Sheri Albers

I was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa at a very early age, and there was very little known about the disease at the time. My parents were told by experts in the field that I would gradually go blind and there was no cure.

I graduated from college with a Finance degree and got a great job as a Treasury Analyst in New York City and after nine years of secretly struggling with spreadsheets and computer screens that were becoming more and more difficult to read, I felt that I had no other choice but to leave that job. I know now that the accessible technology existed for a blind person to succeed in my profession, but I did not know then how to ask for that help. Leaving that job was like giving up my identity.

I finally came to the realization that I did not need to hide my blindness anymore! I then registered with the state rehabilitation services for white cane and access technology training.  Being aware that I was illiterate I knew that I needed to learn Braille. I have subsequently immersed myself into the blind community and served in various leadership roles and participated actively in legislative work to help change the lives of blind people.

My new blindness skills also gave me the confidence to go back to college and get a degree in Substance Abuse Counseling, which had become a passion of mine throughout the years. Since then, I have worked as a Counseling Assistant for an addiction treatment center and a Caseload Assistant for the state of Ohio.

Through a series of very fortunate events, I now have landed my dream job as Community Outreach Specialist for LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco.  I have the privilege of making connections throughout the Bay Area to spread the word to the blindness community about the programs and services that LightHouse has to offer. My new mantra is “Where has LightHouse been all my life?”