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Christina, Tim and Leslie sit at a white table with microphones in front of them.

Taking the Lead

Leader Dogs for the Blind presents Taking the Lead, a podcast where we will take a deep dive into the blindness community. Our goal is to bring awareness to issues within the blindness community, as well as the free services we provide to those who are blind or visually impaired. Join us on this journey as we learn, laugh and make a difference in people's lives!

Christina smiles while holding a yellow lab puppy

Christina Hepner is the digital marketing manager at Leader Dogs for the Blind. She believes that everyone has a story that makes them unique. Prior to her role at Leader Dog, Christina worked as a community relations manager in city government. She started her career in television news. Christina is an award winning journalist who has worked all over the Midwest as an anchor, reporter and producer. She’s covered national stories, crime, weather and even created and hosted a lifestyle show. Christina went to Bowling Green State University, where she received her Bachelor of Science in journalism with a focus in broadcast. In her free time, Christina enjoys being active. You can find her at the gym, on a hike or exploring a new place. She has a rescue dog, Duke, that she talks about all the time!

Tim sits outdoors on a sunny blue and white porch with his arms around a black lab that's sitting in front of him with its tongue out

Timothy Cuneio was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa when he was 12 years old. Throughout his life, he has continued to be proactive and never let his visual impairment define him or hold him back. He worked for many years for an optical company, making glasses and helping others see better while his vision continued to deteriorate. In 2018 he found Leaded Dogs for the Blind and has since completed the Orientation & Mobility Training and Guide Dog Training programs. Timothy is now a Leader Dog ambassador and shares his story with people across the country. He resides in Winder, GA with Leader Dog Glacier.

Leslie smiles while holding a yellow lab puppy

Leslie Hoskins is a certified orientation & mobility specialist (COMS) and the outreach services and community engagement manager at Leader Dogs for the Blind. She joined the O&M team in March of 2014 and worked as the camp director and a COMS for six years before she transitioned to her new role of outreach services in January of 2020. Leslie has presented at numerous conferences within the blindness and low vision field on topics such as Guide Dog Readiness, Incorporating GPS into O&M and Camps for Teens with Visual Impairments. Leslie attended Western Michigan University where she graduated with her Bachelor of Science in speech-language pathology and audiology and a Master of Arts in orientation and mobility. Leslie enjoys spending time with her husband, two children and dog Mila. She likes to go boating, golfing and be around those she loves.