Presenters, SOMA 2024
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Adams, William
Bill is a Blind Rehabilitation Specialist in the Orientation and Mobility section of the VA Southeastern Blind Rehabilitation Center. He has also worked in Information Technology at the Kent State Medical Center, as a Program Support Assistant for the Department of Veterans Affairs, as a Case Manager for the Blind with the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, and as Senior Orientation and Mobility Specialist with the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services. While at the VA, he wrote the admissions, automatic scheduling, and data collection system for the Blind Rehabilitation Center. With his extensive background in technology, Mr. Adams is always looking to push the field of Assistive Technology and Orientation and Mobility and has developed ways to make indoor maps, and easily printed Braille that is usable and long lasting with 3D printing technology. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Kent State University in Justice Studies and Political Science and a masters in Orientation and Mobility from Western Michigan University.
Anderson, Elizabeth
Elizabeth Anderson is a certified TVI and Orientation and Mobility Specialist serving as the Supervisor for the Florida Instruction Material Center for VI.
She is impassioned by helping to ensure children and adult clients have access to the best quality of services to allow them independence and happiness both in school and beyond graduation.
Basham, Shaun
Shaun Basham, Head of Rehabilitation Improvement fo Guide Dogs in the United Kingdom.
Shaun has worked with Guide Dogs since 1995.
In his current capacity he brings a wealth of experience in frontline service provision and an astute understanding of the needs of adult service users.
He has a Diploma in Rehabilitation Studies and has championed the introduction of person centred approach into adult services.
His expertise spans Rehabilitation Services, Community Engagement, continuous improvement and senior management across Guide Dogs’ services.
His understanding and compassion for those living with sight loss means he enjoys a high level of respect from colleagues across the organisation.
Beall, Miriam
Blaydes, Ellen
Boehm, James
James Boehm is a LPC MHSP CAAP in Tennessee and during his college degree identified an international need-white canes and training. As a graduate of Peabody of Vanderbilt, James incorporates mental health with canes, training to empower the blind.
Booths, Autumn
Autumn Booths is a certified Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVI) and a Certified Orientation & Mobility Specialist (COMS) in Juneau, Alaska. She has been teaching for 6 years and has taught in western and south-central Pennsylvania. Her Practice Report, “Perceptions of High-Tech Assistive Technology Held by Students with Visual Impairments”, was published in JVIB in August, 2022. She is presently working on another manuscript. Autumn is certified through ACVREP and is an active member of AER and OMSA, and is a board member for CEATI (Consortium for the Educational Advancement of Travel Instruction). autumnbooths.tvi.coms@gmail.com;
Brooks, Jennifer
Jennifer Brooks is the APH Outreach Regional Specialist for the Northcentral Region of the US.
Her professional career in the field of visual impairments extends over 18 years and includes serving as a TVI, O&M Specialist, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapist.
She served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the country of Romania, where she developed sustainable programs in O&M and Independent Living at schools for the blind and nonprofit organizations.
Conrad, Tiffany
Tiffany Conrad is a certified TVI and Orientation and Mobility Specialist serving as the Coordinator for the Florida Instruction Material Center for VI.
She is impassioned by helping to ensure children and adult clients have access to the best quality of services to allow them independence and happiness both in school and beyond graduation.
Gan, Joey
Joey Gan is Chief Elevator Inspector, Miami Beach Public Works
Hayslette, Amy
Herzberg, Tina
Dr. Tina Herzberg is Professor and Coordinator of the Visual Impairment Education Program at the University of South Carolina Upstate. She is a certified TVI and COMS. Prior to USC Upstate, she served as a general education math and English teacher, and itinerant teacher of students with visual impairment."
Huffman, Lee
Lee Huffman began working in the blindness field in 2005, when he joined the team at the American foundation for the Blind. He began working for the American Printing House for the Blind in 2020 and is now the Low Vision Product Manager working to help develop new APH products.
Hull, W. Paul
Secondary classroom teacher of English and Social Studies. ACVREP COMS with 9 years of experience working for a Aldine ISD in the North Houston Area. Husband of a beautiful CTVI (Heather) and father of two wonderful children (Mirabelle and Augustus).
Ihrke, Erica
Erica started working for Leader Dog as a part-time resident assistant while attending Central Michigan University studying education.
After graduation, she began working full time, eventually becoming interested in formally learning about orientation and mobility.
This led her to Western Michigan University, where she earned her master’s degree in orientation and mobility.
Erica enjoys working at Leader Dog because the organization is progressive and always growing.
She has been the manager of extended services since 2008, but she still enjoys working with clients.
Jones, Hannah
Hannah Jones is a COMS at Leader Dogs for the Blind. She attended Western Michigan University where she graduated with her Master of Arts in Orientation and Mobility in 2023. She has a BS in Healthcare Services and Sciences with a minor in Medical Humanities from Western Michigan University
Kaiser, Justin
Dr. Justin Kaiser is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky. He teaches in the program to prepare orientation and mobility specialists, and teachers of students with visual impairments. He has previously worked as an itinerant orientation and mobility specialist and teacher of the visually impaired in Pittsburgh and St. Louis.
Kelly, Samantha
Samantha Kelly is a certified TVI and Orientation and Mobility Specialist serving as the Vice President of Programs at the Lighthouse of Broward in Florida.
She is impassioned by helping to ensure children and adult clients have access to the best quality of services to allow them independence and happiness both in school and beyond graduation.
Luce, L. Dianne
L. Dianne Luce, COMS, TSVI works with Tampa Lighthouse, Florida.
Throughout her career she has worked with people of all ages who live (and thrive!) with vision impairment.
She actively works with community partners, advocating to improve environmental and transportation access.
She is a proud alumna of Florida State University.
Mara, Elaine
Elaine Mara, a graduate of Florida State University’s Visual Disabilities program (BS and MS), holds certification as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI), and is currently pursuing certification as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist.
Mateer, Bethanie
May, Mike
Mike May has been a pioneer in new product development and was inducted into the Consumer Technology Hall of Fame.
Mike was founder and CEO of Sendero Group, developers of the first accessible GPS.
He was CEO of the Seattle Lighthouse, Chief Evangelist at GoodMaps and currently consults for the American Printing House.
Mitchell, Jack
Jack Mitchell has been an Orientation & Mobility Specialist since 2019, and worked in the field of assistive technology since 2000, first as a Rehabilitation Engineer in Knoxville, TN and more recently as the NC representative for the Humanware dealer in the southeast.
He is currently the O&M Specialist at Industries of the Blind in Greensboro where he teaches O&M skills to employees of IOB who are blind and visually impaired.
He is currently a member of the AER Environmental Access Committee and an at-large board member of North Carolina AER.
Jack also has a lifelong habit of tinkering with things and systems to find ways to make them work better...from assistive technology devices to computer software to accessible pedestrian signals.
Sauerburger, Dona
Dona Sauerburger is providing O&M services to adults as a private contractor in Maryland and Washington, DC.
One of her special interest is street crossing, and on this topic she has done research, and presented extensively as well as written articles and co-authored a chapter in Foundations of O&M and the online course Self-Study Guide: Crossing at Modern Signals.
Smith, Yolanda
"Yolanda is originally from Birmingham.
Her Father Jesse Smith was an O&M at the VA Southeastern Blind Rehabilitation Center (SBRC), which she decided to follow in her father’s footsteps.
In 2012, Yolanda completed her bachelor’s degree in O&M from Stephen F. Austin and completed her internship at the SBRC.
From there she worked as a mobility specialist covering central Alabama for the department of rehab.
For a short time, Yolanda worked in the residential facility in Atlanta and as an itinerant mobility teacher for school aged children in Mississippi.
Her work in mobility had her start “White Cane Day Alabama”, the largest yearly gathering of those with vision loss and professionals in the state. But Yolanda was not done, receiving a scholarship from AER, Yolanda went and completed her master’s in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling from Auburn University, War Eagle!
Smith, Grant
Stafford, Barry
Barry H. Stafford is a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist at Leader Dogs for the Blind. He is a serial graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) with his Bachelor of Science in Orientation and Mobility in 1991, and an M.Ed. in Special Education in 2002.
Strasz, Thomas
Thomas Strasz is a COMS at Leader Dogs for the Blind.
He graduated from Western Michigan University with his Master of Arts in Orientation and Mobility in 2019.
Tommy is part of the Membership Committee of OMSA and has presented at SOMA, International AER, and several state AER conferences.
Waldie, Garret
Garret served in the United States Marine Corps for 4 years as a rifleman. He graduated from Saginaw Valley State University with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and then a master’s degree from Western Michigan University in orientation and mobility. He now works at Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester Hills, MI.
Walker, Karen
Welling, Brad
Wolfe, Alicia
Alicia Wolfe is the APH Outreach Regional Specialist for the Southeast Region of the US. She is a seasoned Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVI) with 25 years' experience evaluating the Functional Vision, Expanded Core Curriculum and Learning Media needs of learners with visual impairments including those with additional disabilities. Alicia holds a Master of Science in Visual Disabilities with a specialization in Rehabilitation Teaching from Florida State University.