Aaron’s Opinion

Here is our conversation with the executive director of, The Blind Society. To learn more, please go here:

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Hi Aaron,

As we discussed, below are some short sentences about me for the podcast. Please let me know if you have any questions or need any additional details.

I’m legally blind with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). I came to the United States from Vietnam when I was 19 years old. I did not speak any English at the time. I started high school at the age of 19 and tried to learn English at the same time. I graduated third in my high school class. I attended Stony Brook University on full scholarship where I graduated with honors with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. I have been working as a human resources specialist for 26 years.

My dad was an army officer with the South Vietnamese government and after the Vietnam war ended, my family went through hard times until we came to the U.S when we started building a new life. My story is about life before and after we came to the U.S. My story is not unique, but one of courage, perseverance, and resilience.

When I’m not working, I enjoy traveling, which is immensely enriching. I’m also involved in a few charity work which includes crocheting/knitting blankets for the Project Linus charity organization, planting organic vegetables to feed the poor, and teaching yoga for the blind.

Sent from my iPhone

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Biography – Rey Dalman Duhaylungsod,LPT
1981-09-23

I am a Licensed Professional Teacher and Senior High School educator at the Department of Education in Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. My work focuses on inclusive education, and I teach blind students across all year levels. I use tools such as Braille, abacus instruction, NVDA screen reader training, and orientation and mobility guidance to make learning accessible and empowering.
At the age of 24, I got married, and in the years that followed I explored different jobs and business opportunities—from bookkeeping and auditing to teaching online and trying entrepreneurial ventures. At 34, I finally found my calling in education when I joined the Department of Education on May 18, 2016. This year marks my 10th year of service as an educator, a role that continues to inspire and drive me.
At 37, I became blind. Now, at 44, I see this not as a limitation but as a turning point that deepened my commitment to accessibility and innovation. This experience reshaped my perspective as both an educator and developer, motivating me to create solutions that empower others facing similar challenges.
My academic background includes a Bachelor of Commerce major in Management Accounting, units in Secondary Education major in TLE, and completion of academic requirements for both a Master of Arts in Educational Management and a Master of Arts in Special Education. I also studied at Misamis University, where I was a member of the chorale—a reflection of my lifelong passion for music.
In addition to teaching, I am a project web app developer. I am currently building a Fuel Management System and have previously created tools such as timelog, an offline digital classroom, and an offline digital quiz to support my teaching practice. My career path has been diverse, with experiences as an online teacher, bookkeeper, auditor, and entrepreneur, all of which have shaped my perspective as both an educator and innovator.
As a father of five, I find joy in music and family, often sharing piano sessions with my youngest son. My interests in web app development, accessible education and entrepreneurial projects reflect my drive to create meaningful solutions that empower communities.

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Hi Aaron,

Thank you for wanting to have us on your podcast. Even Though I’m Blind is a media outlet and nonprofit created to give blind and visually impaired people a real voice, stronger visibility, and a space where our stories can be shared with honesty, purpose, and humanity. Through media, storytelling, interviews, social platforms, and community connection, we highlight the people, experiences, talent, challenges, and victories that often go unseen. At the heart of ETIB, we want the world to understand that blind people are not just part of the conversation. We have voices, stories, leadership, creativity, and impact that deserve to be heard. We would be honored to come on your show and share that mission with your audience.

Website: https://eventhoughimblind.com
Phone: 910-853-5247
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/even...
Twitter/X: https://x.com/etibglobalvoice
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@eventhoughimblind
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eventhoughimblind

Best,
Cazerny Bussey
Founder & CEO
Even Though I’m Blind

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Leighann Fuller is the inaugural Visually Impaired Services Coordinator at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), beginning her time in the ACCESS Office in November 2025. Prior to this role, she worked in the Student Persistence and Success department at SIUE as a Success coach. After experiencing a vision loss in 2023, blind and visually impaired students began to gravitate to Leighann for academic and personal support. Even before beginning this official role, Leighann had numerous opportunities to advocate for accessibility with campus housing as well as internship accessibility. Now officially in this role as the Visually Impaired Services Coordinator, Leighann regularly meets with blind and visually impaired students, works with faculty to create accessible classroom experiences, meets with campus partners to educate on and troubleshoot accessibility of forms and websites, communicates with Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services to refer students to services to support their educational journey, and provides a space for students to be understood and supported through their college experience.

Leighann is a two-time alum of SIUE, graduating with her MS in Kinesiology (exercise and sport psychology specialization) in December 2024, which was one year post her vision loss. In May 2026 she passed the Illinois Braille Proficiency Test after a year-long study of Unified English Braille, making her the only proficient braille reader in the ACCESS office. Additionally, Leighann is proficient in VoiceOver for MacOS and iOS as well as Jaws for Windows. Leighann has the privilege of leading ally trainings to educate staff, faculty, and students on how to be allies to blind and visually impaired individuals. At a recent training she urged participants, “Instead of asking ‘This student is blind, so what can they do?’ we need to ask ‘What does the student want to do and what accommodations and support do they need to get there?’”.

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