Who We Are
The mission of iBUG Today (iBlind Users Group) is to promote the individual independence, social integration and educational development of the blind community across the country through accessible technology training.
iBUG conducts world-wide virtual (via Zoomconference) and face-to-face group and individual training sessions, provides podcasts of the recorded training sessions, hosts social events, and presents the iBUG Road Show to groups interested in learning more about iBUG Today and its accessibility training and social events.
LEADERSHIP
iBUG Board Members
Michael McCulloch, Founder and President
Michael grew up in Houston, Texas and is a graduate of Rice University where he received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering. After graduating from Rice, he worked for The Boeing Company’s Space Exploration Division at the NASA Johnson Space Center. Michael started out performing Guidance, Navigation and Control analyses on the Space Shuttle program. He also supported 9 Shuttle flights working in Houston’s Mission Control Center. He moved to the International Space Station program in 1996 and continued through his retirement in April 2017 in support of various aspects of mission operations of the International Space Station. As his vision deteriorated, he used various adaptive software and equipment to continue accomplishing all of his work responsibilities. Michael began losing his vision in his late 20’s due to glaucoma and has been legally blind since 2006.
Michael is the founder and president of the non-profit organization iBUG Today (iBlind Users Group). iBUG Today has promoted the individual independence, social integration, and educational development of the blind through accessible technology training since May 2011. Numerous organizations and medical professionals serving the blind refer their members, clients and patients to iBUG for the free training on the accessibility features of Apple and Android products. In 2018, iBUG Today received the Dr. Jacob Bolotin Award from the National Federation of the Blind which honors individuals and organizations who are a positive force in the lives of blind people and whose work advances the goal of helping transform their dreams into reality.
Michael is currently a member of the Houston Council of the Blind and served on its board from 2016 to 2018. He was chair of the Technology Users Group for the American Council of the Blind of Texas from 2016 to 2017 and a founding board member of the Houston Area Visually Impaired Network from 2010 to 2017. He has also been an active member of the Houston chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Texas since 2012 and Visually Impaired Advocates since 2013. Michael has assisted the Houston METRO Transit Authority in evaluating websites, beacon technology, and software for accessibility by the blind.
He was recognized for his service to the Houston disability community by being awarded the Care Award in September 2014 by the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities. In September 2016, Michael was inducted into the Who's Who Among Blind Texans Honor Society by the American Council of the Blind of Texas for demonstrating exemplary commitment to advocacy, awareness, education and community service. In October 2017, he was appointed by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner to serve a two-year term as a commissioner on the Houston Commission on Disabilities. Michael is committed to serving and empowering the blind and disability community to become independent and productive members in society.
Michael enjoys traveling, mountain hiking, rock wall climbing, cross-country skiing, kayaking and other outdoor sports. He also participates in numerous activities with Achilles International and the Lighthouse of Houston such as yoga, tandem bike riding, sky diving and dragon boat racing. In June 2019, he completed the 4-day trek along the Classic Inca Trail to one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu, Peru, which is just under 27 miles and scales two nearly 14,000-foot mountain passes. Michael is the oldest blind person (age 64) to hike this amazing trail. His adventure is chronicled in the documentary, “One Step at a Time” and highlights the teamwork and personal and physical obstacles he overcame on his journey. The film will empower others to get out of their comfort zones, take on new challenges and see that all things are possible regardless of their abilities.