Focus on Judy Scott, Director, AFB Center on Vision Loss
Areas of Expertise:
- Aging and vision loss
- Rehabilitation and independent living
A professional with over 40 years' experience in aging and vision loss, Judy Scott is actively involved in AFB's efforts to expand services nationwide for older Americans with vision loss—a population that is growing rapidly as baby boomers reach retirement age and beyond.
Scott spearheaded AFB's successful $2.3 million Preserving Independence campaign which resulted in the establishment of the AFB Center on Vision Loss in Dallas, Texas. The 9000-square-foot vision loss training facility educates people with vision loss and their family members, and those in the healthcare, construction and design professions, on ways to create environments that promote independent and healthy living. In addition, she was instrumental in developing the content for AFB Senior Site®, a unique website that carries the Center's information to a national and international audience.
She guided the AFB's National Agenda on Aging and Vision Loss, a coalition of 140 vision rehabilitation professionals who work to address the needs of America's increasingly larger aging population. As a coalition leader, Scott worked to increase federal funding for independent living programs for older adults with age-related eye conditions.
In 1974, while working with the Texas Commission for the Blind, Scott helped develop a proposal to establish the first independent living program for older visually impaired persons in Texas. The program, which she directed, later served as a national model.
Scott's efforts have helped make many public structures accessible for people with disabilities. This includes the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Terminal D, Cowboys Stadium, and the American Airlines Center.
Scott was appointed to the Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities in 1996 and Governor Perry appointed her as Chair in 2007. She serves on more than ten other committees and boards dedicated to full access, including the Elderly Working Group of the World Blind Union.
Scott has received numerous recognitions and awards. In 2010, she was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame and selected as a first time recipient of the Texas ACB "Who's Who Among Blind Texans Award." Scott holds an M.S. in Counseling and Guidance/Aging and a B.S. in Psychology and Sociology from East Texas State University.
Video: An Interview With Judy Scott
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Transcript of the Video
Narrator: Judy Castle Scott is the Director of the American Foundation for the Blind Center on Vision Loss in Dallas. She was recognized as a 2010 Distinguished Alumna from Texas A&M-Commerce. This video was filmed at the Center and was part of her award-winning ceremony at a gala held on April 8th, 2011. Pictured are the Center on Vision Loss, Judy reading braille and helping visitors with activities such as cutting an apple using a special knife, demonstrating screen magnification for reading, and using a text to speech scanner. Other photos include Judy with Andrea Bocelli visiting the Center; Roger Staubach, chair of a Center fundraiser; Texas Governer Rick Perry, at Judy's induction into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame; and Dave Scott, her husband.
Title: Distinguished Alumna Judy Castle Scott
Judy Castle Scott: It's exciting to be recognized by your peers, and even more exciting to be recognized by the university that helped prepare for your career. When you grow up in a small community or go to a small school, you don't always realize what the opportunities are. And going to East Texas State University, now Texas A&M-Commerce, my horizons were broadened. Some of the hallmarks in my career included establishing the first program in Texas to provide independent living services for older individuals with vision loss. This program served as a national model and now there is a program in every state.
Establishing the Center on Vision Loss here in Dallas has been exciting because it gives us the opportunity to demonstrate tools and solutions to help people learn to live independently. And it's exciting to see some of our concepts included into venues such as the DFW International Terminal, the American Airlines Center, and the new Cowboys Stadium. Also, Governors Ann Richards and George Bush and Rick Perry have all appointed me to state boards. In 2010, I was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame. And I guess the last was my favorite because I was Chair of the Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities Success team effort. It involves your family, your university, and your colleagues, and it brings to mind a quote that I like to use from Helen Keller. And that is, "Alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much."
Title: Distinguished Alumna Judy Castle Scott
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