Thought Leadership

Mary Jane Surrago, assistantsecretary emeritus to the National Industries for the Blind (NIB) Board of Directors, was presented with the 2025 R.B. Irwin Award during the NIB/NAEPB Public Policy Forum general session on May 20. Surrago retired on February 28 after 50 years with NIB. Current Board Chairman Zach Klipa said there was no more […]

After a short hiatus, NIB’s Heard & Empowered podcast is back with a new host, Dean Thompson, who has an extensive background in television and radio. Thompson has been an interviewer and producer for the majority of his adult life. He moved to New York from Cincinnati after graduate school and has worked for ABC […]

NIB launched the Advocates for Leadership and Employment program in 2012 to help people who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired represent their communities to their elected officials. Each spring, NIB’s public policy team welcomes a new class of Advocates from NIB associated agencies across the country who take part in a two-year training […]

More than 20 attendees from NIB and its associated nonprofit agencies participated in the 2024 NIB Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Forum held December 11-12 in Tyler, Texas. Co-hosted by Horizon Industries (a division of East Texas Lighthouse), the 2024 Forum provided the opportunity for NPA staff ranging from plant managers to operations, compliance, and agency leaders to […]

For 85 years, National Industries for the Blind’s enduring mission has been creating and sustaining employment opportunities for people who are blind. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for people with a disability is about twice as high as the rate for people without a disability. NIB strives to change those […]

The 2024 NIB/NAEPB Training Conference and Expo was a smashing success, with over 900 registrants from across the country attending the four-day event held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, VA. New this year were panel discussions with NIB associated nonprofit agency CEOs – including one composed of female CEOs who shared the […]

The NIB/NAEPB annual Training Conference and Expo (TCE), scheduled for October 14-18 in the nation’s capital, will offer a variety of exciting programming designed to empower employment for people who are blind. We will also recognize the 2024 Employees of the Year, representing NIB associated nonprofit agencies from across the country! To register for TCE, […]

National Industries for the Blind (NIB) – in partnership with the National Association for the Employment of People Who Are Blind (NAEPB) – held its annual Public Policy Forum May 13-16 in Alexandria, VA.   The event, which has taken place for more than 15 years, was held at the Westin Old Town Alexandria, with 42 […]

After retiring April 30 from a 44-year career at National Industries for the Blind and its associated agencies, Kevin Lynch, president and CEO emeritus, was honored May 14 with the R.B. Irwin Award.    The recognition took place during the General Session of the annual NIB/NAEPB Public Policy Forum. During the ceremony, Lynch was presented with […]

Advocacy makes legislators aware of the needs of their constituents, including people who are blind, and nobody is better equipped to tell the NIB story than the people who live it.   NIB launched the Advocates for Leadership and Employment program in 2012 to help people who are blind represent their community to their elected officials. […]