SUCCESS STORIES

InspiriTec believes what I’ve always believed: people with disabilities can excel at work, with the right skills, training, and mindset.
At InspiriTec, I handle database design and development, such as call trackers and phone system data. I write code to create the databases. I generate reports of these data, which our contact center managers use to ensure we’re doing a great job delivering for our customers. InspiriTec expects me to do as complete and efficient a job as any employee, and they have always accommodated. I have Retinitis Pigmentosa, which is a hereditary and degenerative eye condition. When I started at InspiriTec, I used ZoomText and larger computer monitors. Six years later, my vision had gotten so poor, that I couldn’t use magnification anymore. Enter JAWS: Job Access With Speech software! JAWS provides speech output of the text on the computer screen. With JAWS, I can: easily review code, create and review emails and documents, develop data reports, communicate with people inside and outside InspiriTec, and meet deadlines. InspiriTec ensures the latest versions and updates are on my system, to keep pace with the newest operating systems and software.
At home, life was easy. My family was always loving and supportive. They understood Retinitis Pigmentosa, because my oldest and youngest uncles have it, too. They supported my passions for puzzles, computing, and math. Outside the home, life was challenging. The kids bullied me. The staff tried to accommodate my RP, but in the 1970s-80s, they really didn’t know how. I acquired a lot of the technology I used in school by myself.
My passions inspired me to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Rutgers University-Camden. I wanted to be a high school math teacher. As I looked for jobs, I found nobody wanted to hire a blind person. Thanks to a program through the University of Pennsylvania, called the Center for Information Resources, I earned a certification in Computer Science. CIR was a predecessor organization to InspiriTec, where I have worked since its founding in 2000.
InspiriTec has given me a full life: the confidence to meet people, socialize, and navigate life as a blind person. I’ve owned my home in Collingswood, NJ for 20 years. I also got more involved with advocating for people with visual impairments. I formally put my education training in action from 2000-13, when I mentored blind and visually impaired high school students. As a Regional Coordinator for the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, I arranged activities intended to give the students a well-rounded skillset, so they could succeed while living with visual impairments. I have been involved with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) since 1995. I am its South Jersey chapter president and New Jersey Legislative Director. I have traveled around the country, attending NFB’s annual national conventions, and advocating for legislation to support blind people. In Spring 2023, I’ll marry my fiancée – who is also blind. We look forward to our honeymoon in her native England!
InspiriTec understands the importance of accessibility for every employee. I have everything I need to excel in my job, and not just because I’m one of the originals. We’ve grown so much since 2000, and we’re still growing! I encourage people with disabilities to consider InspiriTec when seeking employment. You will immediately fit in!

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