Dr. Nick Racheotes Chairs one of National Braille Press’ Strategic Planning Committees

Framingham State University Professor and Braille reader brings advocacy experience to new post

Boston - (August 3, 2012) National Braille Press (NBP) announced Dr. Nicholas Racheotes as Chairman of their Publications Strategic Planning Committee. Dr. Racheotes, who is blind and a Braille reader, adds an important perspective to the board and serves as a significant resource towards its efforts to increase Braille literacy through publications in Braille including NBP original publications written by blind authors, “how-to” technology manuals, and children’s print and Braille books.

“We are fortunate to have Dr. Nicholas Racheotes chair our Publications Strategic Planning Committee at National Braille Press,” said Brian MacDonald, President of National Braille Press. “Our board is critical to our success and we are very thankful for Nick’s participation and the leadership he brings to the team.”

Dr. Racheotes has been reading Braille since age eleven.  As an historian and professor at Framingham State University, Dr. Racheotes reads Braille in English, French, Modern Greek, and Russian and employs it to compile material for his classroom activities and to deliver lectures, in his research and writing, and his foreign language studies. Though a little reluctant to learn it as a child, Racheotes now believes that Braille has been the principle tool in his 41 years of teaching at the college level, his publications, and a host of daily chores.

With an extensive background in advocating for the blind, Dr. Racheotes has served on National Braille Press’ Board of Directors since 2008 and he was on The Boston-Cambridge Unit of Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic’s Board of Directors from 1997-2005; serving as their Chairman during 2001-2003. In 2006, he was awarded the National Braille Press’ Volunteer Award for contributing to Louis Braille:  A Touch of Genius exhibition and book, and he was honored by the Carroll Society “for outstanding achievement as an employee and a positive influence to others,” in 2001.  Dr. Racheotes joins the National Braille Press Board strategic committee to work towards helping others understand the importance of Braille literacy and how they too, can benefit from the knowledge of reading Braille.

“As one among so many devoted volunteers with the National Braille Press, I wish to join in raising awareness among educators, employers, parents, and others of how vital Braille remains,” said Dr. Racheotes.  It is the gateway to true literacy, access to the world of information, and advancement in so many ways."

National Braille Press the only publisher of original Braille works in the United States. The Boston based non-profit, continues the proud tradition of supporting a lifetime of opportunity for blind children through Braille literacy, and providing an education foundation for the blind community to maintain independence and productivity in their lives.

ABOUT NATIONAL BRAILLE PRESS

A non-profit Braille publisher, National Braille Press promotes literacy for blind children through outreach programs and provides access to information by producing information in Braille for blind children and adults. National Braille Press is the only publisher of original Braille works in the United States. www.nbp.org