Ricardo Flores hails from the great state of Texas. Retina Blastoma---cancer in the retinas was the cause of Flores’s blindness at the age of 3. Flores owes much of his independence and success developing as a person with a disability to his support from two driven older sisters, a hard-working father, and a loving mother who dedicated over 30-years to the education system. He has dedicated much of his talents and abilities to improving the lives and impressions toward disability in his work.
Ricardo is our Disabled Students Assistant Director Career Services Counselor and Trio DSP Student Support Services Career Advisor. Ricardo hosts counseling sessions for registered DSP job seekers. He’s theoretical approach to career counseling are grounded in the principles of empowering person-centric and work-based solution-oriented to self-determination, advocacy, accessibility, accommodations, diversity, and inclusionary practices. He firmly believes that by providing proper training, advocacy, and inclusion, job seekers with disabilities can achieve security, equality, and opportunity.
Ricardo earned a Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling from Texas Tech University Program, holding a Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Management, earning a degree in History from Texas A&M University, and a graduate of the Louisiana Center for the Blindness Skills Program, Ricardo has five years’ experience as a teacher of life-skills for students with visual impairments at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
In 2016, Ricardo with 3 other colleagues founded METAS---an international disability consumer advocacy and scholarship nonprofit serving oppressed disabled people of color and those without welfare. For over ten years he has been an active member in the National Federation of the Blind of Texas in a variety of positions supporting Youth Empowerment, Civil Rights and Disability Career Awareness. Ricardo has also served as an Awareness Ambassador for The Blind Café. In addition, to serving on the Board of Directors of the National Beep Baseball Association---an international adaptive sport for the blind. Lastly, Ricardo won a World Series championship ring in this sport as a player for the Austin Blackhawks in 2014.