Mark A. Riccobono
Executive Director, Jernigan Institute

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mark Riccobono was diagnosed with glaucoma and aniridia at age five. Yet, his progressive vision loss did not stop him from doing the things he wanted to do.

Mark attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to pursue a degree in business administration. Mark was extremely active in many clubs and organizations on the University campus. In 1996, he founded the Wisconsin Association of Blind Students, a division of the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin, and became its first president. Due to his leadership at the University, he was nominated and selected to be a member of the Iron Cross Society, a distinguished honor society of top student leaders who have attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He graduated from the university with a Bachelor's Degree in 1999. During his senior year, Mark was elected, at age 22, to the presidency of the National Federation of the Blind of Wisconsin and was re-elected twice for successive two-year terms until resigning in 2003.

Upon leaving college, Mark joined the Sears, Roebuck, and Company's National Executive Trainee Program, considered to be one of the top programs for training managers in the retail field. While working for Sears, Mark spent considerable amounts of his free time advocating for the blind. As a result, he was appointed to the Wisconsin State Superintendent's Blind and Visual Impairment Education Council. With a growing interest in the field of education of blind children, Mark was hired to serve as the first Director of the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (WCBVI), a $6.1 million state agency responsible for statewide services to children who are blind. During his three and one-half year stint as Director of the WCBVI, Mark took the organization from the brink of closing to a more distinguished position of leadership. After his success with the WCBVI, he resigned in October 2003 to take a position with the National Federation of the Blind, the leading organization in the field of blindness. He served the NFB as the first Director of Education for the newly established NFB Jernigan Institute, and helped the Institute build an education program which operates programs impacting blind youth and professionals across the country.  In July, 2007, Mark became the second Executive Director of the Jernigan Institute, continuing to build and strengthen the programs and services of the Institute.

In addition to his professional work, Mark is married to Melissa, an Education Consultant for Discovery Toys and a former elementary school guidance counselor.  Melissa also happens to be blind and is a strong advocate for all children and greater opportunities for the blind.  A community leader, Melissa serves as the President of the Greater Baltimore Chapter of the NFB.  They have one child, a son named Austin.