Lisa Rafalson, the founding dean of the College of Health, Human Sciences, and Business at Daemen University, has been elected to the board of the Empire State Employment Resources for the Blind (ESERB).
“As a visually impaired person myself – legally blind since birth – I recognize the need for employers to hire and train others with vision impairments to enter or remain in the workforce,” Dean Rafalson said. “People with vision impairments can and want to contribute to the workforce, and this organization is dedicated to assisting vision impaired people to get gainful and meaningful employment across the state.”
ESERB operates the New York State Preferred Source Program (NYSPSP), a state-mandated initiative to create and sustain employment opportunities for legally blind New Yorkers at affliated nonprofit agencies.
In turn, state and local agencies are required to purchase certain products and services produced or performed by the agencies that employ people who are blind of visually impaired.
“I am committed to supporting people with differing abilities so that they can lead independent and meaningful lives,” Rafalson said. “NYSPSP is just one organization that is dedicated to employment opportunities for New Yorkers who are blind. I want to be able to contribute to that mission.”
Rafalson also serves on the advisory council for Deaf Access Services and spends time reading to the blind. Previously, she was a board member and secretary for Visually Impaired Advancement and volunteered with Blind Service Association in Chicago.