BEST Together Podcast

Ken Quinn is a husband, father of three, advocate, student and accessibility and tactile graphics consultant. He also happens to be blind. Ken's younger sister, Alicia Holt, is a wife, mother of two and Team Lead and Nonprofit Coordinator. She has typical vision. For this month's podcast we invited Ken and Alicia to talk with us and explore sibling dynamics when it comes to disability. Does having a brother or sister with a disability lead to less focus on the child who does not have a disability? Does having a sibling with a disability equate to a feeling of protectiveness? Does having a disability and growing up with a sibling who does not have a disability make things harder or easier? How can parents and caregivers foster a positive and secure relationship between siblings? We dive into these questions and more in our conversation as Ken and Alicia share their lived experience. 

Kim Owens is a mother, blogger, entrepreneur and recent empty-nester who has a website called Navigating Blindness where she has chronicled her journey in raising a son who has a genetic condition causing progressive vision loss. Kim's son, Kai, is now 19 years old, in college and was diagnosed with a vision impairment at the age of 9. Kim joins us this month to share her story -- the story of a mother who knew something was wrong, fought for answers, advocated for her son and went on to advocate and support other families going through similar journeys.

Annie Hughes has been a Teacher of the Visually Impaired for over 40 years. She joined us in a webinar setting earlier this year to provide her lived experience and advice for both parents and providers. We loved our conversation so much that we decided to share it on our podcast. Listen as she shares her experiences and best tips for caring for a young child with blindness or vision loss.

Born a micro premie at just 23 weeks, Abby Sweet is now a thriving and joyous 14-year-old student at the Tennessee School for the Blind - her  true appreciation for life and the future ahead are infectious. In this interview, Abby offers up advice and wisdom well beyond her years, and reminds us that we truly are BEST together and that we are all miracles.

Kate is a board-certified Music Therapist (MT-BC), singer-songwriter, and registered yoga instructor in Nashville, TN. Kate attended Belmont University, was a founding member of its Music Therapy program, and was among the first graduating class of Music Therapy students in 2016. Alongside her passion for Music Therapy, Kate received 4 years of training in voice, rhythm guitar, performing, and songwriting through Belmont’s School of Music. Kate has used her unique skill set to help both children and adults with behavioral challenges, disabilities, autism, mental illness and chronic illness. Listen as Kate explains how music therapy can be a helpful tool in empowering both children and adults.

JP Williams is songwriter, singer, and public speaker. Blind since the age of 10, JP brings a unique perspective to his work as a life coach and musician. He has performed on the stage of the Grande Ole Opry, written a no. 1 hit single and has his own publishing company. Recently he has turned his focus to his work as a life coach. Listen as JP discusses the trauma of losing his vision and his philosophy of name it, claim it, change it.

Heather Field is a Special Education Teacher, Parent Coach/Advocate and owns a tutoring center in Franklin, TN. She grew up on a farm in Australia as one of 8 children and has been blind since the age of 2. In this episode, Heather shares her lived experience and tips for both parents and teachers working with young children who are blind or visually disabled.

In this inaugural episode of the BEST Together Podcast, Alison and Stacy tell their own stories, share how they met and what united them to become two moms on a mission! They talk about why they created their nonprofit, Blind Early Services TN (BEST), and what they hope this podcast to be for other families and providers working to give young children with blindness or low vision their BEST start. Join us no matter where you are in your journey or where you are in the world. We are here to lift you up and propel you forward!

Meet Alison Clougherty and Stacy Cornwall, the co-hosts of the BEST Together Podcast!

As parents of young boys who are blind, Alison and Stacy experienced first hand the importance of specialized services and support in the early years of raising a child with a vision disability. The goal of this podcast is to bring inspiring stories, informational resources and uplifting support to parents, caregivers and providers of children who are blind or low vision. 

In this short intro, we share what to expect from our new podcast series. We're excited to have you with us!