born in oaoatia, she immigrated to the united states with her parents when she was 4 years old. jelica was diagnosed with ushers when she was 19. she graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology and later received a master's degree in public health. she moved to seattle and is now the executive director of the deaf-blind service center. she manages an office and conducts business meetings using tactile communication. translator: i run the everyday operation and make sure the staff are doing their jobs. i am responsible for making budget decisions. also, i coordinate with executive directors of other organizations. because we are small and specialized, we can't do everything, so we divide the responsibilities and avoid duplication of services. narrator: using her cane and public transportation, jelica travels independently to a meeting across town. she uses a vibrotactile crossing signal to make her way across the street. she signals the bus driver about her special needs with color-coded cards. the driver knows to stop and traces the route number on her hand, indicating she is