 Teaira Daniels at work as an Ulta Beauty Stylist, utilizing her standing wheelchair.
Teaira Daniels knew from a young age that she wanted to be a cosmetologist. She learned to braid hair from her mother and enjoyed helping others look and feel their best.
In 2012, Teaira started cosmetology school, following routine gallbladder surgery. A few months later, Teaira was back in the hospital. She was diagnosed with pancreatitis, shingles, and lupus. Her spinal cord became inflamed, resulting in paralysis from the chest down.
After receiving chemotherapy and rehabilitation for months,Teaira was diagnosed in 2015 with Devic’s disease, also known as neuromyelitis optica (or NMO), which affected Teaira’s ability to walk. NMO occurs when the body’s immune system reacts against its own cells in the central nervous system. Teaira had multiple surgeries and long-term physical therapy. Her physical therapist at the Daniel Drake Center in Cincinnati referred her to Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD). “My physical therapist told me OOD could help get me back to work and help me figure out how I could work in a salon,” said Teaira.
Tricia Steiden, OOD Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, paired Teaira with Jenna Tudela, an Ergonomist/Engineer from MJT Engineering, who helps find on-the-job solutions for people with disabilities. Jenna made arrangements for assessment at a salon and mapped out what a typical day would look like for Teaira. They looked at accommodations for her workstation that included seating and building access. Tricia and Jenna then arranged for Teaira to try a variety of accommodations to see what worked.
“We really tried to be creative in helping Teaira move around her clients. We tested different technologies until we found one that would allow her to sit and stand while being fully supported,” said Jenna. “Teaira’s positive attitude was so contagious. She was very motivated to become a hairstylist. It was rewarding to find solutions that allow her to work in the field she loves.”
Teaira completed her cosmetology program and was licensed in January 2017. In 2018, OOD helped her find a job with Ulta Beauty where she works four days a week with the help of a standing wheelchair. Ulta Beauty installed an electric height adjustable chair in the salon to further assist Teaira.
Teaira’s story has been shared on social media, Yahoo Lifestyle, BuzzFeed, Right This Minute, and Let’s Talk Cincinnati. Celebrity makeup artist Theo Turner and author/comedian D. L. Hughley were inspired by her story, sharing it with more than one million followers.
“Having the chair and my job has given me a sense of independence and normalcy. I am happy I get to still do what I love, and it has given me part of my life back,” said Teaira. “I like to share my resources and my journey with others. I like to tell people to ‘just keep going.’ If I can help just one person, it will all be worth it.”
To get started with OOD, visit www.oodworks.com or call 800-282-4536.
 Patricia Foltz at her home office in Springfield, Ohio. Also pictured is her service dog, Koko.
Patricia “Cricket” Foltz has been working for 50 years and doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Patricia worked for the Appellate Branch of the Internal Revenue Service and the Veteran’s Administration in Dayton where she supervised and transcribed voice-recorded medical reports. Then she provided medical transcription from home for the Mercy Medical Center in Parma, until she began her second position at home as a General Reservations Agent for Red Roof Inn in 2012.
Raised on the west side of Cleveland in Fairview Park, Patricia was born with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic disorder that affects only one percent of the population. The disorder involves a breakdown and loss of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in blindness.
“I started working long before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),” said Patricia. “Back then people came right out and said, ‘I’ll hire you, but the first wrong move you make, you are fired.’ If you had a disability, you had to be better than everyone else.”
It was John Detrick, former Clark County Commissioner, who put her in touch with OOD. In partnership with Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley, OOD made it possible for Patricia to work for Red Roof Inn.
“I worked with doctors and lawyers my whole life, but I never worked as a reservation agent,” said Patricia. “When I first started, I was nervous and asked if I had to give people my real name. My supervisors, who were always helpful and encouraging, said no. That is when I started being known as Cricket.”
“It is so great to have Patricia on our team,” said Linda Gillis, Director of the Red Roof Inn Contact Center in Springfield. “She is a pleasure to work with and is a power worker. We can always count on her. Patricia was the second agent who is blind that we hired, and she broke all the barriers. We now have 15 employees who are blind that work for us.”
“OOD helped Patricia initially when she came to work with Red Roof Inn by teaching her Job Access With Speech (JAWS) screen reader commands to navigate the Red Roof System,” said Tiffany McGuire-Edwards, OOD Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. “Recently, we have partnered with Jenny Lauber, Job Coach and Computer Skills Instructor with Vision Services of Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley, and Mark Tudela, owner of MJT Engineering Services. Jenny is transitioning Patricia to Fusion, computer software that reads the screen using speech and increases the size of text. Mark is updating Patricia’s system with scripting, which allows Fusion's software and Red Roof Inn's software to speak the same language. He is also incorporating a refreshable braille display into the program,” added Tiffany.
“It has been amazing to work with Patricia,” said Jenny. “She has a lot of determination to do the trainings and is always willing to try something new. Patricia loves to work, loves her job and hates to be idle. She wants to keep her job for as long as she can.”
Patricia, who recently turned 70, said, “It has been so important for me to work so I can be independent and grow as a human being. I have never let blindness stop me from anything. I credit my parents with my strength.”
 Every fours years, Ohio creates a Combined State Plan to better align the state’s largest workforce programs and to better connect businesses to qualified workers. Ohio has released the draft of its Combined State Plan for a 30-day public comment period. The plans covers the time period July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2024, for a variety of workforce programs, including OOD’s Vocational Rehabilitation Program.
Ohio’s Combined State Plan is built through the collaboration of various state agencies and stakeholders to incorportate programs under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
To view the draft plan or offer comment, please visit jfs.ohio.gov/owd/Initiatives/State-Plan-Home. The online portal will be open to public comment until 5 p.m. on February 17, 2020.
 OOD offers Ohio College2Careers at 15 public colleges and universities in Ohio to ensure students with disabilities have the support they need to complete their degree and/or credential, earn higher wages, and meet the demands of tomorrow’s labor market. These counselors are located within the disability/accessibility services offices at the following schools:
- Bowling Green State University
- Central Ohio Technical College
- Columbus State Community College
- Cuyahoga Community College
- Kent State University
- Lorain County Community College
- Miami University
- Ohio University
- Stark State College
- The Ohio State University
- The University of Akron
- The University of Toledo
- University of Cincinnati
- Wright State University
- Youngstown State University
The Ohio College2Careers Counselors are holding open office hours on Thursday, January 30 from 1-3 p.m. Help OOD support more college students with disabilities by sharing with someone you know.
 Microsoft offers an Accessible Events Guide and an inclusive events checklist for planning and executing an inclusive event. Information covers posters and digital signage, event registration, exhibit halls, catering, emergency preparedness, accommodations, and more. Visit https://sway.office.com/Uk6btnkIIONW6ZmI?ref=Link to read the guide or download the checklist.
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