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Joe Ruffalo speaks with Mark Riccobono, National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, Director of Education
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National Federation Of The Blind
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mark Riccobono was diagnosed with glaucoma and aniridia at age five. Yet, his progressive vision loss did not stop him from doing the things he wanted to do. Mark attended public schools and graduated with honors from Solomon Juneau Business High School in Milwaukee. In high school he was active in Debate, DECA (a national association of marketing students) at the local, state, and national levels, and the school track team.
Mark went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to pursue a degree in business administration. Mark was extremely active in many clubs and organizations on the University campus. In 1996, he founded the Wisconsin Association of Blind Students, a division of the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin, and became its first president. Due to his leadership at the University, he was nominated and selected to be a member of the Iron Cross Society, a distinguished honor society of top student leaders who have attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He graduated from the university with a Bachelor’s Degree in 1999. During his senior year, Mark was elected, at age 22, to the presidency of the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin and was re-elected twice for successive two year terms until resigning in 2003.
Upon leaving college, Mark joined the Sears, Roebuck, and Company’s National Executive Trainee Program, considered to be one of the top programs for training managers in the retail field. While working for Sears, Mark spent considerable amounts of his free time advocating for the blind. As a result, he was appointed to the Wisconsin State Superintendent’s Blind and Visual Impairment Education Council. With a growing interest in the field of education of blind children, Mark was hired to serve as the first Director of the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (WCBVI), a $6.1 million state agency responsible for statewide services to children who are blind. During his three and one half year stint as Director of the WCBVI, Mark took the organization from the brink of closing to a more distinguished position of leadership. After his success with the WCBVI, he resigned in October 2003 to take a position with the National Federation of the Blind, the leading organization in the field of blindness. He serves the NFB as Director of Education for the newly established NFB Jernigan Institute, a one-of-a-kind, national, research and training facility. His duties include directing educational efforts such as the National Center for Blind Youth in Science, the NFB Online Education Program, the NFB Early Childhood Education Initiative, and national mentoring and outreach projects. He also researches and writes white papers and articles regarding the current status and future direction of the education of blind children and is responsible for building partnerships and collaborations meaningful to the blind.
In order to compliment his broad experience in the field of education for blind children, Mark is currently pursuing a Masters of science in educational Studies from the Johns Hopkins school of Professional Studies in Business and Education.
Mark is married to Melissa, a school counselor and leader in her own right. Together, the Riccobono’s look forward to long careers making meaningful changes in society and positively impacting future generations.
Mark went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to pursue a degree in business administration. Mark was extremely active in many clubs and organizations on the University campus. In 1996, he founded the Wisconsin Association of Blind Students, a division of the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin, and became its first president. Due to his leadership at the University, he was nominated and selected to be a member of the Iron Cross Society, a distinguished honor society of top student leaders who have attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He graduated from the university with a Bachelor’s Degree in 1999. During his senior year, Mark was elected, at age 22, to the presidency of the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin and was re-elected twice for successive two year terms until resigning in 2003.
Upon leaving college, Mark joined the Sears, Roebuck, and Company’s National Executive Trainee Program, considered to be one of the top programs for training managers in the retail field. While working for Sears, Mark spent considerable amounts of his free time advocating for the blind. As a result, he was appointed to the Wisconsin State Superintendent’s Blind and Visual Impairment Education Council. With a growing interest in the field of education of blind children, Mark was hired to serve as the first Director of the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (WCBVI), a $6.1 million state agency responsible for statewide services to children who are blind. During his three and one half year stint as Director of the WCBVI, Mark took the organization from the brink of closing to a more distinguished position of leadership. After his success with the WCBVI, he resigned in October 2003 to take a position with the National Federation of the Blind, the leading organization in the field of blindness. He serves the NFB as Director of Education for the newly established NFB Jernigan Institute, a one-of-a-kind, national, research and training facility. His duties include directing educational efforts such as the National Center for Blind Youth in Science, the NFB Online Education Program, the NFB Early Childhood Education Initiative, and national mentoring and outreach projects. He also researches and writes white papers and articles regarding the current status and future direction of the education of blind children and is responsible for building partnerships and collaborations meaningful to the blind.
In order to compliment his broad experience in the field of education for blind children, Mark is currently pursuing a Masters of science in educational Studies from the Johns Hopkins school of Professional Studies in Business and Education.
Mark is married to Melissa, a school counselor and leader in her own right. Together, the Riccobono’s look forward to long careers making meaningful changes in society and positively impacting future generations.
To learn more about the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, visit www.nfb.org