Polly Abbott

Polly Abbott B.Ed., CVRT, OMS

Polly’s career in the field spans the U.S./Canada border. She started with a degree in education and spent a brief period as a teacher in France and England before leaving the classroom to attend Mohawk College’s post-graduate certificate program in 1998-99. Her direct service work in the vision field started with CNIB Ontario division, working on a special team serving clients with visual impairments and additional disabilities. Wanting to broaden her knowledge and serve clients more fully, she returned to Mohawk College to complete the orientation and mobility instructor program.

In 2005, she moved to the Chicago area, where she spent 15 years working as a direct service provider and as the Director of Rehabilitation Services with blind and low vision clients through Second Sense.

Polly is the author of the manual Starting and Maintaining a Vibrant Vision Loss Support Group (with Second Sense) and co-author of two chapters in Foundations of Vision Rehabilitation Therapy (APH 2020). In addition, she is a subject matter expert (SME) for Vision Rehabilitation Therapy with ACVREP and has recently received certification in UEB Braille Transcription (CNIB 2021).

Polly enjoys all aspects of direct service provision and is committed to helping those just entering the field by providing workshops to students and new VRTs. She enjoys mentoring and helping others to network and she is passionate about promoting the profession.

Recently she relocated to Seattle, Washington. She is working remotely for the Older Individuals who are Blind Technical Assistance Center with the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University.

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