Mission And Vision, History, Board Members, Staff

Albert Rizzi - CEO of My Blind Spot

Albert J. Rizzi - CEO of My Blind Spot
Albert J. Rizzi, Founder and CEO of MY BLIND SPOT will bring a unique blend of corporate, entrepreneurial, educational and nonprofit knowledge and expertise to your organization. MY BLIND SPOT’S mission is to introduce equity and diversity education in our schools, by creating an integrated learning experience which meets and exceeds state standards for diversity. Specifically we work towards informing and educating students so they better understand and show thoughtfulness towards the disabled within their community.

Albert received his BA from Manhattanville College, and has a dual Masters of Science in education - one in early childhood and the other in administration and supervision, from St. John’s University.

His initial inspiration to work with children came from his grandparents who worked with children as foster care parents for nearly 65 children over a 15 year period. When Albert’s grandmother passed, he received his calling to continue his family’s tradition of working with children. He was a New York City Teaching Fellow and a member of the third cohort that graduated in 2003. He made the commitment to practice “preventative medicine” and chose to teach kindergarten as his first foray into education. Soon after, he became the Executive Director of MARC After School and Pre-K Program located in the South Bronx, providing direct services to 250 students and their families. Albert’s unexpected and complete loss of sight uniquely qualifies him to help guide and inform teachers, parents and students about all inclusive and adaptive friendly curriculum and internet environments in our community. Albert helps to plant the seeds of hope and independence in all our students to inspire them to improve the quality of their own lives. Albert is committed to bringing hope and opportunity to all of our uniquely abled youth.

Anthony A. LoPresti - Board Member

Anthony A. LoPresti - Anthony LoPresti is a distinguished attorney who managed the New York firm Davidson & LoPresti, LLP for several years before forming Meltzer LoPresti, LLP. Mr. LoPresti currently practices in all areas of civil and commercial litigation, with a focus in entertainment, media & intellectual property law. Mr. LoPresti has represented diversified clients ranging from bio-tech, to architectural design, to publicly traded technology corporations, to fashion, entertainment & media clients ranging from trendy magazines, “Page 6” restaurants and clothing companies, to well known actors, artists, producers, writers, photographers and fashion models, as well as ventures in film, TV, theatre and music.

On a pro bono basis, Mr. LoPresti has represented numerous not-for-profit entities and public officials, including, among others, members of the U.S. Congress, the New York City Council, current New York Governor David Patterson, the NYFD Uniformed Fire Officers Association, not-for-profits supporting, among other things, human rights, civil rights, community rights, environmental rights, health & well being, and animal rights. Such representation has resulted in various cases of note, reported in case law reports, legal publications and local and national press.

While in law school, Mr. LoPresti wrote for the New York Law School Journal of Human Rights, where his article Creating An Affirmative Duty To Achieve Economic Security and Safeguard Human Rights Through the United Nations was selected for publication. Anthony’s honors and awards include the Professor Lung-Chu Chen Award for Excellence in the Field of Human Rights (1996) and the prestigious Common Cause "Holding Power Accountable Award" (2003), which lauded Anthony as "a distinguished attorney who … helped promote a more open, honest and accountable democracy in New York State."

My Blind Spot Staff

Bob Kamp - Staffer Bob Kamp

Dianna Kamp - Board Member

Dianna Kamp is originally from McLean, VA where she started her marketing career...she moved to New York City in 1995 and has held several marketing/event planning positions with Estee Lauder, Ralph Lauren Fragrances and Matrix Haircare.

Although Diana loved marketing new products her heart has always been with animals...In 2006 Dianna accepted a position with VCA - a company that owns and operates 500+ animal hospitals across the country. She manages 2 busy clinics on the Upper East Side of Manhattan - the Manhattan Veterinary Group and New York Veterinary Hospital.

Mission & Vision

Mission

To build respect and empathy for, and reduce bias towards individuals with disabilities, specifically blindness, through educational programs for students and adults.

Vision

We seek to encourage acceptance and respect for all individuals and to minimize the discrimination and misunderstanding experienced by people with disabilities.

We believe that every person, at every age and level of ability has the potential for growth. We hold that every individual is entitled to the same dignity, respect, and opportunities as inalienably afforded under the Constitution of the United States, regardless of their specific challenge in life.

We will employ individuals with an array of abilities, thereby helping them gain recognition, independence, productivity, and inclusion in their communities. At the same time, we will raise awareness in the larger community of the challenges, tools and accomplishments of disabled individuals.

We will empower students from all abilities and backgrounds to make positive choices by introducing them to inspirational role models who manage disabling conditions with determination, honesty, and humor.

We will foster a social paradigm shift by increasing public awareness of the challenges faced by people with disabilities, thereby reducing the structural and emotional obstacles that too often confront them.

In a hands-on interactive environment, we will simulate experientially, dailly activities which the disabled go through and the tools they utilize as they navigate life. We will inform and educate our students to utilize and appreciate assistive devices and technologies. By demystifying the technologies and equipment used by the disabled, everyone will see these as useful and purposeful tools used to empower and strengthen the individuals who use them, instead of badges of abnormality.

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