Barbara Rathmell - Ohio Deaf Blind Specialist
Barbara has worked since 1996 with people who are Deaf and Deaf-Blind, including 10 years in vocational rehabilitation. She has worked with the Ohio Deaf-Blind Outreach Program at the Columbus Speech & Hearing Center as a Deaf-Blind Specialist since 2000. She provides vocational support and independent living skills training to adults who are Deaf-Blind, throughout Ohio. Prior to that, Barbara worked for 2 years with residents who were Deaf and Deaf-Blind at The Columbus Colony Nursing Facility.
Barbara’s training and expertise include Deafness, diseases of the eye, sign language and Braille and has a degree in Sign Language Interpreting from Columbus State Community College. Barbara has hands-on expertise with assistive listening and low vision devices as well as vocational and homemaker skills training. She has also participated in various trainings related to mental health and other disabilities.
Barbara has volunteered with the American Association of the Deaf-Blind, Ohio Association of the Deaf-Blind, Little Rock Council on Aging, Maryland School for the Blind, Department of Disability in Maryland, Arkansas and Ohio, Boy Scouts of America and Columbus Ronald McDonald House.