[NFBOH-Cleveland] Celebrating Women History

Thu Mar 29 03:11:14 UTC 2018

This article is a testament to how powerful networking is!

Suzanne

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Pam Allen, First Vice President and Board Chair

Nonprofit Agency Administrator, Advocate, Community Leader

Pam Dubel was born in 1970 and grew up in Lancaster, New York. She became
blind when she was approximately two years old as a result of retinal
blastoma, a type of cancer. Although her parents were shocked by her loss of
sight, they fortunately realized that she was still the same child except
that she could no longer see. Through love and high expectations, they
instilled in Pam a sense of pride and confidence in her ability to succeed.
They constantly taught her that her blindness was not a limitation to
achieving her goals and dreams.  Growing up as the youngest of six children
also helped her learn to be independent. Since she was the youngest, nobody,
especially the brother a year older than she, let her get away with
anything. Pam attended a private Catholic school, where she was the only
blind student. Her itinerant teacher provided a sound foundation in Braille,
which helped her excel in academics. Her parents expected her to do her best
and to engage in activities that would make her a confident and well-rounded
person. She participated in horseback riding, skiing, and cheerleading
during elementary school. During high school her interests shifted to
performing in chorus, doing community service, and having fun with her
friends.

While growing up, Pam had limited contact with other blind people her age.
In general she had no desire to associate with other blind people. She
understood that every high school senior experiences some trepidation about
the transition to adulthood and independence. However, as high school
graduation approached, she began to grapple with questions that her sighted
peers couldn't answer. She planned to attend college, and she hoped that she
would eventually find a job, but she secretly wondered if she would truly be
able to obtain employment. After all, she had had difficulty finding
part-time work during high school. Her loving family and friends encouraged
her, but she had questions that went unanswered.  Although she entered
college with some apprehension, she was determined to achieve her best. Her
small liberal arts college provided an exciting environment in which to
learn and grow. But those unanswered questions continued to nag at her. If
people were amazed that she could accomplish the most insignificant tasks,
would they ever treat her as an equal? She realized that she had to meet
other blind people with more experience than she who could serve as role
models.

Her search exposed her to a wide variety of groups and organizations of and
for the blind. However, not until she attended a student seminar hosted by
the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio did she begin to find the
answers for which she had been searching. Although she didn't realize it at
the time, that seminar marked the beginning of a new chapter of her life.
She met Barbara Pierce, president of the NFB of Ohio, who told Pam about the
Louisiana Center for the Blind. More than that, she spoke with Joanne
Wilson, its director, who arranged for Pam to complete an internship at the
center the following May. As soon as that was completed, Joanne invited her
to work as a counselor in the children's summer program that year.

Pam was a 1991 National Federation of the Blind scholarship winner when she
was a senior at Denison University, where she majored in psychology and
minored in women's studies. She served as vice president of the Ohio
Association of Blind Students and as secretary of the National Association
of Blind Students, and throughout college she worked summers for Joanne
Wilson at the Louisiana Center for the Blind with the Children's Program.

After graduation from college Pam decided to become a student at the
Louisiana Center for the Blind. She recognized that she still needed to gain
some confidence in her skills and in her ability to be a successful blind
person.

Since 2001 Pam Allen has served as the director of the Louisiana Center for
the Blind, one of three NFB adult rehabilitation centers. Prior to becoming
the director, she served as the director of youth services, working with
blind infants and toddlers and their parents, supervising the training of
classroom aides to teach Braille throughout Louisiana, coordinating summer
camps, and developing innovative programs for blind children and teenagers.

People often ask her what makes the Louisiana Center for the Blind such a
special place. She responds, "What sets our alumni apart from those of other
kinds of rehabilitation facilities? The answer is that, by attending our
center and the other centers conducted by Federationists, students are
exposed to the National Federation of the Blind and its philosophy. The NFB
is more than an organization; it is a loving family. Regardless of where you
are, you can find members of the NFB who can give you support and
encouragement when you need it. The NFB also provides a constant supply of
mentors and role models who challenge you to set goals for yourself.  Lives
are positively changed every day at the Center because of the philosophy of
the NFB."

Allen recalls that she used to believe that she did not need other blind
people. She thought that being independent meant succeeding without the help
of others. Her involvement with the National Federation of the Blind has
taught her that this is not true. She has learned that she needs
reinforcement from her blind colleagues and friends.

Pam lives in Ruston, Louisiana, with her husband Roland Allen, a dedicated
Federation leader and a gifted orientation and mobility instructor at the
center. She is currently the president of the NFB of Louisiana and secretary
of the National Association of Blind Rehabilitation Professionals. In July
of 2002 she was elected to the National Federation of the Blind board of
directors. Four years later, in 2006, she was elected to serve as treasurer
of the National Federation of the Blind. In 2012, Pam and Roland received
the prestigious Jacobus tenBroek Award in recognition of their distinguished
service in the Federation. In 2015, Pam was elected as first vice president
of the National Federation of the Blind. Allen is also involved in a variety
of community and professional organizations, including the Chamber of
Commerce and as a gubernatorial appointee to the Louisiana Rehabilitation
Council.  She says, "Being elected to the national board has allowed me to
give back and to spread the message of our movement. It is an incredible
honor and privilege to serve!"

Suzanne Hartfield-Turner, President

NFBOH-Cleveland

P: (440) 462-9755

A: PO Box 141077

Cleveland, Ohio 44114

E: President.NFB.ClevelandOhio at Gmail.com
<mailto:President.NFB.ClevelandOhio at Gmail.com> 

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

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