In graduate school I met my now husband of nine years on our first day of classes. I then got my Master’s Degree from Louisiana Tech University in orientation and mobility. It was not until I moved to north-central Louisiana, to receive my own blindness training at the Louisiana Center for the Blind, that I realized (with the guidance of one of my teachers and mentors) that I wanted to teach. I did not however, think I would end up a teacher and actually go a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from Utah State University. I used to lay my dolls out on the floor and teach them dance classes before I could walk (my mom is a dance teacher and studio owner in SLC). OTC Program Manager Deja Powell helps a student wearing sleep shades learn braille. I also worked for the State of Utah at their Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DSBVI) for six years.Įveryone’s favorite interview question – Tell me about yourself: I moved to Seattle from Salt Lake City, Utah where I was a National Orientation and Mobility Certified teacher, and worked with a transition program called Project STRIVE. What was your previous position and employer? I asked Deja if she would be willing to answer a few hardball questions so we could get to know her a little better, and she enthusiastically agreed.
They felt her deep student-focus, her energy, her creativity, her problem solving, combined with her open communication style and emphasis on collaboration would represent the OTC well among a wide range of stakeholders. Powell felt her values aligned perfectly with their vision for the new OTC director. Well I am happy to report that after an exhaustive, nationwide search, a very capable and qualified replacement was found, Deja Powell! The panel that interviewed Ms. At the same time we were also nervous about what the future held, about who would take over the reins and lead our team into the future. On one hand, we were sad to see her go, but glad that she was genuinely excited about the next chapter of her life. October thirty first was the last day of Julie Brannon’s tenure as director of the Orientation and Training Center and like every departure of someone you have worked and struggled with, admired, laughed with, cried with, and yes been frustrated with, and respected for those of us who were a part of Julie’s team, had mixed emotions about her leaving. New Beginnings with New OTC Director Deja Powell I Hear What You Are Seeing, by Sara Haapala.Walking the Line of Blindness, by Emily Haapala.Attending the NFB Convention, by Humberto Avila.Hiking the Tradition Lake Loop, by Christianne Sobieski.Our Expedition to the WCB, by Christiana Sobieski & Victoria Hatch.Flying High and Flying Safe with Alaska Airlines, by Emily Haapala.A New Director and Direction, by Kim Massey.This Newsletter is a production of the staff and students of the Orientation and Training Center (OTC) to inform the community of what is happening at the OTC, and to challenge our students to put into practice the skills they are learning. Department of Services for the Blind - Orientation Training Center Newsletter
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