Florida Department of Education Recognizes Sixteen Central Florida 'Successful 75' Award Winners
May 30, 2017
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Florida Department of Education Recognizes Sixteen Central Florida 'Successful 75' Award Winners
Tallahassee, Fla., May 30, 2017 – Today, the Department of Education’s Division of Blind Services (DBS) announced 16 Central Florida recipients of the “Successful 75” Awards. Over the last year, DBS celebrated its 75th Anniversary with a series of informative, family-friendly events throughout Florida. At each event, local individuals, organizations and businesses were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the blind and visually impaired community.
“It is with great pleasure that I congratulate and thank these individuals for the difference they are making in our blind and visually impaired communities,” said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. “We have come a long way in just 75 years, thanks in large part to the individuals, organizations and businesses who have supported our efforts to continue opening doors for blind and visually impaired Floridians. We remain committed to increasing accessibility, and I hope that these recipients will serve as an inspiration for more Floridians to get involved.”
"We are pleased to recognize these dedicated individuals as members of the Division of Blind Services' Successful 75," said DBS Director Robert L. Doyle. "The recipients have worked tirelessly to make a difference in their communities through outreach, advocacy, hiring practices and via their individual commitments to achieve self-sufficiency. Through these efforts, Florida continues to strive to become a barrier-free environment for residents with visual disabilities."
The following Central Florida individuals, organizations and businesses were recognized with the Successful 75 award.
Client Award: Beau Broten
Beau Broten is a great example of what individuals who are blind or visually impaired can accomplish when they remain focused on goals, work hard and make the most of every opportunity. Broten attended training at the Rehabilitation Center in Daytona then moved to Little Rock to attend training at Lions World for the Blind in the IRS program which provides training programs for various entry-level positions. He is now a lead customer representative for the IRS.
Client Award: Joshua Espinal
A graduate of the Rehabilitation Center, Joshua Espinal is the Criminal Investigation Department’s victim aide for the Daytona Beach Police Department. Some of his duties include calling victims to verify their safety or answer questions about their respective cases. Prior to losing his vision, Joshua served in the U.S. Army where he completed four tours of active duty.
Client Award: Rachel McCullough
Rachel McCullough is a general practitioner in private practice, specializing in land use law and civil litigation. At 17, McCullough was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, which caused her vision to deteriorate. After receiving the diagnosis, DBS helped her learn to live as a person with low vision. She is the founder and Executive Director of 4SITE, a scholarship organization granting private scholarships to students with low vision in our community who are “seeking independence through education.”
Client Award: Chris Sacca
Chris Sacca is a Lighthouse Central Florida Vision Rehabilitation Specialist who teaches independent living skills to visually impaired adults. Prior to this, he worked for DBS as a children’s counselor, assisting families of blind and visually impaired children and providing critical educational and social resources. Sacca lost the majority of his eyesight in 2005, due to a secondary eye disease and he credits DBS with giving him a second chance to earn a living helping him realize that he had untapped talents.
Client Award: Dwight Sayer
Dwight Sayer, served in the Air Force and was honorably/medically discharged in 1969 due to blindness. He is a strong advocate for the blind community. He is the president of the National Association of Blind Veterans, a division of the National Federation of the Blind. Other positions include Immediate past first vice president of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida; past president of the Greater Orlando Chapter of the NFB of Florida; and a past gubernatorial appointee to the Florida Rehabilitation Council for the Blind. Sayer recently retired from the Consumer Advocate and Community Relations Manager position for MV Transportation, Inc.
Community Advocate Award: Pat Devine
Vision loss brought Pat Devine to seek training through the DBS Independent Living Skills program. She was later elected to the Lighthouse of Central Florida Board in November 2009. She is currently serving her third three-year term and is currently the board’s secretary. Devine has been active on Board committees, and began volunteering with the independent living skills students after her own graduation. She has been a faithful ambassador for the program ever since.
Community Advocate Award: Robert Kelly
Robert Kelly is a certified rehabilitation counselor who has more than 30 years of experience in direct service provision and administration of services for people who are blind and visually impaired. He currently serves as chair of the Florida Rehabilitation Council for the Blind and executive director of the Florida Lions Conklin Center for the Blind in Daytona Beach.
Community Advocate Award: Cathy Matthews
For the past several years, Cathy Matthews has worked to improve regional paratransit options. This is a cause she took up after her son, who is enrolled in the DBS transition program, experienced several unfortunate incidents while using a shared ride door-to-door transportation service. Matthews has been vocal and testified before MetroPlan Orlando's Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Board.
Community Advocate Award: Carl McCoy
Carl McCoy was one of the first students enrolled in training at the Rehabilitation Center in 1946 and was a charter member of the Florida Council for the Blind when it was formed in 1952. In 1989, he became director of the Florida Division of Blind Services where he remained until his retirement in 1992. For several decades, he was in the forefront of advocating for the rights of blind individuals in Florida through the Florida Council for the Blind.
Community Advocate Award: Lee Nasehi
As the President and CEO of Lighthouse Central Florida, Lee Nasehi’s mission is to make independent living, learning and earning a reality for every person who is blind or living with severely impaired sight. Through the Lighthouse, Nasehi has the opportunity to share the amazing success stories she has witnessed and educate a wider audience about the issues affecting those with vision loss.
Community Partner Award: Lighthouse Central Florida/ Lighthouse Works
The Lighthouse of Central Florida offers a comprehensive range of services to people living with sight impairment in the tri-county area. Through effective programs, proven curricula, certified instructors and years of personal and professional experience, Lighthouse helps ensure that individuals of all backgrounds have the tools they need to lead productive, independent lives while pursuing their goals. Through a wide range of businesses, Lighthouse Works provides job training, employment and career opportunities for the advancement of people who are blind and visually impaired.
Community Partner Award: Goodwill
Throughout the years, the Daytona Beach Goodwill has provided a great partnership and support to DBS clients. They assist with job placement, job development, workshops, and they have provided vouchers for employment, training and work experiences. Goodwill also works alongside DBS employment placement specialists to assist clients seeking employment.
Employee Award: Ed Hudson
Edward Hudson is the bureau chief of the Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Daytona Beach, Fla., and he is responsible for the overall operation of the center. He has been with the division since 1992 and was instrumental in establishing Blind Services as a division under the Florida Department of Education.
Employee Award: Anna Johnson
Anna Johnson has worked for the DBS Rehabilitation Center for the Blind for more than 26 years. She has been described as a leader and team player, and she believes that her students come first. Her goal is to ensure students receive quality training to reach their full potential and achieve their career and life goals.
Business Award: Sloppy Joe’s
Sloppy Joe's Restaurant has worked closely with the Daytona Rehabilitation Center for the Blind to train and prepare blind and visually impaired clients for competitive employment. Sloppy Joe's has participated in both informational and employment interviews with Rehab Center clients and has provided work experiences that led to employment opportunities for the agency’s clients.
Business Award: Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World has been an excellent working partner with DBS. Staff members collaborate with DBS to ensure all areas are accessible and ready on the first day of training. Walt Disney World has individuals with visual impairments working in all areas of the resort and has accommodations for guests with visual disabilities to maximize their enjoyment of the theme parks with tools like Audio Description devices, Braille guidebooks and stationary Braille maps.
Throughout the year-long anniversary celebration, 75 honorees were bestowed with this honor. For a full list of the DBS Successful 75 Award recipients, click here.
For more information about the Division of Blind Services and its programs, visit dbs.fldoe.org
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