Off The Beaten Path Season 2 Episode 3 -Laurie McBride

In this episode of Off The Beaten Path, Dave sits down with the remarkable Laurie McBride—martial artist, advocate, and fierce champion of the DeafBlind community.

Their conversation moves from the mat to daily life, weaving together Laurie’s journey in Taekwondo, her commitment to earning her black belt, and her hands-on work as an employment specialist supporting DeafBlind adults in building meaningful, empowered lives.

Dave and Laurie dive into adaptive self-defense, the art of navigating the world with determination and humor, and what true advocacy looks like when you center individual experience over assumptions.

This episode is inspiring, disarming, and downright fun—come listen to two trailblazers talk resilience, autonomy, and the real power of showing up for yourself and your community.

More about Laurie

Laurie McBride is a DeafBlind advocate, professional, and graphic designer-turned-human services leader based in Mason City, Iowa. Originally from Ontario, Canada, Laurie has spent the past 26 years in Iowa, where she transitioned from a career in commercial printing and newspaper design to a mission-driven role serving the DeafBlind community.

Diagnosed with Usher syndrome, a rare genetic condition causing progressive hearing and vision loss, Laurie has worn hearing aids since the age of five and now identifies within the DeafBlind spectrum as hard of hearing and low vision.

After losing the ability to drive and work in her previous field, Laurie returned to school, earning an A.A. and Human Services Certificate from NIACC, a B.A. in Human Services from Buena Vista University (BVU), and completed her M.A. in Organizational Leadership (May 2025), also from BVU.

Since 2019, she has worked as a DeafBlind Employment Specialist at the Helen Keller National Center, supporting DeafBlind individuals across Iowa and Minnesota with job placement, job coaching, transition services for youth, and access to assistive technology. Laurie is also a conference presenter, mentor, and lead trainer in programs that expand communication access for the DeafBlind community.

Outside of work, Laurie is a proud wife, stepmom, and nana, with two cats, one dog, and a passion for Taekwondo, currently training for her Blue Belt Decided. She also enjoys traveling, much of which ties into her advocacy and outreach work across the Midwest.

Connect with Laurie

Website: https://www.ushersyndromesociety.org/blog/finding-purpose-by-laurie-mcbride/

https://www.helenkeller.org/DBAW25/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cougs33

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cougs33av/?hl=en

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