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thriving blind academy's 5th Annual VIRTUAL

SUCCEED WITHOUT SIGHT SUMMIT
1/25/25 10:00am (Eastern)

The Ultimate Game Changer for the Blind and Low Vision Community,

Igniting Success Driven Mindsets like No Other Event!

black background with white text Succeed without sightsummit


  • Imagine a world where vision knows no bounds, where limitless potential thrives in the absence of sight.

    This groundbreaking summit is your ticket to an inspiring convergence of resilience, innovation, and practical startegies for success.

    Join us as we unlock the elements of the THRIVER Formula for Success, featuring incredible stories, expert insights, and a foundation for building extraordinary relationships on this journey!

    Don't miss your chance to be a part of this transformative event.

    Enter your info below to grab your FREE ticket! (Note: Only TBA Yearly Members get access to the recordings of the event)

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    Speakers Succeeding Without Sight in Lives of Their Dreams

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    Learn about Parenting, Education, Workforce Success & More!

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    See the Latest and Greatest in Assistive Technology!

  • THRIVING BEGINS WITH YOU!

    REGISTER NOW to see experience the only event for the blind community that inspires & empowers attendees to take the next right steps to thrive... and have a heck of a lot of fun!

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    Thriving Blind Academy Yearly Membership includes the ALL ACCESS PASS to recordings of every Succeed Without SIght Summit PLUS speical events PLUS webinars PLUS weekly coaching/mentorship community calls.

    DONATE!

    What Can You Expect at This Summit?

    Get a glimpse of the THRIVERS that join us all day long at the only event of it's kind!

    Sam of "The Blind Life": Assistive Tech Talk

    Campbell Rutherford: Homeschool to Harvard

    "Microsoft Matt": Employment 

    What Is the Succeed Without Sight Summit?

    The Succeed Without Sight Summit is a virtual event hosted by Thriving Blind Academy to connect you to people that are living, working, and succeeding with vision loss. The summit has inspired and motivated thousands of individuals and families from all over the world to take the next steps to thrive.

    In a world not built for blindness, it is challenging to find others that know the feelings you feel in adjusting to vision loss. In this community, we understand. Summit speakers and attendees know the fears, doubts, anger, etc involved in this journey. We also know the joy, relief, and energy that comes from being inspired and empowered to take control of your life.

    During the event, you'll be able to learn from those thriving with blindness and low vision and will be empowered by resources and knowledge to succeed in YOUR life. 

    ATTEND! 1/25/25

    Grab your ticket and prepare to THRIVE!

    REGISTER

    DONATE!

    Support the work of Thriving Blind Academy!


    DONATE!

    BECOME A MEMBER

    Get access to the Summit replay AND Events and Mentoring all year long!

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    JOIN TBA!

    VIP All Access Pass!

    Gain access to the live event AND the recordings of every session by joining TBA!

    JOIN TBA!
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    Kaleigh Brendle, Sudent, VIllanova University
    2021 Summit Speaker

    Succeed Without Sight Speakers & Topics

    These are the pressing topics our community wants to know more about! Stay tuned for updates! NOTE: Session Schedule Available to all Registered Attendees and TBA Members

    dr lee warren

    Self-Brain Surgery with Lee Warren, MD: Unlocking the Power of Your Mind to Thrive

    Join Dr. Lee Warren as he reveals how to rewire your thinking, overcome obstacles, and take control of your future. Discover the transformative tools of "self-brain surgery" and learn how to harness the power of your mind to create a thriving life!

    Mchelle in her audio studio

    Persistence Pays Off: Harnessing the THRIVER Formula for Unstoppable Success

    Join Michelle Guadalupe Felix Garcia, trailblazing blind audio engineer and advocate, as she shares her journey from the stage with Coldplay to breaking barriers in the music industry. Learn how persistence, innovation, and the powerful THRIVER Formula fuel extraordinary success!

    clarke in his signature yellow Mr Dot suit

    From Impossible to Unstoppable: How Clarke Reynolds Became "Mr. Dot," the Blind Braille Artist

    Discover how Clarke Reynolds defied expectations and turned "impossible" into a global career as a blind artist. Be inspired by his journey of resilience, creativity, and using braille as a universal language of art.

    Making the World Talk: How RightHear Brings Environments to Life Through Audio

    Join Darren Gladstone of RightHear to explore how talking signage and real-time audio descriptions are transforming the way people navigate and experience the world. Discover the innovative technology empowering independence, safety, and exploration for everyone, everywhere.

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    Empowering Lives with Innovation: How SensAble is Redefining Accessibility

    Join Sakshi Srivastava, founder and CEO of SensAble, as she shares her mission to revolutionize wearable devices and reshape the narrative around disability. Discover how cutting-edge technology is breaking barriers and creating a more inclusive future for all.

    Seeing the World Differently: How Meta Smart Glasses Empower Accessibility

    Join Michael Smedley, of Disney Live Entertainment, as he shares how he uses Meta smart glasses by Ray-Ban to navigate the world and enhance independence. Learn how innovative technology is breaking barriers and creating new possibilities for accessibility.

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    Tech That Transforms: The Latest Tools for Thriving with Sam Seavey

    Join Sam Seavey, creator of

    The Blind Life, as he shares cutting-edge assistive technologies that empower independence and success. Discover the tools and tips that can revolutionize how you navigate and thrive in everyday life!

    alexander howard at a microphone

    Lights, Camera, Accessibility: Championing Inclusion in Film & TV

    Join Alexander Howard live from the Sundance Film Festival as he shares his journey as a low-vision entertainment professional and advocate for audio description and disability inclusion. Explore how storytelling and accessibility can come together to create a more inclusive entertainment industry.

    dr. kirk adams

    Breaking Barriers in Cybersecurity: Extraordinary Careers for the Blind

    Join Dr. Kirk Adams as he unveils an extraordinary cybersecurity company that’s creating inclusive career paths and offering cutting-edge training for blind and visually impaired professionals. Discover how this innovative approach is breaking stereotypes and empowering a new generation to thrive in tech.

    Meet Your Summit Hosts

    The Succeed Without Sight Summit is hosted by the Founders of Thriving Blind Academy

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    Kristin Smedley

    Kristin Smedley is a TEDx speaker, filmmaker and author of the best selling book Thriving Blind:Stories of Real People Succeeding Without Sight and What I Can Be Is Up To Me. Kristin is Co-Founder of Thriving Blind Academy and the SuccessAbility You Tube channel. She has two sons that are blind due to CRB1-LCA and a sighted daughter. All three of her children are thriving - and out of the house at college and the workforce!

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    Charlie Collins

    Charlie is Co-Founder of Thriving Blind Academy and the SuccessAbility channel on YouTube, a certified Success Principles speaker/coach, and author of the book Tripping Into the Light. Charlie has been featured in two of Jack Canfield's The Success Principles books. Charlie was diagnosed with Stargardt's Disease in his teens and is legally blind, married and a father of two successful sighted daughters.

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    Want Access to the first FOUR years of

    Succeed Without Sight Summit Replays?

    All Thriving Blind Academy Yearly Members have access to the 30+ hours of previous summit sessions.

    Become a Member Now!

    Take a look at some of the THRIVERS from past summits that you can access with the VIP ALL ACCESS PASS!!

      Headshot Bob Burg

      Bob Burg

      Author, The Go Giver

      For more than 30 years Bob has helped companies, sales leaders, and their teams to more effectively communicate their value, sell at higher prices with less resistance, and grow their businesses based on Endless Referrals.

      Bob has regularly addressed audiences ranging in size from 50 to 16,000 — sharing the platform with notables including today’s top thought leaders, broadcast personalities, Olympic athletes and political leaders including a former United States President.

      Although for years he was best known for his book Endless Referrals, it’s his business parable, The Go-Giver (coauthored with John David Mann) that captured the imagination of his readers. The Go-Giver, a Wall Street Journal, and BusinessWeek Bestseller, has sold well over a million copies.

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      L.A. Williams

      VP, Dealer Synergy

      L.A. Williams is the Vice President of Dealer Synergy. He has 10+ years of automotive sales experience and has made it his mission to help, educate and level up anyone he comes in contact with. LA once started as a frontline analyst for the organization, but quickly worked his way through the ranks to most recently landing him his current role of Vice President and an official company partner. 

      LA is also a very successful music producer. He has produced tracks for Dr. Dre, Lil Wayne, Katy Perry, Karina Bradley, and scores more. In addition to having worked with some of the best in the music industry, LA has worked in movies. He was even the voice for Jigsaw in 4 of the SAW movies! 

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      Suzette May

      Speaker/Accessibility Consultant

      Suzette May is a passionate advocate and workshop speaker dedicated to making workplaces, clinical trials, and pedestrian areas accessible for the blind. As an entrepreneur and student at Arizona State University, she's pursuing undergraduate studies in Disability Studies and a graduate degree in Nonprofit Leadership and Management. Legally blind herself, Suzette has a Seeing Eye Dog and advocates for disability and pedestrian accessibility, braille literacy, and early vision screening. 

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      Campbell Rutherford

      Student, Harvard 

      Campbell Rutherford is a sophomore at Harvard pursuing an applied mathematics concentration on the biological sciences track. She's hoping to work in medical research after graduate school, which was inspired by the many rabbit holes of biology that she fell into during sciences classes as a homeschooler. Campbell is also a classic pianist and is currently a member of the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum mixed voice choir. She describes herself as a "standard nerd" and she's probably not wrong, though there's nothing standard about her.

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      Liza Rutherford

      Homeschool Mom/Choreographer/Dance Instructor

      Liza Rutherford is the homeschool mom of two girls and a choreographer/dance instructor by trade. She has been homeschooling for 11 years, from preschool to grade 9 for her 14 year old sighted daughter Harris, and grades 5-12 for her blind daughter, Campbell, who is now a sophomore at Harvard. That's 3 bouts of Algebra now, including her own attempt the first time through, if anyone's counting!

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      Leon the Jokester

      Comedian

      Hailed as “The funniest blind Comedian in stand-up”, by Voyage San Antonio Magazine. Comedian Leon the Jokester has one focus in comedy and that is to spread: Love, Hope, and Laughter. Widely known for his clean and relatable comedy for all age groups, Comedian Leon the Jokester brings a style of humor the entire family can enjoy. He addresses life issues, finding hope in tough times, and how to walk by faith and not by sight in every season of life. In 2016, he became the co-founder of the non-profit organization “Oklahoma Comedy Zone, LLC. In which he teaches “tweens” and “teens” how to write clean jokes and become comedians. 

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      Matt Philipenko

      Customer Solutions Architect, Microsoft

      First and foremost, Matt is a believer in Jesus Christ. He is  a Husband, Father, Son, and Brother. He feels blessed to work for Microsoft as a Customer Solutions Architect aka M365 Apps Ranger. Matt was diagnosed with Stargardts when he was 19. Matt says: In life we have a choice we can either ROLL OVER or RISE UP...it's your choice.

    Succeed Without Sight Summit is brought to you by Thriving Blind Academy

    the only community that gives you the success strategies, community and coaching to thrive no matter your level of vision loss.  Take the next step on your thriving journey and join us today!

    **Thriving Blind Academy Membership includes a FREE VIP ticket to the Summit!

    JOIN NOW!

    Succeed Without Sight Summit Access Options:



    FREE

    Standard

  • Membership in the private Thriving Blind Academy Facebook group


  • Access to all Summit Sessions 

  • Access to all Summit day Q&A Sessions



  • $97

    TBA Membership

  • Membership in the private Thriving Blind Academy Facebook group

  • Access to all Summit Sessions 

  • Access to all Summit day Q&A Sessions

  • Access to the entire online portal of recordings, masterclasses, webinars, trainings of success principles for thriving with blindness/low vision

  • Weekly LIVE group mentorship calls (and recordings)

  • Recordings of all Summit speakers

  • Become a TBA Member

    Questions or technical issues? Contact: [email protected]