About Hearts for Sight

Our Mission

The Hearts for Sight Foundation (HFS) is a non-profit 501c(3) organization whose mission is to  break down barriers to health and fitness that restrict the blind and visually impaired, so that they may pursue physical, mental, and emotional wellness.

Hearts for Sight Foundation envisions a blind and visually impaired community that is empowered, confident, capable, and healthy.

Hearts for Sight Foundation envisions a society where Visually Impaired People (VIPs) can count on unfettered access to and unhindered use of health facilities and services.

The Hearts for Sight Health and Wellness Program and Community Engagement Activities will fulfill these needs for our community.

Board Members

Joseph BurtonJoseph Burton, ACSW

Board President and Co-Founder

Joseph Burton, ACSW is a resilient individual who does not let unfortunate circumstances dictate the outcomes of his life. Joseph was raised in foster homes. Throughout his childhood he was placed on many forms of medication that resulted into him becoming obese. He also has a disease known as Retinitis Pigmentosa and was told by his 20th birthday he would become blind. In Joseph’s mid-twenties, he has lost over 100 pounds by converting his lifestyle to an all-around wellness lifestyle. Joseph graduated from UCLA (2021) with a Masters in Social Welfare and a Bachelors degree in Psychology from California State University Dominguez Hills (2019). While in school he founded Hearts For Sight and is now the President and Director of the organization. Joseph’s and HFS’ goal is to live in a world where health and wellness services such as nutrition education, fitness, and mental health support can be accessed without barriers for visually impaired people (VIP). Joseph is an inspiration to many in the blind and visually impaired community. His energy and enthusiasm for life shows through his willingness to do whatever it takes to create opportunities for others around him.

Racquel DecipedaRacquel Decipeda

Board Secretary and Co-Founder

Racquel Decipeda has a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services and Management from the University of Phoenix. She was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa and has moderate bilateral hearing loss, but Racquel never lets her disability stop her from living a full, productive, and independent life. Racquel’s passion is to work with blind people like herself and other people with disabilities. Racquel is also a member of the San Fernando Valley chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of California and has served many roles such as the chairperson of the Membership Building Committee, Events and Workshops Planning, Sports and Activities Committee, and Best in Tech Planning Committee. Racquel is a member of the Board of Directors for the Audio Internet Reading Service of Los Angeles (AIRSLA), a nonprofit organization that records a wide variety of podcasts for people with low vision or dyslexia. Racquel’s motto is: “I do not let my blindness stop me from living the life I want”, and that is what she hopes to share and advocate to everyone and to the members of Hearts For Sight Foundation. Racquel is the Assistant Director of HFS and coordinates HFS events and activities.

Alexis ChenAlexis Chen

Board Member, Certified Personal Trainer / Nutrition Program Co-developer

Alexis grew up in Silicon Valley and holds an Economics B.A. from University of California, Berkeley. During his time there, he was diagnosed as having Stargardt’s Syndrome. Known also as Juvenile-/Early-Onset Macular Degeneration, the rare genetic condition gradually destroys central vision, leaving peripheral vision relatively intact.

Alexis has been actively involved with low-vision/blindness and disability issues since 2002 and has made a life-long study of somatics and wellness. He is trained as a Peer Support Specialist and promotes mindfulness, radical acceptance, and individual empowerment. Alexis is Certified in Personal Training (CPT) and Functional Nutrition (FNS) from the National Association of Sports Medicine. In his spare time Alexis volunteers as a docent at the lovely and restorative Gardens of the World.

Bill Takeshita, Board Member, Hearts For SightDr. Bill Takeshita

Board Member

Dr. Bill Takeshita is an optometrist who specializes in low vision rehabilitation. He is the former chief of optometry at the Center for the Partially Sighted in Los Angeles, CA and consulting director of low vision at the Braille Institute. Dr. Bill ironically lost his vision at the age of 49 due to a retinal disorder. He states that his personal experience of losing his vision has given him very special insight that has allowed him to overcome his blindness. Dr. Bill has served as a Hearts for Sight board member since 2016.

Jessie WolinskyJessie Wolinsky

Board Member

Jessie Wolinsky is a former preschool teacher by day while being a social justice advocate at heart. Currently, Jessie is a full-time student at California State University Channel Islands studying to become a teacher for the blind. Diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa at 7 years old, Jessie dedicated her life to passionately helping raise money and awareness for blind and visually impaired communities. Jessie volunteered for the Foundation Fighting Blindness when she was 14 years old and as a teen, she created a fundraising group called “Jessie’s Sight Savers.” Since then, Jessie has been fortunate enough to raise over $100,000 for blindness research, has spoken at several events in Southern California on topic related to blind and IV awareness, and has developed a social support group for young adults with visual impairments. Jessie shares that “coming to terms with losing my sight has been a constant struggle for me, but I’ve found peace of mind by embracing my condition and inspiring others to do the same. I’ve learned that you can’t always control what happens to you in life, but you can control how you feel about it.” Jessie is a prime example of someone who chooses to let their circumstances empower them rather than hinder their potential.

Richard-RuedaRichard Rueda

Digital Content Manager, CareerConnect, APH ConnectCenter (APHConnectCenter.org)

Richard Rueda has worked in the field of Human and Social Services specializing in Blindness and Low Vision since 1992. He has worked with the Intercommunity Blind Center in Whittier, the Junior Blind of America in Los Angeles, the Department of Rehabilitation as the statewide Transition Coordinator (2001 – 2010), and served as Director of Community Services at the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco. In the autumn of 2011, Richard joined Junior Blind serving as their Director of Transition Services for northern and central California.

In 2016, Richard established CareersPLUS, a career education teen and young adult and transition program with Society for the Blind in Sacramento California. He continues to work with various agencies in consulting on Transition best practices in serving blind and low vision youth, including the Earl Baum Center in Santa Rosa, Vista Center for the Blind based in Palo Alto and Center of Visual Enhancement (COVE) in Merced. He also contributes and collaborates with the APH Connect Center and CareerConnect projects supporting the continued expansion and development of these rich critical resources at the national level.

Nebiyu Dingetu

Video Content Creator and HFS Storyteller

Nebiyu Dingetu joined the Hearts for Sight board in August 2020. After his initial involvement with helping HFS create a fundraising video, Nebiyu was excited by the idea of using his passion for storytelling to serve the blind and visually impaired community. He graduated from California State Northridge with a BA in Cinema and Television Arts, and he works closely with Hearts for Sight to create video content that highlights all the meaningful work the organization is doing.

Nebiyu strongly believes in the importance of proper care for the body, mind, and spirit, especially when dealing with the stress that comes from living with a disability. He is legally blind and based on his personal experiences, is very familiar with the challenges people who are blind or have low vision face when tending to their health and wellness needs. He plans to keep working with Hearts for Sight to eliminate those barriers.