Rick Webster

Rick Webster, Vice President, Public Policy

Rick Webster, vice president, public policy at National Industries for the Blind (NIB), is responsible for the organization’s efforts in advocacy and outreach to Congress on key issues impacting the employment of people who are blind. Mr. Webster seeks to harness the power of NIB associated nonprofit agencies in this work, including members of the Advocates for Leadership and Employment program, which trains employees who are blind working in NIB associated agencies to represent their agencies’ interests before the U.S. Congress and with state and local policymakers.

Mr. Webster, who joined NIB in June 2011, has served as a public policy professional for nearly 40 years, with extensive experience in advocacy, policy research, and outreach at the local, state, and federal levels, including leading grassroots lobbying and messaging campaigns. His past work includes issue areas such as labor policy, taxes, public lands, border security, and international travel facilitation at three national nonprofit organizations, as well as one local nonprofit, prior to joining NIB. His current advocacy and policy work focuses on disability employment and federal procurement.

Mr. Webster holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Hope College in Holland, Michigan, where he participated in the college’s Washington Honors Semester Program in the nation’s capital during his senior year. He served on the college’s alumni board of directors, and for over 30 years has served in multiple leadership roles at Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, Virginia.