Division Elections and Convention Updates

From the Editor: Every year at convention many of the national divisions have their in-person meetings and elections. Here are election results and updates from many of the divisions from this year. Spellings of names are as they appear on the notices we have received unless we detected an incorrect one:

Amateur Radio Division:

The Amateur Radio Division held elections on July 12. Results are as follows: president, Karen Anderson; vice president, David Chan; secretary, Corbb O’Connor; and treasurer, Scott Vangorp.

National Organization of Blind Educators:

The elected board officers and members are as follows: president, Cayte Mendez; first vice president, Angela Wolf; second vice president, Harriet Go; secretary, Valeria Jacobs; treasurer, Kaden Colton; and board members Kayleigh Joiner and Sara LaRose.

Communities of Faith:

President, Tom Anderson; vice president, Rehnee Aikens; secretary, Linda Mentink; and treasurer, Rev. Dr. Carolyn Peters.

Community Service Division:

Elections were conducted on July 9, with the board as follows: president, Jeanetta Price; vice president, Goddest Johnson; secretary, Kelly Joseph; treasurer, Natalie Segura; and board members Lashawna Fant, Hattie Harmason, and Tyron Bratcher.

Deaf-Blind Division Board:

President, Alice Eaddy, New Jersey; first vice president, Marsha Drenth, Pennsylvania; second vice president, Janice Toothman, Maryland; secretary, Danielle Burton, Kentucky; treasurer, John L. Williams, Florida; board members Brian Norton, Florida; Mark Gasaway, Georgia; Dana Tarter, Georgia; and Robert Stigile, California.

Human Services Division:

President, Candice Chapman; first vice president, Bre Ausbun; second vice president, Sarah Patnaude; secretary, Jessica Snyder; treasurer, Merry Schoch; and board members Dezman Jackson, and Lashawna Fant.

Krafters Division:

President, Tammy Freitag, first vice president, Jill Rossiter; second vice president, Joyce Kane; treasurer Cathy Flesher; secretary, Dixie Sanderson; and board members Jennette Kutash and Terry Powers.

Merchant’s Division:

President, Nicky Gacos; first vice president, Harold Wilson; second vice president, Edward Birmingham; secretary, Sharon Treadway; treasurer, Pam Schnurr; and board members Barbara Manuel, Melissa Smith, Zachary Snow, Melba J. Taylor, Michael Colbrum, Gary Grassman, John Fritz, Lewanda Miranda, Joe Higdon, and Debra Smith.

National Association of Blind Rehabilitation Professionals:

President, Amy Porterfield; first vice president, Pam Allen; second vice president, Daniel Winsel; secretary, Jennifer Kennedy; treasurer, Amy Buresh; and board members Nikki Jackson, Shirley Robinson, Julie Deden, and Everette Bacon.

National Association of Blind Students:

This is a current listing of all board members as of the close of the national convention: president, Kathryn Webster; first vice president, Syed Rizvi; second vice president, Kenia Flores; secretary, Mausam Mehta; treasurer, Dustin Cather; and board members Trisha Kulkarni, Johna Wright, Elizabeth Rouse, and Justin Salisbury.

National Association of Blind Veterans:

Board members 2019-2021 are as follows: president, Vernon F. Humphrey; first vice president, Douglas Ingram; second vice president, Roy Stinson; secretary, David Hutchins; treasurer, Dwight Sayer; and board members Mark Erickson, Wayne Field, Nancy Hester, Jim Jonas, Brad Loos, and Chaplain Jeff Bradshaw.
           
National Association of Guide Dog Users:

The following is the list of the National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU) Board of Directors for 2019: president, Marion Gwizdala (FL); vice president, Raul Gallegos (TX); secretary, Sherrill O'Brien (FL); treasurer, Jessica Snyder (OH); and board members Aleeha Dudley (TX), Paul Sandoval (CO), and Heather Bird (NY).

National Organization of Blind Parents:

President, Carlton Walker; first vice president, Penny Duffy; second vice president, Kimberly Banks; secretary, Carol Castellano; treasurer, Sandra Oliver; and board members Jackie Anderson, Sarah Erb, Jean Fultz, Pamela Gebert, Carla Keirns, Tabby Mitchell, Michelle Murphy, Corbb O’Connor, Melissa Riccobono, and Casey West.

Performing Arts Division:

President, Julie McGinnity; vice president Katelyn MacIntyre; secretary, Lizzy Muhammad; treasurer, LaKeisha Holms; and board members Precious Perez, Leslie Hamrick, and Christina Jones.

Professionals in Blindness Education:

The board of PIBE as of July 9 is as follows: president, Eric Guillory; first vice president, Denise Mackenstadt; second vice president, Jackie Anderson; secretary, Deja Powell; treasurer, Krystal Guillory; and board members Jennifer Bazer, Michell Gip, Casey Robertson, and Carlton Walker.

Science and Engineering Division:

President, John Miller; vice president, Ashley Neybert; secretary, Louis Maher; treasurer, Alfred Maneki; and board members Purvi Contractor and David Hertweck.

Seniors Division Update and Board Members:

At this year's business meeting of the NFB Seniors Division, we had several speakers: Peggy Chong describing how she researches and writes about little-known ordinary blind people that we should know more about as "The Blind History Lady;" Dan Frye, speaking about AIRA; several division leaders speaking about what is happening in their states; and Dale Holden from Colorado and Dr. Brian Dulude from Minnesota speaking about their senior programs. Ms. Ricky Enger from Hadley Institute came to share with us the new offerings and ways blind people can now access information from Hadley.

After elections, our officers are as follows for a two-year term: president Ruth Sager; first vice president, Judy Sanders; second vice president, Robert Leslie Newman; secretary, Shelley Coppel; treasurer, Diane McGeorge assisted by Duncan Larsen; and board members Jane Degenshein and Glenn Crosby.

Writers’ Division:

Our officers for July 2020 are as follows: president, Shelley Alongi; first vice president, April Enderton; second vice president, Chelsea Cook; treasurer, Shawn Jacobson; and board members Myrna Badgerow and Barbara Hammel.