Our Story
We have been a vital source of local and national support with a history of funding program innovation.
Our Mission
Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation is dedicated to fostering the independence of people who are blind and visually impaired.
Our Vision
An accessible and inclusive world where people who are blind and visually impaired have the tools, resources and opportunities to lead independent and fulfilling lives.
For 70 years, Partners for Sight has supported projects that enrich the lives of thousands of visually impaired individuals, and assists them with their goal to become integrated, productive, fully accepted and participating members of society.
Our History: 1955 – Now
RDPFS was established in 1955, by DeWitt Wallace, the founder of Reader’s Digest Association.
In our early years, we published high quality, low cost, large print reading materials for people who could no longer read standard sized print.
Today, we publish Reader’s Digest Fiction Favorites Large Print, providing a diverse selection of fiction best sellers in easy-to-read large print format. Reader’s Digest Partners for Sight Foundation annually awards up to $600,000 in grants and partners with organizations and professionals that assist, support, and train blind and visually impaired people with:
- In-home and remote training programs to increase self-sufficiency skills for independence
- Educational initiatives to build knowledge and increase prospects for employment
- Assistive Technology innovations that ease the difficulties of daily living
- Vision testing and distribution of eyeglasses and vision aids
- Training of professionals to recognize vision loss and make referrals into the low vision rehabilitation system
- Supporting of professionals with new tools and resources to improve service delivery, access and capacity
There is enormous unmet need for services to blind and visually impaired people.
Our Board and Staff
Staff
Soja Orlowski – Executive Director
Joining us in October 2024, Soja brings to RDPFS substantial experience in governance, grantmaking and fundraising. Most recently, she led a global health funder awarding $500,000 annually. Soja oversees all foundation operations and activities, in partnership with the RDPFS board.
Board of Directors
Matthew G. Krieger – Board Chair
Matthew Krieger is a technologist and executive with experience in IT, manufacturing and publishing. He is President at Cober, Inc. and previously held senior IT leadership positions at Time, Inc. and Reader’s Digest Association. Matthew is Chief Technology Officer and sits on the Leadership Team of the SCORE Fairfield County Connecticut chapter and is Chair of the Southern Connecticut State University Computer Science Technical Advisory Committee. Matthew is also on the advisory board of Cyber-Seniors and until recently served on the Advisory Board for the Baruch College Computer Center for Visually Impaired People, having been part of a team that successfully transitioned the Center to a new home. Matthew is a frequent presenter on topics of business and technology. Matthew is also creator of Whysper, a platform allowing the consumption of text content as high quality text to speech. Matthew is a member of the Finance and Investment and Governance Committees.
James Deremeik – Vice Chair
Jim is a Certified Low Vision Therapist and member of the faculty of the Lions Low Vision Research and Rehabilitation Center at the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute. He holds a Master’s in Education from the University of Arkansas. Jim has served in a variety of leadership positions within AER (Assoc. for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired), including Chair of the Low Vision Rehab Division. He has won several awards for his leadership in the field and has published and lectured widely. Jim is the Vice Chair and a member of the Governance Committee.
Rob Hilliard – Secretary
Rob is a digital technology executive with extensive IT and business transformation leadership experience managing and implementing digital solutions for large enterprises and start-ups. He currently works as Chief Information Officer for Academic Partnerships in Dallas, TX. Rob holds an MBA from Babson College. He currently serves as the Secretary and is a member of the Finance and Investment Committee.
John Krieger – Treasurer
John brings to the post a 35 year career in Financial and operations consulting, starting with Coopers & Lybrand, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He has Installed financial and performance measurement systems in many industries from banking and insurance to mining and manufacturing. His work includes acting as Financial Director a multi-company research program for the petroleum industry that spanned five currencies on four continents. John holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hartford and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Angela C. Winfield, Esq.
Angela is a diversity, equity and inclusion executive specializing in developing innovative solutions and strategic initiatives to diversify key constituencies and enhance organizational culture. Angela currently is the Associate Vice President for Inclusion and Workforce Diversity at Cornell University. She is also admitted to the New York bar and is Of Counsel with Barclay Damon in its higher education, labor and employment and Commercial Litigation practice groups. Angela earned her J.D. from Cornell Law School and her B.A. from Barnard College of Columbia University.
Donna Esposito
Donna is a direct marketing professional with global expertise. Experienced at developing and launching new businesses, marketing, and communications. She currently works as Chief of Staff, Data Governance at Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets. Donna holds an MBA in Marketing Management from Pace University and a Digital Marketing certification from NYU. Donna serves on the Audit Committee.
William F. O’Connell O.D.
Bill is a Optometrist currently working with Low Vision veterans at the Hudson Valley V.A. Previously he served as Director of Low Vision Services at the Westchester Lighthouse, SUNY Optometry, and Montefiore Medical Center.
He is a Diplomate in Low Vision of the American Academy of Optometry and past chair of the Low Vision Section and Diplomate program. He is a past board member and Chair of the NY State Board for Optometry. He has lectured internationally on Low Vision to doctors and residents in Optometry and Ophthalmology for more than 40 years.
Elise Grossman
Elise has over 30 years experience working in the field of rehabilitation. For 23 years, she worked at the International Center for the Disabled with individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI), 13 of those years as Assoc. Director of the Cognitive Rehabilitation Program. For 8 years, she was Director of the Vocational Rehabilitation Dept. at the Lighthouse Guild, serving individuals who are blind and visually impaired. She conducted workshops at several Conferences across the state on the relationship between TBI and vision loss. Elise is currently retired. She holds a Master’s Degree in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling from NYU.
Naima K. West
Naima West is an accounting professional with extensive experience in performing, planning, and managing complex audit assignments for not-for-profit organizations. After a twelve-year career in retail, Naima changed her trajectory to pursue a career in public accounting. She is currently an audit manager at Blazek and Vetterling, a Houston-based CPA firm specializing in audit and tax services for not-for-profit organizations. Her work at Blazek and Vetterling allows Naima to fulfill her passion for serving the nonprofit community while also engaging in a career that she loves. In addition to her role as audit manager, Naima is a founding member of the firm’s Community Engagement Committee, which identifies and organizes fundraising and volunteer opportunities that enable the firm to serve charitable organizations in Houston and the surrounding areas. Naima holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting degree from the University of Houston-Downtown
Our Latest Financials
Our latest audited financials can be viewed here:
FY2025 Final FY2024 Audited Financial Statements for RDPFS. Please contact [email protected] if you are having trouble accessing.