Careers in Vision Services Spotlight: Jessica Poggi, Gamma Epsilon-Kent State

Our Do Good Sisterhood represents thousands of members who work every day to put more good into the world through Service for Sight. During Do Good Week, the Delta Gamma Foundation is highlighting members who have integrated the spirit of Service for Sight into their professional careers to bring more awareness to career paths related to Service for Sight. See Jessica’s feature on Delta Gamma’s LinkedIn page.

Jessica Poggi, Gamma Epsilon-Kent State, marketing director at the Center for the Visually Impaired

Tell us more about what a person in your professional role does. 

In my role as marketing director at the Center for the Visually Impaired (CVI), I help raise awareness of our services and educate eye care professionals and the broader community about how we can extend support when glasses, surgery or other medical treatments can no longer restore a patient’s vision. CVI’s mission is to empower people impacted by vision loss to live with independence and dignity. As a nonprofit, we help people of all ages and income levels benefit from adaptive tools, technology and specialized support. In October, CVI will partner with Meta to provide free AI-powered glasses to United States veterans who are visually impaired. As opportunities to support our clients through emerging technology continue to grow, I am also leading a rebranding initiative and the launch of an updated website that will include an adaptive technology guide.

What is the primary mission of your organization? 

For more than six decades, the Center for the Visually Impaired has been Georgia’s only comprehensive provider of low vision services and support. We accept referrals from eye care professionals, and our low vision specialists conduct evaluations to identify the adaptive tools and technologies that can help each patient continue doing the things they need and love to do. Clients may also work with an occupational vision therapist to learn practical, life-changing skills. CVI is a nonprofit; we accept all insurance plans and offer financial assistance. This past spring, CVI received a Healthcare Champion Award for Senior Care from the Atlanta Business Chronicle. With nine satellite locations, we are making care more accessible to seniors and caregivers who live farther from our main Atlanta location. 

How did you become interested in this field? 

My professional background includes marketing for senior living communities, and my volunteer work with Delta Gamma helped introduce me to CVI. One of my first volunteer opportunities with the Atlanta alumnae chapter was helping with a Red and White Ball that CVI hosted for teenagers with visual impairments. CVI remained on my radar because of Delta Gamma. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many older adults postponed eye exams, and afterward there was a renewed need to make the community aware of CVI’s services. I wanted to help more people discover this important organization and understand that independence and success are still possible after vision loss. 

How did Service for Sight influence your career path? 

Service for Sight gave me a strong personal foundation and a genuine commitment to supporting people with vision loss. At CVI, that mission comes to life when clients share their successes — such as navigating an airport after white cane training, using the Be My Eyes app or studying at Georgia Tech with the help of a screen reader. I remember making tactile books for pediatric students with my Delta Gamma sisters, and I think about that experience when we host pediatric clinic days at CVI. Service for Sight is about giving hope, and that is also at the heart of what we do at CVI. This October, I will present to Delta Iota-Georgia alongside a former CVI client Gia Pergolini who is a Paralympic gold medalist for Team USA in swimming. 

How has Delta Gamma stayed relevant in your life and career? 

Delta Gamma has remained an important part of both my personal and professional life. I love being involved with the Atlanta alumnae chapter, and we recently hosted our fall kickoff event. When I moved to Atlanta, the chapter helped me meet wonderful women from across the country. In fact, my first Atlanta roommate was a Delta Gamma from another university whom I met through the chapter. One of my best friends, fellow Gamma Epsilon alumna Laura Peterson, and I also attended Delta Gamma’s sesquicentennial celebration in Oxford together. Although we attended Kent State in Ohio during different years, our Delta Gamma connection brought us together as friends in Georgia. 

What advice would you give someone interested in pursuing a career in vision services? 

My best advice is to get involved with a local organization as a volunteer. Look for a low-vision clinic, adaptive recreation program or blind sports league in your community. Volunteering is an excellent way to learn about the field, build meaningful relationships and see firsthand the resilience, determination and hope of people with vision loss.