Mark A. Riccobono
From The Space Library
Mark A. Riccobono
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mark Riccobono was diagnosed with glaucoma and aniridia at age five, but that didn't stop him from being successful. Mark attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UWM) to pursue a bachelor's degree in business administration. In 1996, he founded the Wisconsin Association of Blind Students and became its first president. At age 22, Mark was elected president of the NFB of Wisconsin and served two terms. After graduating in 1999, Mark joined the Sears, Roebuck, and Company's National Executive Trainee Program. He also spent considerable time advocating for the blind. He was appointed to the Wisconsin State Superintendent's Blind and Visual Impairment Education Council and hired to serve as the first Director of the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (WCBVI). He resigned in October 2003 to become Director of Education for the NFB Jernigan Institute, providing innovative programs to blind youth.