Jennifer Holladay is the manager of Volunteer Services for the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI), where she has worked for more than 15 years. “When I am doing my job or interviewing people who would like to volunteer for the organization, I am also educating people about how to interact with someone who is blind or visually impaired,” she said. “As a sighted person, it is always good to introduce yourself and offer assistance without assuming that someone with vision loss needs your help.”
Jennifer began her journey at CABVI in 2004, working as an intern when she was a student at Thomas More College. She later took on the roles of Talking Book Coordinator and One-on-One Coordinator before landing her current position. Jennifer has not let her visual impairment stand in the way of her personal growth and absolute independence, and she earned a master’s degree from Northern Kentucky University.
“If a person who is blind or visually impaired needs help, it is a good idea to ask that person how you can best assist them. People with vision loss are always people first and it is good to think of them as being capable, independent and empowered,” she said. “Also, people who are blind or visually impaired are usually pretty good at asking for specific types of assistance when needed. This is one of the many adaptive skills that we teach clients who come to CABVI.”