ABOUT BPN ● FOUNDED 2019

About Blind Professionals Network

Founded in 2019 by Victoria Hillard, Blind Professionals Network (BPN) is a rapidly expanding 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to bridging the gap between sight loss and professional success.

While many social support groups exist for the visually impaired community, BPN was created with a specific, overlooked mission: to provide a dedicated, professional space where blind and visually impaired individuals can navigate their careers, overcome workplace obstacles, and thrive.

OUR STORY

Our Evolution: From Support Group to Empowerment Hub

A blind professional wearing business attire and holding a white cane stands confidently outside a modern office building during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other professionals work and interact in the background, including another person with a guide dog. The image represents the employment challenges faced by blind and visually impaired professionals during the pandemic while highlighting resilience, inclusion, and hope for greater workplace opportunities.

2020 — A critical need

What began as an essential peer support network quickly evolved. In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted severe vulnerabilities in the workforce, BPN recognized a critical need to combat the alarmingly high unemployment rate among the blind and visually impaired.

A modern office with several small groups of professionals collaborating at tables with laptops and large monitors. In the foreground, three colleagues work together while another person stands beside them, and a guide dog rests under the table next to a seated team member using a white cane. Additional coworkers meet in the background near large windows, creating a bright, open, and inclusive workplace environment.

Today — An empowerment hub

We identified major systemic barriers to employment, including a lack of specialized training, limited awareness of accessible career paths, and a profound loss of professional confidence—especially among those experiencing adult-onset sight loss. To dismantle these barriers, BPN transformed into a comprehensive empowerment hub, bringing together a powerhouse team of driven peers to provide targeted professional development.

OUR COMMITMENT

Empowerment Through Accessibility

At BPN, we believe financial circumstances should never be a barrier to professional success. Every single one of our programs and services is offered completely free of charge.

Supported by generous donors and dedicated volunteers, we equip our members with the skills, strategic tools, and confidence required to master the job search and excel in the modern workforce. We are fostering a community where every blind professional is empowered, supported, and ready to achieve their highest aspirations.

LEADERSHIP

Meet Our Founder

Portrait of Victoria Hillard, Founder & Executive Director, smiling and wearing a black blazer against a white background.

Victoria Hillard

Founder & Executive Director

Victoria Hillard is the visionary leader behind BPN. As a totally blind professional,  her leadership is rooted in a unique blend of personal experience, unwavering advocacy, and a profound commitment to fostering inclusive workplaces.

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A Personal Mission

At age 30, Victoria lost her sight due to Neuromyelitis Optica. Experiencing adult-onset blindness firsthand, she intimately understood the despair and the common, erroneous belief that a professional life is over after sight loss. Overcoming these hurdles herself, she became fiercely passionate about helping others realize their full potential, proving that career goals are absolutely attainable regardless of the degree of vision loss.

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A Proven Track Record of Leadership

Victoria brings over 15 years of experience as a personal and professional development coach, specializing in guiding individuals to overcome obstacles, identify strengths, and achieve their goals. A dedicated and powerful advocate within the blind and visually impaired community, her leadership spans many years of service both as a full-time professional and in an impactful volunteer capacity, designing initiatives that enhance independence, enrich lives, and drive professional excellence.

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Academic Foundation

Victoria holds an Associate degree in Psychology and a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services, providing her with a robust academic foundation in human behavior and community support structures.

Under her guidance, BPN continues to break down barriers, paving the way for a more equitable, inclusive, and empowered professional landscape.

Learn More About Victoria

To learn more about Victoria’s personal journey with blindness, as well as her ongoing projects, advocacy work, and professional endeavors, we invite you to visit her website.

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