Lighthouse Guild and LightHouse SF: Partnership or Power Play?

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LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco has begun discussing a potential “partnership” with Lighthouse Guild in New York. They even had a single "fireside chat" with Guild leadership. They say it’s just exploration, but the word “partnership” opens the door to something much bigger—possibly a merger. Our Campaign takes a closer look.

Image Description: Lighthouse Guild and Lighthouse logos

Transparency? Let’s not be fooled.

Why does this matter? Because LightHouse SF is in deep trouble—some call it a manufactured crisis. Local papers have reported foreclosure losses, mass layoffs, and service delays. KTVU confirmed investigations into labor law and service failures. Leadership keeps promising stability, but the record is shaky at best. Without transparency, we smell shady deals ahead. Why would a supposedly reputable Lighthouse Guild want to partner with an organization whose leaders have lost the trust of the California blind community?And those so-called “community conversations”? They were not open forums. Access was filtered through a tightly controlled sign-up process. Once inside, leaders dodged tough questions. This isn’t new—it mirrors LightHouse SF’s history of “town halls” that gave the appearance of listening while avoiding transparency. Community members have described these events as evasive or outright dishonest.

·       “It felt like every hard question was brushed aside with corporate jargon.”

·       “You could tell they weren’t really interested in feedback—they just wanted to say they held a meeting.”

·       “It’s not a town hall when you control who gets in and refuse to answer.”

Two Lighthouses, Two Stories

Lighthouse Guild (NY) is a massive nonprofit with nearly $494 million in total assets. In April 2025, it hired its first blind CEO—the first in its history. After decades of sighted executives deciding what blind people need, it took until 2025 for representation to finally reach the top.

LightHouse SF is a historic Bay Area institution with important programs. But it is run by a sighted Interim CEO and reportedly has an entirely sighted senior leadership team. Insiders say leadership has become disconnected from the Bay Area blind community, with top executives even living out of state. On top of that, the organization faces community distrust, reports of a hostile work culture, and ongoing service struggles.On paper, a partnership looks like resources meeting need. But look closer: one organization with money and new representation, another with turmoil and a track record of abusing power.

Culture and Credibility: Who Shapes the Tone?

Culture isn’t abstract—it is created and enforced by the people in charge. At LightHouse SF, the culture has been described as hostile, opaque, and dominated by leaders who have misled or evaded the community they serve. Community members point to “town halls” that were tightly controlled, filled with evasive answers (or non-answers)l and gave the appearance of listening while avoiding real accountability. When leadership is accused of dishonesty, it is not simply a communications problem—it is a credibility crisis.This matters because culture flows from the top. If the same individuals remain in power, the same patterns will persist: backroom deal-making, twisting the truth, and mistrust. Removing bad actors is therefore not optional; it is essential. Otherwise, the promises of transparency and reform are meaningless.The data backs this up: across the disability nonprofit sector, sighted and non-disabled executives still dominate leadership roles. Only 3% of U.S. nonprofits with budgets over $25 million have CEOs with disabilities, compared with 20% of small nonprofits. This imbalance reinforces cultures where disabled voices are sidelined. Representation isn’t just symbolic—it is a check against cultures of exclusion.And what of Lighthouse Guild? Unlike LightHouse SF, far less is known about its internal culture. The organization made history in 2025 by appointing its first blind CEO after decades of sighted leadership. That milestone is significant, but beyond press releases and staged celebrations, the day-to-day culture inside Lighthouse Guild remains largely unexamined. If talks of partnership or merger advance, the community deserves to know: what values drive Lighthouse Guild, and how will those values shape joint governance?Until both institutions can show that their cultures are aligned with the communities they serve—and until leaders with credibility and lived experience are at the table—any promises of transparency or reform ring hollow.

The Bigger Problem: Who Gets to Lead?

As stated above, sighted and non-disabled executives still dominate the disability nonprofit sector. Representation matters: leaders with lived experience of blindness or DeafBlindness make different choices, anticipate barriers, and insist on accessibility. That said, competence isn’t exclusive. A sighted leader can serve well—if they put blind and DeafBlind voices at the center, embed accountability, and measure results that matter to the community. The problem is when they don’t—and when power stays concentrated at the top instead of in the community’s hands.

What This Partnership Really Means

So here’s the real question: Is this about serving the blind and DeafBlind community—or about consolidating power?Will there be:

·       Public term sheets, accessible forums, and real community input before any Board votes?

·       Binding commitments to protect local services, staffing, and DeafBlind access?

Independent oversight of finances and governance?Or will this be another backroom deal sold as “innovation,” while those most affected are left in the dark? Until boards answer these questions clearly and openly, the community is right to ask: Does this partnership reflect our interests—or just theirs?

Further Reading

LightHouse SF Facebook (community meeting on partnership): https://www.facebook.com/lighthouseSF

Lighthouse Guild CEO transition (2025): https://www.lighthouseguild.org/thomas-panek-ceo

Lighthouse Guild news releases: https://www.lighthouseguild.org/news

SF Chronicle on LightHouse SF finances (2025): https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/lighthouse-blind-finances-19401041.php

KTVU report on LightHouse SF investigations: https://www.ktvu.com/news/light-house-for-the-blind-facing-investigations

Disability Philanthropy Forum: Disability Leadership Data: https://disabilityphilanthropy.org/resource/disability-leadership-data