Theresa Thomas
Executive Director
Theresa has been a resident of the Bluegrass since 1998 and has become an active part of the community. As a visually impaired person herself, her passion for serving the blind comes from first-hand knowledge of the challenges of someone with vision loss. As a child, Theresa began losing her vision due to a genetic disorder that is degenerative. At age 12 she was rendered “legally blind” with a visual acuity of 20/200 which has digressed to approximately 20/800 to date. Theresa is determined not to let her vision loss result in a “loss of vision”. Her background includes a bachelor’s degree in public relations from the University of Evansville and more than 25 years of community service: as both an employee and volunteer for many non-profit agencies and organizations across Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. Presently, Theresa is the Executive Director for Bluegrass Council of the Blind (BCB). Theresa was working for God’s Pantry Food Bank as a valued member of the Development team when she was approached about the position at BCB. Prior to God’s Pantry, she worked for the United Way of the Bluegrass as a Community Building Coordinator. She has served on several non-profit boards including Independent Transportation Network, Visually Impaired Preschool Services, Glendover Elementary PTA, as well as volunteering and fund-raising for numerous organizations such as The American Cancer Society, National Downs Syndrome Society, The American Red Cross, Alzheimer’s Association, and The Ronald McDonald House Charities. Currently, Theresa is also an active member of the Bluegrass Parrot Head Club, and is a co-founding member and performer (along with her husband Michael) of the regional beach band known as “CONCH REPUBLIC”.
Jackie Johnson
Deputy Director
Jackie re-located to the Lexington area from central Indiana with the intention to stay for less than five years. Nearly three decades later, the Bluegrass region is still considered “home”. Jackie’s approach to helping others is based on understanding the needs and backgrounds of the people she meets and developing those interactions strong working relationships. She comes to Bluegrass Council of the Blind with an extensive background in community service, leadership, and technical writing, and is eager to apply those skills to her position to expand grant and donor resources for the programs at BCB. Jackie holds an MS in Management and Leadership, and a BA in Liberal Arts. She is pursuing a certificate in fundraising and planned giving as the foundation toward a CFRE certification. When not in the office, Jackie enjoys spending time with her family, her cats, and traveling to new places-especially hiking in Montana.
David White
Finance Director
Originally from Louisville, David has spent his career in various finance/accounting roles in the health insurance industry. He attended the University of Kentucky for his undergraduate degree, then the University of Louisville for graduate school. David moved back to the Lexington area in 2010 to get married. David was born visually impaired and focuses his “political” energy on education and transportation-related matters.
Susan Ament
Peer Support Program Manager
Legally blind from birth, BCB PS Program Coordinator Dr. Susan Ament is well-versed in overcoming challenges associated with vision impairment. Despite her disability, she obtained a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Louisville and worked full time as a clinical psychologist in Indiana before moving back to Lexington. Dr. Ament served four years on the State Rehabilitation Council, serving as their 2014-15 Chair.
Sam Seavey
Assistive Technology and Training Program Manager
Sam manages BCB’s AT program, providing training on assistive devices ranging from simple bump dots to magnifiers to phone apps and assistive computer software. He was diagnosed with a juvenile form of macular degeneration at age 11 and has an extensive background in research and understanding of assistive devices and techniques of living with low vision. Sam is the founder and creator of The Blind Life YouTube Channel, which, according to a recent article from the Foundation Fighting Blindness, “is currently the largest resource for assistive technology on the internet.” With more than 34,000 subscribers and over 800 helpful videos, Sam helps people world-wide living with vision loss, offering tips for managing daily tasks, reviewing assistive devices, and hosting informative interviews with key stakeholders in the visually impaired community. Sam is recognized as an expert when speaking and presenting at national conferences. Featured in USA and international podcasts on assistive technology, he collaborates with technology giants like Google, Samsung and Amazon, has created content for www.Maculardegeneration.ne and participated on Microsoft’s Window’s Accessibility Advisory Board.
Richard Sizemore
BCB IT Manager
Richard is a Microsoft Certified Professional, has been a computer and accessibility consultant for 20 years, and has more than 10 years’ experience in technology training for the blind/visually impaired and individuals with multiple disabilities at organizations such as Career Visions, Connected Learning Network and the Kentucky School for the Blind. In addition to his IT responsibilities, Richard also provides AT training to BCB consumers. Born with optic nerve hypoplasia and nystagmus, Richard is legally blind.
Barbara Abshire
Office Manager
Hers is the face that greets you when you visit our offices and the voice that (usually) answers when you call. Barbara has been involved with BCB since 2018 and became a member in 2019. She decided to apply for the position as BCB’s office manager after volunteering in the role for a few months; her history and knowledge of the organization helped her hit the ground running and she was invaluable to us during our office move! Barbara is married to BCB Member Arthur Abshire; together they have three children and seven grandchildren. She is a Lexington native and taught elementary special education and primary classes in Fayette County schools for more than 40 years.