Guiding New Beginnings While Experiencing Vision Changes
Meet the experienced coaches dedicated to Those Experiencing Vision Changes on There personal Journy.
Desirée A. Christian
VIP Coach
Desirée A. Christian is a Visually Impaired Person Coach, entrepreneur, and lifelong learner with a passion for helping others navigate transitions with resilience, clarity, and kindness.
Raised in a multigenerational blind family, she grew up with independence as the expectation and learned early that determination, not outside barriers, shapes success. Over the past 25 years, she has balanced managing a household with complex medical and dietary needs, raising two medically fragile daughters, and pursuing her own growth as a legally blind woman.
For the last four years, Desirée has taught virtual classes and led peer support groups for people experiencing sight loss. Two of those years were spent as a hired coach and facilitator with the Hull Foundation, where she expanded her reach and deepened her experience supporting the blind community.
Her professional life extends beyond coaching. She is the founder of FlauntYourAbility.com, “Cheeky Tees for those daring enough to be human,” an online shop featuring witty disability-related and fandom-inspired designs, along with custom work. She has also volunteered with the American Council of the Blind, fandom-based charities, and other community organizations.
Her creative spirit shows up in her love for sewing, knitting, dance, and world cuisine, and her intellectual curiosity is fed by reading more than 150 books a year across history, science, and fiction. With decades of choir singing behind her and experiences ranging from solo traveling to Alaska to see the aurora borealis, to experimenting with diverse crafts, Desirée embodies adaptability and joy in exploration.
Marja Byers
VIP Coach
Marja Byers has lived through sight loss in ways few can imagine—three times in her life she has been declared legally blind. Each experience bringing its own challenges and lessons. Today, with only a small field of vision remaining, she uses her white cane with confidence and a deep understanding of what it means to adapt and keep moving forward.
Before blindness changed her path, Marja spent more than 30 years working in obstetrics as a surgical technician. Since losing her sight in 2010, she has dedicated herself to serving the blind and visually impaired community. She has led Blindskills as Executive Director, provided vocational assessments, taught Zoom classes with the Hull Foundation and Learning Center, and is a Certified Peer Support Specialist in Oregon—a role that allows her to use her lived experience to guide and encourage others.
Her passion for this work began at her very first support group meeting. Feeling overwhelmed and disconnected, Marja remembers the simple moment when the woman beside her gently touched her arm as she grew emotional. That small act of kindness sparked something inside her: “This is where you belong.” From that day forward, she has been committed to helping others find the same sense of community and hope.
When she isn’t coaching, Marja loves listening to audiobooks and playing music on the jukebox at her neighborhood spot—curating the mood of the room one song at a time. Her gift for creating connection, whether through music or mentorship, is what makes her work so meaningful.
Marja brings warmth, humor, professional skill, and lived experience to VIP Coaching, believing wholeheartedly that no one should face vision loss alone.
Todd Fahlstrum
VIP Coach
Todd Fahlstrom is a seasoned rehabilitation professional with over two decades of experience spanning vocational counseling, recruitment, instruction, and leadership in the disability services field. His career began in management roles at Walgreens and the Dining Service at Mankato State University, where he honed his skills in team leadership, customer service, and operational oversight. Todd transitioned into rehabilitation counseling through an internship at the South Dakota Rehabilitation Center for the Blind, which laid the foundation for his impactful work with the Colorado Department of Human Services and the community of individuals with vision loss. There, he provided comprehensive guidance and support to clients with disabilities, leveraging his expertise in case management, vocational assessment, and counseling.
Todd’s commitment to empowering individuals with vision loss is evident in his recent role as a Sight Loss Instructor at the Hull Foundation and Learning Center, where he led virtual classes, provided resources, and collaborated with staff to ensure mission-driven support. His tenure as a Virtual Recruiter for Durable Life Skills Inc. showcased his adaptability and technical proficiency, as he successfully staffed multiple offices using diverse recruitment platforms. As a Director at Melaleuca, Todd demonstrated entrepreneurial skills by educating customers, building networks, and aligning with the company’s mission to promote wellness and sustainability.
Beyond his professional achievements, Todd is a dedicated advocate and leader in the blindness community. He has served as State President and Chapter President of the Montana Association for the Blind, participated in the American Foundation for the Blind’s Blind Leader Mentor Program, and founded FM Visions, a support group for individuals with vision loss. His accolades—including the Dorothy Bridgman, Durward K. McDaniel, and Eagle Scout awards—reflect his unwavering commitment to service and leadership. Todd holds a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Minnesota State University, Mankato, and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor since 2007.
On a personal note, Todd has been married for 18 years and has 2 teenagers living in the home. Todd often helps manage the home life from cooking, cleaning, and juggling household responsibilities. These skills tie into the classes he currently teaches on Exploring Life Skills for Independence. He enjoys the outdoors, connecting with others around the country and always seems to have a cup of coffee in his hand. As Todd loses more sight from Retinitis Pigmentosa, he keeps up on technology, mobility and various others skills of vision loss.
Teresa Christian
VIP Coach
Teresa Christian is a certified Empowerment Coach with VIP Coaching in the Dark, where she helps people with vision loss build independence, confidence, and resilience so they can create the lives they truly want to live.
Her coaching approach is rooted in compassion, persistence, and humor. Believing that growth is easier when learning feels enjoyable, she brings warmth and positivity into the process—even when challenges arise. Clients often describe Teresa as someone who can find clarity in chaos, turn obstacles into opportunities, and keep going until solutions are found.
Teresa’s background spans over 15 years as a massage therapy business owner, followed by studying social work with direct service experience serving the senior and disabled populations. Her work with those populations continued with her recent role as a Sight Loss Instructor at the Hull Foundation and Learning Center.
She has also given back extensively through her volunteer work with the American Council of the Blind (ACB). Teresa served on the ACB of Oregon state board for ten years, edited the state newsletter for eight years, and led a local chapter as president for six years. On the national level, she contributed as vice president for an ACB affiliate for blind entrepreneurs for three years.
Alongside her career and volunteer service, Teresa raised two children as a single parent, assisted in caring for two medically fragile granddaughters, and supported her mother through 10 years of dementia care. These experiences deepened her resilience, empathy, and ability to meet people exactly where they are.
Her personal journey with blindness began at age eight. Inspired by her father, who was blind and thrived as a minister, teacher, and school principal, she learned early on that persistence and creativity open doors to independence. Later, seeing blind professionals succeed at national conventions gave her the confidence to live boldly and embrace possibility.
Today, Teresa is passionate about empowering others with vision loss to recognize their own strengths, adapt with creativity, and live fully with style and grace.
Jeal Espinal
VIP Coach
Jael Espinal is a leader and educator who brings over 20 years of expertise and lived experience as a Deafblind individual to the non-profit sector. Her foundational mission is to demonstrate and enable greater independence, ensuring that a full and beautiful life is achievable for everyone, regardless of sensory challenges.
For two decades, Jael dedicated her energy to empowering the blind and deafblind community. She specialized in teaching crucial independent living skills, Braille, and assistive technology, delivering her training with a memorable blend of deep empathy, expert knowledge, and natural humor.
In 2007, Jael decided to take on the challenge of learning American Sign Language. It is a journey that has opened many doors for her, connecting her further with the deafblind community globally. This passion for connection led her to join the Hull Foundation and Learning Center in 2021 as a virtual sight loss instructor. During her tenure, she founded a highly successful support group for those experiencing duo sensory loss-a community she continues to champion today, even after her departure from Hull.
In 2022, Jael relocated across the globe, bringing her unique skill set and talents to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. She now focuses on enhancing community access and independence within the local non-profit sector, channelling her lived experience into meaningful change. Not only this, but she has now taken on the challenge of learning Australian Sign Language (Auslan), adding to her skillset.
Jael’s personal journey informs her culturally sensitive approach. Born in Texas to Caribbean immigrant parents, she grew up speaking Spanish and learned English upon starting school. Her vision loss, caused by Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), was gradual, a transition she expertly navigated by mastering Braille even while she still had usable large print vision.
When not dedicated to professional pursuits, Jael can be found reading, crafting, playing the piano, or embracing new travel adventures with her beloved guide dog, Brassy. She is committed to bringing two things to every interaction: expertise and infectious joy.
Tyanne Wilmath
VIP Coach
Tyanne is still working on hers, just know she is Awesome!