National Industries for the Blind

Get to know our Employee of the Year nominees from across the country in the 2024 Yearbook! We had 79 phenomenal nominees, and you can learn a little about all of them here - be inspired by their achievements, their dedication, and the enthusiasm these men and women have for their work and for supporting their agency's mission. Read it now: https://ow.ly/Ayix50TULzn

At last week’s NIB/NAEPB Training Conference and Expo, we celebrated our 2024 Employees of the Year, including the national 2024 Milton J. Samuelson Career Achievement Award winner Terrie Collins! Terrie is a recruiter for Alphapointe in Kansas City, Mo. Terrie first came to the agency in 2018 for rehabilitation services after she began to lose her sight. During that time, she was approached by a staff member who asked if she was interested in a job placement specialist position. It wasn’t long before Kristin Stephenson, Alphapointe senior manager of human resources, noticed Terrie’s work, and she became part of the Alphapointe human resources team in 2020. “She goes above and beyond for our employees every day. Terrie excels at maintaining open lines of communication with all parties involved in the hiring process,” Stephenson wrote in the award application. “Terrie is the key to the success of our recruitment of individuals who are blind. She hired 21 people in FY2023, which would not have been possible without the diligent efforts she puts toward researching, networking, and recruiting individuals who are blind and want to work.” Photo 1: NIB Board of Directors Chairperson Paul Healy (left) and NIB President and CEO Soraya Correa (right) with 2024 Milton J. Samuelson Career Achievement Award winner Terrie Collins (center). Photo 2: Terrie speaks at the Awards Banquet. Photo 3: Terrie with her sister, Patricia Mallory-Winston.

In advance of November’s commemoration of Veterans Day, the NIB community gathered both in person and virtually yesterday to honor employees who are also veterans. Andy Monday, NIB’s program manager, veterans and business development support – a veteran himself – read the names of 18 men and women who now work at NIB and previously served their country in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps. Together, they have more than 200 combined years of military service. Each received a certificate and a challenge coin from NIB President and CEO Soraya Correa. Soraya shared that challenge coins go back to post-World War II Germany, where American GIs revived a local tradition called the “pfennig check.” Tradition states that if you couldn’t produce a pfennig in a bar, the next round was on you. Now, Soraya explained, pfennigs have been replaced with unit medallions, and the “check” can simply be one to see who has their coin with them. Pictured, from left: Luis Enrique Lebron, Andy Monday, Reggie Winston, Andrew Metelak, Soraya Correa, Robert Harris, Chris Miller, Jalen Britt, Timothy Dudley, Charles Froemke, and Sam Fischer.

At last week’s NIB/NAEPB Training Conference and Expo, we celebrated our 2024 Employees of the Year, including the national 2024 Peter J. Salmon Employee of the Year Oleksandr "Olek" Onikiienko! Olek works on the production line at Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment (AVRE) in Binghamton, NY. Born in Ukraine, at 8 Olek realized he was losing his vision, but didn't let that stop him. He earned a law degree and met his wife, with whom he opened a law practice. Then in February 2022, his life was upended by the war between Russia and Ukraine. He and his family endured a challenging journey to join extended family in New Jersey, crossing 50 checkpoints in Ukraine alone before making it to a Polish airport. There were canceled flights, multiple layovers, and a nearly 19-mile walk from Tijuana, Mexico, to San Diego, CA, before they reached Newark, NJ. AVRE’s management team nominated Olek for the award because he has made a positive impact since joining the team. “From the day that Olek came here, he has been a blessing to the agency, to his fellow workers, and to me,” said Production Manager Luigi DiRusso. “He always gives 120 percent and is a breath of fresh air.” Photo 1: NIB Board of Directors Chairperson Paul Healy (left) and NIB President and CEO Soraya Correa (right) with 2024 Peter J. Salmon Employee of the Year Oleksandr "Olek" Onikiienko (center). Photo 2: Olek speaks at the Awards Banquet. Photo 3: Olek with his wife, Nataliia, and children, Oleksandr and Mariia.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the #2024TCE! It was an amazing week of learning, networking, exploring new products and technology, and strengthening relationships with NIB associated nonprofit agencies, industry leaders, federal customers and agency representatives, and key partners dedicated to our mission to create employment opportunities for people who are blind. We hope to see you all again next year! #NIBConfExpo #EmpowerEmployment #DisabilityEmployment #AccessibilityMatters #EmploymentOpportunities #deia #DisabilityAwareness #InclusionRevolution #DisabilityInclusion #blind #blindness #dei #DiversityEquityInclusion #AcessibleTechnology #TechForGood #Empower #DisabilityMatters #NDEAM

At this year's NIB/NAEPB Training Conference and Expo, we had the chance to hear from government leaders who discussed how their federal agencies support the AbilityOne Program and growing employment for people who are blind. Representatives from the AbilityOne Commission also spoke about the partnership between the Commission and the associated nonprofit agencies to provide good jobs for people who are blind and satisfy contracts, as well as recently published policies and the upcoming, revised survey forms. 1 – Jeffrey Mittman (left), president and CEO of Bosma Enterprises and president of the National Association for the Employment of People Who Are Blind (NAEPB), and Soraya Correa (right), president and CEO of National Industries for the Blind 2 – Angela Hartley, NIB executive vice president 3 – Erv Koehler, assistant commissioner, U.S. General Services Administration Federal Acquisition Service 4 – Eliana Zavala, senior management analyst, White House Office of Federal Procurement Policy 5 – Kimberly M. Zeich, executive director, U.S. AbilityOne Commission 6 – From left: Chris Stewart, compliance and enforcement counsel, U.S. AbilityOne Commission; Amy Jensen, deputy executive director, U.S. AbilityOne Commission; and Chai Feldblum, vice chairperson, U.S. AbilityOne Commission 7 – Brig. Gen. Landis Maddox, commander, DLA Troop Support 8 – From left: Dan Kelly, president and CEO, IFB Solutions; Ken Fernald, president and CEO, Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc.; Rob Buettner, president and CEO, Beyond Vision 501(c)3; Dennis Steiner, president and CEO, VisionCorps; and Sharon Giovinazzo, CEO, LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired #2024TCE #NIBConfExpo #EmpowerEmployment #DisabilityEmployment #AccessibilityMatters #EmploymentOpportunities #deia #DisabilityAwareness #InclusionRevolution #DisabilityInclusion #blind #blindness #dei #DiversityEquityInclusion #AcessibleTechnology #TechForGood #Empower #DisabilityMatters

NIB's first-event AccessTech event was a success, highlighting the intersection of cutting-edge technology and accessibility! Attendees explored innovative solutions, from braille displays and magnification tools to hands-on demos of smart workstations and the latest AI smartphone apps—all designed to empower people who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired in the workplace. Thank you to everyone who made this exciting event possible! #AccessibleTechnology #InclusiveWorkplaces #NIBEvents #BlindEmployment #TechForGood #InclusiveTechnology Amazon Business American Printing House for the Blind Envision Goodwill of the Finger Lakes Glidance Inc LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Lighthouse Louisiana Freedom Scientific

On Wednesday, we were thrilled to invite #2024TCE attendees to a special session featuring a panel of women in leadership from NIB associated nonprofit agencies. Moderated by Lauren Branch, president and CEO of NewView Oklahoma, the panel included Leona Holloman, CEO of East Texas Lighthouse for The Blind; Dee Adams Budgewater, president and CEO of Lighthouse Louisiana; and Cindy Watson, president and CEO of Vibrant Works. Attendees heard inspiring stories and insights from these accomplished leaders surrounding the challenges and opportunities for women in the workplace. #NIBConfExpo #EmpowerEmployment #DisabilityEmployment #AccessibilityMatters #EmploymentOpportunities #deia #DisabilityAwareness #InclusionRevolution #DisabilityInclusion #blind #blindness #dei #DiversityEquityInclusion #AcessibleTechnology #TechForGood #Empower #DisabilityMatters

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of hosting Envision at NIB's AccessTech event as they unveiled their groundbreaking personal AI assistant, ally! 🌟 ally is not just any AI assistant—it’s designed to support everyone, including those who are blind, have low vision, or are visually impaired. Our attendees were able to experience firsthand how ally makes daily life easier and more efficient with clear, accurate answers in seconds. Whether it’s describing your surroundings or assisting with a recipe, ally has you covered. It’s also highly personal and inclusive, learning your preferences and habits to provide tailored insights and suggestions. #AccessibleTechnology #InclusiveWorkplaces #NIBEvents #BlindEmployment #TechForGood #InclusiveTechnology

Day three of the NIB/NAEPB Training Conference and Expo is going strong! Thank you to everyone who has visited the Expo and NIB Marketplace of nearly 100 exhibitors, including NIB associated nonprofit agencies, business partners, and government organizations. We're thrilled with the incredible turnout and the valuable connections being made. There’s still more to come tomorrow, and we can’t wait to continue the momentum. See you there for another exciting day! #2024NIBempower #Inclusion #MakingADifference #NonProfit #Expo