Director of Public Relations and Development Greg Szabo
Greg Szabo was diagnosed at age three with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a genetic disorder that caused his vision to slowly deteriorate over time. His loss of eyesight had a negative influence on how he was treated at work and his ability to find a new job. After having no luck finding employment in Portland, Oregon, Greg was able to find a job at The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. in Spokane.
Greg started working at the Lighthouse in August 2011 in production. For five years, he worked in various production jobs including a year as a Wallboard Setup Specialist. Part of the Lighthouse’s mission is to provide training and opportunities for upward mobility to its employees. Greg took advantage of the various trainings being offered through the Employee and Community Services programs to expand and improve his skills. When a position opened up in the Communications Department, Greg was ready and willing to step into the role. He wanted to help bring community awareness to the greater Spokane area about the types of jobs individuals who are blind, DeafBlind, and blind with other disabilities can do.
Greg started in September 2016 as Director of Public Relations and Development at the Spokane location. Greg’s favorite part of his new job is helping to make people aware of what the Lighthouse does and its positive influence on the lives of people who are blind. “This job is also helping me to feel more confident interacting with people even outside of work.”
He isn’t done expanding his knowledge and skills yet. Greg is currently working on his Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Eastern Washington University. He is determined to continue to grow and the Lighthouse is proud to have helped him achieve his goals.
