Thomas Panek heads one of the nation’s leading institutions for vision health and accessibility, which can’t help but feel personal—he himself is blind, due to a progressive genetic condition. The Lighthouse Guild literally transforms lives by providing rehabilitation, programming, and services for people with vision loss while advocating for their independence.
A South Salem resident, Panek has a master’s degree in international studies and began his career as a senior trade specialist at the U.S. Department of Commerce. He served as Vice President of National Industries for the Blind, and as President and CEO of Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Panek started his current role last year; this is a typical workday.
7:30-9:00 a.m.
I live with my wife and teenager, who is the youngest of our four kids, and my guide dog and a puppy. We head to the train station in Goldens Bridge, sometimes commuting together because my wife teaches at Brooklyn College. Other days I travel solo with my guide dog. Navigating Grand Central Station is quite a challenge. Lighthouse Guild provided an orientation and mobility trainer who helped me understand the station, and my guide dog is very good at getting me to the taxi stand at 42nd and Vanderbilt. He finds the escalator, the Starbucks where I get an Americano coffee, and then Zaro’s bakery for a cream cheese bagel. A cab takes us to Lighthouse Guild headquarters on the Upper West Side.
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Mornings are devoted to strategy. I work closely with my senior leadership team, going over key metrics such as donations, quarterly financials, and the status of audit requirements. I evaluate new technology for clients, to make sure we offer the best options. That could mean anything from a sensor cane to Meta Smart Glasses that use audio and haptic feedback to explain the world verbally. I also spend time reaching out to other organizations, like hospitals and ophthalmology clinics, to form community partnerships and collaborations. I love to drop down to the fourth floor to GuildCare, where older adults with vision loss come to us for support and socialization. There are meals, games, trivia, music, and other events. I like to see how their day is going.
12:30-2:00 p.m.
I run marathons, so my lunch hour is for working out. My dog shows me which treadmill is free and even gets on with me sometimes. He also knows where the locker room and smoothie stand are. (The usual order: peanut butter, jelly, and banana.) Lately my playlist includes Kaskade’s “State of Mind” and “Heaven Knows.” Fitness is non-negotiable, and I encourage my employees to take care of themselves and make wellness part of their day.
2:00-5:30 p.m.
The second half of my day is chock full of meetings. I’m doing a lot right now with Silicon Valley companies on technology to help people who are blind. It could be Apple, Google, or another company—we are always a willing sounding board. It’s important for me to adapt and adjust as the day goes on. Thankfully, I have people around me who get priorities and understand what needs to be taken care of.
6:30 p.m. to bedtime
I continue to work on the train home, thanks to screen-reading technology on my phone called VoiceOver. I also use a program called JAWS on my computer which reads text aloud.
Evenings are for dinner together and letting the dogs play because my Labrador loves to let out pent up energy. Then we hit the couch to relax a bit; my wife watches TV and I listen to the audio description. Soon it’s time to go to sleep.
