The 2025 OIB-TAC Conference took place on February 26-27 in Arlington, Virginia, at the Hilton Garden Inn Reagan National Airport. This annual event brought together 32 state representatives, providing OIB program managers with the opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and refine strategies for serving individuals who are blind or have low vision (B/LV). Participants left feeling energized and more confident in their ability to manage, implement leadership skills, and improve their programs.
The conference opened with a warm welcome and introductions, setting the stage for a packed schedule of discussions and learning sessions. One of the first sessions, "What the Data Tells Us About Where We Are and Where We’re Going," provided valuable insights into the current state of OIB services across the country, helping managers assess their programs within a national framework.
Interactive breakout groups were a highlight of the event, offering program managers a chance to discuss common challenges and explore potential solutions. These sessions, followed by group share-outs, fostered collaboration and peer learning. Another engaging session, "Leveraging Talking Books to Enhance Services," introduced program managers to updates within the Talking Books program, allowing them to interact with the new materials and explore ways to maximize this resource within programming for OIB consumers.
Day two of the conference featured a group photo and a session titled "Team Talk: Growing the Health of Your Team," emphasizing the importance of strong supportive teams in delivering effective services. Additional breakout groups allowed managers to dive deeper into specific topics of interest, and a session on Promising Practices provided real-world examples of innovative approaches being used across the country.
With renewed confidence and new ideas, attendees left Arlington ready to implement their learning and continue improving services for individuals experiencing vision loss.
Explore the OIB-TAC website to learn more and stay up to date on OIB-TAC activities.