Barbara Beskind: 1st Life - Occupational Therapist, 2nd Life - Tech Designer

Tech designer or skier??

Barbara started designing toys for her friends at the age of eight. Money was hard to come by during the Great Depression. Yes, although Barbara is in her 90's, she currently consults at IDEO, a

Barbara consulting at IDEO

major design firm that invented Apple's mouse.  She had always wanted to be an inventor but that would have required a degree in engineering, an industry women were not welcomed in those days. So Barbara studied home economics instead and joined the Army. It was there that she had the opportunity to work with disabled soldiers. 

Upon returning home to the states, Barbara opened the first independent occupational therapy clinic. And that's when she went back to designing, in this case devices for those in the need of rehabilitation. Barbara's current design focus is working on inventions for the aging Boomer population, like her modified ski poles for walking.  She's also working on special eyeglasses for those with macular degeneration.  Thank you Barbara.