Changing the Perception of Blindness

Defining Good Jobs EP30 Explore the evolving definition of a “good job” through the lens of inclusivity and personal fulfillment with Chris LaFollette, President and CEO of Arizona Industries for the Blind. This episode of “Changing the Perspective of Blindness” with host, David Steinmetz delves into how modern career paths shift from traditional stability to […]

Removing Barriers – Autonomous Vehicles E29 In this episode of “Changing the Perception of Blindness”, host David Steinmetz is joined by guests Amanda Ventura from Waymo and Steve Tepper from the Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. They explore the pressing issues of transportation accessibility and the empowerment of those with disabilities. Amanda […]

Train the Teacher Improve Educational Outcomes E28 In this episode of Changing the Perception of Blindness, David Steinmetz engages with Niraj Parikh from the Center for Assistive Technology Training (CAT) to discuss the crucial role of assistive technology in education. David recounts his personal experiences as a blind student and the challenges faced in the […]

Awareness Leads to Change E27 In the podcast Changing the Perception of Blindness, host David Steinmetz and guest Barbara Hinske explore the importance of inclusion for people with disabilities. Barbara, a lawyer-turned-novelist, discusses her journey into disability awareness through her book Guiding Emily and her experience transitioning it into a Hallmark movie. They address the […]

Driving Independence through Technology E26 In the episode hosted by David Steinmetz, Changing the Perception of Blindness becomes a compelling journey through the evolution and impact of assistive technology. Anat Nulman and Seth Leblond join the conversation, illuminating how innovations in OCR and smartphones not only empower visually impaired individuals but also drive broader technological [&...

Voicing the Needs for Change E25 Host David Steinmetz discusses advocacy for people with disabilities, stressing the importance of voicing needs for change. CEO Sharon Giovinazzo, of The Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired of San Francisco, shares her journey from vision loss due to multiple sclerosis to leadership, emphasizing the need for opportunity […]

Fostering a Culture of Inclusion E24 In this episode, host David Steinmetz introduces Jules Hyde, whose journey into supporting employment for individuals with disabilities is shaped by a passion for empowering others to pursue meaningful work. Hyde shares personal anecdotes and insights into implementing the philosophy of Employment First, advocating for individuals with disabilities to […]

Unscripted E23 Chris LaFollette, President/CEO of Arizona Industries for the Blind (AIB) and host David Steinmetz go unscripted and have a very open and direct conversation about eliminating barriers for people who are blind. In this episode they talk about everything from what holds people back, like fear and failure and defining success, to public […]

Company Culture and Diversity E22 Kicking off this episode of “Changing the Perception of Blindness,” host David Steinmetz shares insights from his 19-year journey at Arizona Industries for the Blind, underscoring the importance of challenging misconceptions about blindness and promotes inclusivity in the workforce. Joined by Kindra Maples, president of Culture Crush Business, they del...

Digital Accessibility and Inclusion Making the Web a Better Place for All E21 In this episode of Changing the Perception of Blindness, host David Steinmetz explores digital accessibility with experts Kai Wong from Teladoc Health and Phil Yatvin from Level Access. They discuss the pivotal role of allies in fostering inclusivity for people who are […]

Awareness Starts at Home E20 In this heartfelt episode of Changing the Perception of Blindness, host David Steinmetz and his brothers—Mike, Jeff, and Greg—share their family’s journey with hereditary retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and the impact of blindness. They discuss initial reactions, coping mechanisms, and how technology transformed accessibility for Greg, who is visually impaired. The [&#...

Improving Employment Outcomes Through Awareness E19 Recognizing National Disability Employment Month (NDEAM special guests Julie Oliver and Steve Tepper joined David Steinmetz in the conversation regarding the need for Hiring Managers to change their perception of blindness and as Julie mentioned removing conscious or unconscious bias from the hiring process. The trio gave insights on […]

Abilities not Disabilities E18 On this episode of Changing the Perception of Blindness: One Conversation at a Time, Blake Steinecke and David Steinmetz talked about the importance for Hiring Managers to recognize the challenges people who are blind have to overcome in education, previous work experience and everyday life when evaluating candidates who are blind. […]

Changing the Mindset of Leadership E17 Special guest Jason Haines was in studio with host David Steinmetz talking about lean process improvement and organizational change. The challenge for companies today is finding talent, training and retaining employees. Leadership should look to the disability community to find qualified workers to fil positions from the frontline worker […]

Creating a Culture of Inclusion E16 Dr. Kirk Adams and host David Steinmetz talked about changing societal perceptions of the capabilities of people who are blind, transforming corporate cultures to ones of integration rather than differentiation, and building family, school, community, and service providers. Dr. Kirk Adams stated that 7 out of 10 working age […]

All Things Disability Employment E15 Chris Lafollette, Jeff Mittman and David Steinmetz talked all things disability employment including recruiting, training and retention for people who are blind .Jeff Mittman said that the biggest barrier to employment for individuals who are blind is the perception or misperception that these candidates are not capable to do the […]

Developing the Workforce of Tomorrow E14 In this episode, Mike Hess and David Steinmetz discussed workforce development, training programs and empowering person’s who are blind through careers in the technology field. Mike said that 86% of the fortune 10K organizations have a DEI initiative, but only 4% of those include people with disabilities. Low expectations […]

Inspirational Leadership E13 Jared Kittelson and David Steinmetz discussed some of the misconceptions of what blindness is and and when appropriate training and technology are provided, people who are blind are able to compete and be successful in the workplace. When talking about leadership skills, Jared said that it is important for leaders to be […]

Empowering People to Thrive E12 In this episode, host David Steinmetz and guest Dr. Hui Wu-Curtis talked about the importance of removing barriers to employment and creating a culture that values diversity and promotes inclusion for all. Dr. Curtis stated that she believes the existing BPO model is flawed and set out to create a […]

Effective Leadership E11 In this episode, guest Sylvia Stinson-Perez shared the skill sets necessary for effective leadership. Sylvia stated that leadership is a role and shouldn’t be soley thought of as a title or position. Sylvia said that effective leaders are continuous learners and must be willing to listen to others. The mission of the […]

Celebrating NDEAM E10 In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Terell Welch, Frank Vance and Isaac Shapiro joined host David Steinmetz in a conversation about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities. Terell stated that a recent study has shown that companies that championed people with disabilities outperformed others — driving profitability and shareholder […]

Changing My Perception E9 Host David Steinmetz talks about his journey through blindness and how he changed his perception of blindness. David says that “just because your eyes dont work, doesnt mean that you don’t have something to contribute to society.” Hiring managers and business owners will gain a new perspective on the value people […]

Aligning Your Values and Professional Goals E8 Ken’s gave audience members an example of an organization that has defined DE&I practices… “Let’s assume a business is having a luncheon. Inclusion means that everyone has a seat at a table. Diversity is where the people attending (and invited) correctly reflect the community they are in or […]

Resiliency The Ability to Overcome Life Challenges E7 Motivational Speaker and Author Steve Welker discussed with host David Steinmetz the concept of Radical Resiliency which he and his wife developed after a horrific automobile accident The Radical Resiliency concept is ability to recover from difficult challenges and live the life of your dreams. He demonstrates […]

Ownership and Accountability Equals Success E6 In this episode, David and Kristin discussed the importance of Changing the Perception of Blindness in order to solve the unemployment, education, and financial crisis for those that are blind and visually impaired. Kristin said that it is not only up to partnerships with organizations that are committed to […]