting Jamboree, focusing on youth mental health and wellness.

Tim’s approach is deeply human, system-savvy, and unapologetically creative. His story is one of learning to lead from a place of authenticity, leveraging his disability as a lens for insight, innovation, and impact.