American Council of the Blind
55th Annual Conference and Convention
Theme: ACB: Land of 10,000 Dreams
Sunday, July 3: Nicollet Ballroom
6:30 PM: Entertainment: Bruce Cottrell, Burnsville, MN
7:00 PM: Call to Order: Kim Charlson, President, American Council of the Blind, Watertown, MA
Invocation: Father John Sheehan, Executive Director, Xavier Society for the Blind, New York, NY
Presentation of Colors: Color Guard for the University of Minnesota, Naval Reserve Officers Training Corp (NROTC), Minneapolis, MN
"The Star-Spangled Banner": Tara Anderson, Coon Rapids, MN
“Hail Minnesota”: Minnesota State Song: Bruce and David Cottrell, Burnsville, MN
Welcome to Minnesota: Jeff Mihelich, president ACB of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
7:25 PM: President's Report: Kim Charlson, Watertown, MA
7:55 PM: Double Diamond Sponsor Presentation: Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Washington, DC
8:10 PM: Double Diamond Sponsor Presentation: Google: Eve Andersson, Manager Accessibility Engineering, Mountain View, CA
8:25 PM: ACB Life Membership Presentations: Kim Charlson, ACB President, Watertown, MA; and Lane Waters, ACB Controller, Brooklyn Center, MN
8:40 PM: ACB First-Timers: Allen Casey, Chair, Durward K. McDaniel First-timers' Committee, Graham, NC
8:50 PM: ACB 2016 Leadership Fellows: Eric Bridges, ACB Executive Director, Alexandria, VA
9:05 PM: First Credentials Committee Report: Jean Mann, Chair, Albany, NY
9:10 PM: Tribute and Appreciation for ACB Angels: Dan Spoone, ACB Board of Directors, Orlando, FL
9:25 PM: Roll Call of Affiliates: Ray Campbell, ACB Secretary, Glen Ellyn, IL
Monday, July 4, Nicollet Ballroom
8:00 AM: Entertainment: Sandra Ruconich, Piano, Salt Lake City, UT
8:30 AM: Invocation: John Huffman, Indianapolis, IN
Pledge of Allegiance: JPMC/ACB Leadership Fellows: Deb Cook Lewis, Seattle, WA; Debbie Deatherage, Louisville, KY; DeAnn Elliott, Cambridge, MA; and Kim Hebert, Lafayette, LA
8:35 AM: ACB Business:
ACB Sponsor Recognitions: Margarine Beaman, Advertising and Sponsorship Coordinator, Austin, TX
Adoption of Standing Rules and Program: Kim Charlson, ACB President, Watertown, MA
Final Credentials Committee Report: Jean Mann, Chair, Albany, NY
Constitution and Bylaws: John Huffman, Chair, Constitution and Bylaws Committee, Indianapolis, IN
Presiding Officer: Jeff Thom, ACB First Vice President, Sacramento, CA
9:15 AM: Presentation of Affiliate Membership Growth, James R. Olsen Distinguished Service, and Robert S. Bray Awards: Rochelle Hart, Sioux Falls, SD, and Chip Hailey, Joplin, MO, Co-Chairs, ACB Awards Committee
Presentation of Vernon Henley and Hollis Liggett Awards: Denise Colley, Chair, ACB Board of Publications, Lacey, WA
9:35 AM: Meet Kirk Adams: New President and CEO of the American Foundation for the Blind, New York, NY
10:00 AM: Break
10:15 AM: Learn about the World Blind Union and Being a Recognized Author: Charles Mossop, President, North America/Caribbean Region, World Blind Union, Nanaimo, (Vancouver Island), British Columbia, Canada
10:45 AM: Developments and Ongoing Progress at NLS: Karen Keninger, Director, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Washington, DC
11:15 AM: Update from the FCC: Eliot Greenwald, Deputy Chief, Disability Rights Office, Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC
11:45 AM: Resolutions: Mark Richert, Chair, Arlington, VA
11:50 AM: ACB Recreation Zone: Oral Miller, ACB Past President, Washington, DC
11:55 AM: Announcements
Tuesday, July 5, Nicollet Ballroom
8:00 AM: Entertainment: Calynn Hendrickson, Flute, Hopkins, MN
8:30 AM: Invocation: Pastor Russ Grigsby, Lebanon Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, MN
Pledge of Allegiance: 2016 Scholarship Winners
8:35 AM: ACB Business:
ACB Sponsor Recognitions: Margarine Beaman, Advertising and Sponsorship Coordinator, Austin, TX
Emerald Sponsor Presentation:
Uber: Lindsay Elin, Head, Community Engagement, Washington, DC; and Malcom Glenn, Strategic Partnerships Manager, Washington, DC
Ruby Sponsor Presentation:
HumanWare: Dominic Gagliano, Vice President Sales Americas, Scottsdale, AZ
Nominating Committee Report: Mike Godino, Chair, Malverne, NY
Constitution and Bylaws: John Huffman, Chair, Indianapolis, IN
Resolutions: Mark Richert, Chair, Arlington, VA
Presiding Officer: John McCann, ACB Second Vice President, Tucson, AZ
9:15 AM: 2016 ACB Scholarship Presentations: Rev. Michael Garrett, Chair, Scholarship Committee, Missouri City, TX
10:20 AM: Break
10:35 AM: Emerald Sponsor Presentation: Microsoft Corporation Update: Clint Covington, Principal Program Manager, Office, Redmond, WA
11:00 AM: WIOA: The Reality of Rehabilitation in 2016: Panel: Michelle Capella McDonnall, Ph.D, Research Professor and Director, National Rehabilitation and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, Mississippi State University, Starksville, MS; Mark Richert, J.D., Director of Public Policy & Senior Advisor for Strategic Initiatives, American Foundation for the Blind, Washington, DC; Lori Scharff, President, ACB of New York Inc., Malverne, NY; and Anthony Stephens, Director Of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, American Council of the Blind, Alexandria, VA
11:55 AM: Announcements
Wednesday, July 6, Nicollet Ballroom
8:00 AM: Entertainment: Rebecca Kragnes, Piano, Minneapolis, MN
8:30 AM: Invocation: Father Ronald Johnson, Nursing Home Chaplain, Arden Hills, MN
Pledge of Allegiance: JPMC/ACB Leadership Fellows: Miguel (Mike) Palomar, El Paso, TX; Sandra Spalletta, Rockville, MD; Meka White, Federal Way, WA; and Sheila Young, Orlando, FL
8:35 AM: ACB Business:
ACB Sponsor Recognitions: Margarine Beaman, Advertising and Sponsorship Coordinator, Austin, TX
Emerald Sponsor Presentation: Sprint, Kelly Egan, Blindness and Low Vision Outreach Specialist, Denver, CO
Ruby Sponsor Presentation: Tom Wlodkowski, Vice President, Comcast Accessibility, Philadelphia, PA
Constitution and Bylaws: John Huffman, Chair, Indianapolis, IN
Resolutions: Mark Richert, Chair, Arlington, VA
Presiding Officer: Ray Campbell, ACB Secretary, Glen Ellyn, IL
9:15 AM: "From My Lips to Your Ears: 25 Years as an NLS Narrator," Martha Harmon-Pardee, Talking Book Publishers, Inc., Denver, CO. Sponsored by LUA.
9:45 AM: Braille Developments and Policy Issues: A Panel: Paul Edwards, Moderator, President, Braille Revival League; Mark Richert, American Foundation for the Blind, Washington, DC; and Braille Authority of North America Update: Sandra Ruconich, ACB BANA, Representative, Salt Lake City, UT
10:15 AM Break
10:30 AM: National Advocacy and Legislative Update: Anthony (Tony) Stephens, Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, Alexandria, VA
10:55 AM: Quiet Cars, Transportation Regulations and Updates: Blair Anderson, Deputy Director, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
11:30 AM: Executive Director's Report: Eric Bridges, Alexandria, VA
11:55 AM: Announcements
Thursday, July 7, Nicollet Ballroom
8:00 AM: Entertainment: Bruce Cottrell, Piano, Burnsville, MN
8:30 AM: Invocation: Sharon Strzalkowski, Worcester, MA
Pledge of Allegiance: 2016 DKM First-Timers: Marja Byers, Salem, OR and Greg Lindberg, Palm Harbor, FL
8:35 AM: ACB Business:
ACB Sponsor Recognitions: Margarine Beaman, Advertising and Sponsorship Coordinator, Austin, TX
Constitution and Bylaws: John Huffman, Chair, Indianapolis, IN
Resolutions: Mark Richert, Chair, Arlington, VA
Presiding Officer: Carla Ruschival, ACB Treasurer, Louisville, KY
9:15 AM: Meet the New President and CEO of the American Printing House for the Blind: Craig Meador, President and CEO, Louisville, KY
9:40 AM: Pedestrian Safety Developments and Trends that You Can’t Even Imagine, Research and Reality: Lukas Franck, Senior Consultant for Special Projects, The Seeing Eye, Morristown, NJ
10:15 AM: Break
10:30 AM: Report on the ACB Walk and Auction: Dan Spoone, ACB Board of Directors, Orlando, FL; Dan Dillon, Hermitage, TN, Co-chairs, ACB Resource Development Committee; Donna Brown, Walk Chair, Romney, WV; and Leslie Spoone, Chair, ACB Auction Subcommittee, Orlando, FL
11:00 AM: National Conference and Convention Report: Janet Dickelman, Chair, Convention Committee, Saint Paul, MN
11:15 AM: Treasurer's Report: Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY
11:25 AM: ACBES Report: Rev. Michael Garrett, Chair, ACB Enterprises and Services, Missouri City, TX
11:35 AM: Award Presentations and Updates from the ACB Audio Description Project: Joel Snyder, Director, Audio Description Project, Takoma Park, MD; Chris Gray, ADP Awards Chair, St. Louis, MO; and Dan Spoone, Chair, Audio Description Project Steering Committee, Orlando, FL
11:55 AM: Announcements
Friday, July 8, Nicollet Ballroom
Sponsored by JP Morgan Chase & Company
8:00 AM: Entertainment: Maureen Pranghofer, Piano, Golden Valley, MN
8:30 AM: Invocation: Debbie Hazelton, Dothan, AL
Pledge of Allegiance: Berl Colley, ACB Board of Directors, Lacey, WA
8:35 AM: ACB Business:
ACB Sponsor Recognitions: Margarine Beaman, Advertising and Sponsorship Coordinator, Austin, TX
Emerald Sponsor Presentation: Amy R. Furash, JPMorgan Chase, National ADA Coordinator, Columbus, OH
9:00 AM: Resolutions: Mark Richert, Chair, Arlington, VA
10:00 AM: Elections
10:30 AM: Break
10:45 AM: Elections (continued)
12:00 Noon: Lunch Break
1:15 PM: ACB Business
2:45 PM: Break
3:00 PM: Old/New Business
5:00 PM: Adjourn
5:30 PM: ACB Life Member Reception, Mirage Room
6:30 PM: Pre-banquet entertainment: North Star Ballroom, Maureen McGinty, Harp, Richfield, MN
7:00 PM: ACB Banquet: North Star Ballroom
Sponsored by Vanda Pharmaceuticals
Master of Ceremonies: Mark Richert, Chair, ACB Resolutions Committee, Arlington, VA
Invocation: Rev. Michael Garrett, Missouri City, TX
With humor, stories, and song, Terry Kelly will entertain you and inspire you to take a 360 degree look at your life by exploring the difference between failure and success. Presenter: Terry Kelly, Singer, Songwriter, Storyteller, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Presentation of George Card Award: Chip Hailey, Joplin, MO, Co-Chair, ACB Awards Committee
Presentation of Ned E. Freeman Award, Ron Brooks, ACB Board of Publications