Neva Fairchild
Neva Fairchild has over 20 years of professional experience in the field of vision loss and a lifetime of experience living with low vision. She is both a parent of two children, one of whom has vision loss, and is also a grandparent. With extensive experience in teaching both children and adults Neva has much to share.
Neva has served as the National Independent Living Associate at the American Foundation for the Blind Center on Vision Loss since 2008. She is responsible for Esther’s Place, a demonstration model apartment equipped with over 500 products to show people with vision loss how they can live as independently as possible.
Neva worked for the Texas Department of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services Division for Blind Services (formerly Texas Commission for the Blind) as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for five years and as an Employment Assistance Specialist for 10 years. She also worked for the Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind as a Vocational Evaluator prior to completing her master’s. She has served the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired at both the state and international board level.
Neva began her secondary education at Texas A&M University, but completed both her Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Science in 1988 and her Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling Psychology in 1992 at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.