KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Steve Baskis
Steve Baskis is a U.S. Army veteran who lost his sight in 2008 from an IED blast while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In the aftermath of his injury, he faced the challenge of rebuilding not only his independence, but his identity, purpose, and future. Through the support of rehabilitation professionals, mentors, and peers, Steve transformed loss into purpose by applying to his new challenges the same discipline and determination he once used in his work with Special Forces. With this new focus, he regained the skills and confidence to redefine himself, navigate the world again, forge a new path forward.
Today, Steve is the Founder and President of the Blind Endeavors Foundation, a podcast host and producer, and the owner of B360 Productions. His work is rooted in connection, mentorship, and fostering independence for others; his focus centers on sharing stories, building community, and creating opportunities for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. He is also an adventurer, athlete, and advocate who has pushed beyond perceived limits through travel, sports, and community engagement. Among his numerous adventures, he, along with four other blinded veterans, kayaked the entire 226 miles of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, and this past March, he, along with a team of other blinded veterans, completed his second climb to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Rebecca Renshaw, Executive Director, Western PA School for Blind Children
Dr. Rebecca L. Renshaw serves as the President of AERBVI International and the Executive Director of the Westen PA School for Blind Children. She has worked in the field of visual impairment for the last 27 years. She has served in a number of roles—teacher of the visually impaired, orientation and mobility specialist, professor, advocate, legal expert, administrator, and on various boards. Dr. Renshaw received both her Ph.D. and Master of Education from the University of Pittsburgh’s Vision Studies program. She also holds a Master of Studies in Law degree from the University of Pittsburgh Barco Law School. Additionally, she received an Executive Certificate in Non-Profit Leadership from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business and a School District Leader Certification from Bank Street College of Education.
Michael Bina
Initially joining the field of blindness and visual impairment as a certified TSVI and O&M specialist, Mike Bina quickly moved to administrative and leadership positions. Over his career, he has served in leadership roles at the Texas, Indiana, Hadley, Perkins, and Maryland schools for the blind. In each position, he emphasized management and advocacy for the unique needs of visually impaired students. Dr. Bina is known for his collaborative approach to leadership and his ability to foster inclusive environments. His work reflects a deep understanding of both human resources and educational administration, positioning him as an expert in navigating the complexities of these intertwined sectors. He is also proud to have served in the U.S. Army as a special forces airborne and underwater operations officer.
In AER’s early years, Dr. Bina served as President of AER’s international Board of Directors and was the energy behind the establishment of AER-Lift, AER’s leadership training for chapter and division leaders. He helped form the of Council of Schools for the Blind (COSB) and served as its president. He has served as the USABA board of directors chair and has been honored by Lions Club International, VisionService Alliance, and COSB. From AER, he has received the Ambrose Shotwell Award, the C. Warren Bledsoe Award, and the Mary K. Bauman Award. The American Foundation for the Blind recognized his contributions with the AFB Migel Medal, and he was the recipient of the Wings of Freedom Awards from the American Printing House for the Blind. Northern State University and California State University Los Angeles named him as a distinguished graduate.
Currently, Dr. Bina serves as the Chair of the Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field as well as the region president of the ICEVI North America Caribbean region. His passion extends to his role as president of the National Smokejumper Association, having been a U.S. Forestry Service smokejumper himself in his earlier life. Mike currently teaches O&M parttime in North Carolina public schools.
Barbara Knighton
Barbara is a parent advocate who brings an honest, grounded voice to the realities of raising a child with significant needs. As a mother to a child with multiple disabilities, she draws from lived experience to explore the emotional highs and lows of caregiving, long-term planning, and navigating complex medical and educational systems. Her work blends personal reflection with practical insight, highlighting the importance of early intervention, strong partnerships, and community support. Through her advocacy, Barbara helps families feel less alone, more informed, and better equipped to move forward with confidence, resilience, and compassion—especially when the path ahead feels uncertain.
Barbara’s current leadership roles are: Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities (TCDD) Vice Chair, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) Family Leader, and Bridgewood Farms Family Brigade Leader.
Mary Nelle McLennan, Chief Executive Editor, The New RE:view–A Journal of Practice
Always a teacher at heart and with her M.A. in vision studies from Peabody College, Mary Nelle McLennan taught children for 15 years at the Tennessee School for the Blind before moving to the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). In her 33-year tenure at APH, she played many roles including Vice President of Products and Services and lastly retiring as Executive Advisor to the APH President.
For more than five decades, Mary Nelle has been active throughout the vision field in state, national, and international arenas. She served three terms as a member of AER’s international Board of Directors, multiple terms on AER Chapter boards, and has been involved in numerous national and international advisory boards and leadership positions. She is currently in her 19th year as a representative to the Braille Authority of North America and has served several terms as its Vice Chair.
A skilled facilitator, she is known for her lively speeches and workshops and her practical approach to strategic planning. Her energy and contributions have been recognized with AER’s prestigious Mary K. Bauman Award and AER’s 2022 Douglas C. MacFarland Award for leadership and contributions in the field of blindness and visual impairments. In 2008, AER acknowledged her 16 years of creating and publishing the Springboard column in RE:view with a C. Warren Bledsoe special recognition.
Mary Nelle’s newest endeavor—The New RE:view (TNR)—has spanned the period from early 2019 to the present As one of the seven members of the development team, she worked to bring the idea of a new journal to reality. Now, as TNR’s Editor in Chief, she leads its Editorial Board and coordinates the journal’s publication.
The widow of Dr. Richard Welsh, a fellow vision-field professional, Mary Nelle resides in Pittsburgh, PA, and at her traditional family home near Memphis, TN.
Chris Tabb, Orientation and Mobility Specialist
Chris Tabb is an orientation and mobility specialist working to advance the independence of students and clients, provide training opportunities and knowledge exchange for professionals and families, and bring accessible information to the community. He was previously employed by the state of Montana’s Blind and Low Vision Services, working with clients ages 14 to well into their 90’s. Chris has worked with individuals who are blind and low vision in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Texas, and Montana, providing services in residential programs, as an itinerant, an outreach specialist providing technical assistance, and as a private contractor. He enjoys working with all age groups, including infants and toddlers, school age students, adults, and older populations. Chris’ greatest professional interests are to help individuals and families realize their best lives, to help professionals in providing services to those who are blind and low vision, and to facilitate new individuals in entering the fields of education and rehabilitation of those who blind and low vision.
Daniel Norris, Executive Director, Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (VABVI)
Daniel Norris is the Adult Service Cluster Rep and the Chair of the Council Divisions of Chairs on the AERBVI Board. He is the current Past Chair of Division 11, Vision Rehabilitation Therapy. Professionally, he is the Director of Adult Services with the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (VABVI) and the VRT Program Coordinator at UMass Boston. A former TVI and current COMS and CVRT, Dan has been with VABVI since 2004 and UMass Boston since 2014. He has served as the cochair of the ACVREP CVRT Subject Matter Expert Committee, served as a member of AERAC’s Higher Education Accreditation Committee, actively serves on several committees with the Aging and Vision Loss National Coalition (AVLNC) as well as the VisionServe Alliance, and actively participated in the development and current implementation of the current AERBVI/AVRT Five-Year Strategic Plan for the Field of Vision Rehabilitation Therapy. Dan Norris is visually impaired himself, having developed a juvenile form of Macular Degeneration at the age of eight. In his various roles he has acted as a mentor and role model for many transition-aged children and adults, in the state of Vermont and elsewhere. Daniel happily lives in Vermont with his beloved wife, three children and an irascible cat.
Everette Bacon, 2nd Vice President, National Federation of the Blind
Everette Bacon is the elected 2nd Vice President for the National Federation of the Blind’s Board of Directors, he has served on the national board since 2015. He also serves as President of the NFB of Utah affiliate and has served in that role since 2012. He also is employed as the Chief of Blindness Initiatives for Aira Tech Corp. and oversees all of Aira’s service delivery. Before coming to Aira in 2023, Everette spent 18 years with the Utah Division of Services for the Blind overseeing their Access Technology programs. He has served on numerous other Boards and commissions including the FCC Disability Advisory Committee, Salt Lake City Accessibility and Disability Commission, and the Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission. He lives in Salt Lake city with his wife, Dr. Angela Peters and their three dogs.
Jason Eckert, Vice President and COO, VisionServe Alliance
Jason Eckert joined Vision Serve Alliance in 2023 and became Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in early 2024. He has 25 years of professional experience in the Blind and Vision Impaired community. Jason began his career as a Rehabilitation Counselor providing career services at Lighthouse
International (now Lighthouse Guild). In 2000 he joined the New York State Commission for the Blind, where he rose to become Downstate Regional Coordinator, a position he held for seven years. From 2021 to 2023 Jason served as the Executive Director at the Readers Digest Partners for Sight Foundation. Jason holds many postgraduate certifications in counseling, has completed several government executive training programs, and received many management and leadership awards. He has lectured widely on topics related to blindness and vision impairment. Jason earned an M.A. in Counseling and a B.A. in Psychology with a secondary field of study in Special Education from The George Washington University.
Sarah Malaier, Senior Advisor, Public Policy and Research, American Foundation for the Blind
Sarah Malaier is AFB’s Senior Advisor for Public Policy and Research. She leads federal policy advocacy with a focus on translating AFB’s original research into action. Her primary areas are accessible technology and transportation as they affect access to opportunities across the lifespan, from education to aging. Sarah has played an instrumental role in AFB’s advocacy for issuing website and app rules under the ADA, which resulted in a 2024 rule requiring state and local government websites and mobile apps to be accessible. In addition, she actively works with coalition partners on communications accessibility, public transit funding, and autonomous vehicle accessibility – among many other issues. As part of her coalition work, Sarah serves as a co-chair for the Transportation and Technology and Telecommunications task forces of the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities.
Sarah works closely with AFB’s research team, leading AFB’s institutional review board and ensuring that the research findings are actionable and understandable for diverse audiences. She has presented AFB’s research findings and policy priorities at the Automated Road Transportation Symposium, Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine, AFB Leadership Conference, and on various webinars and podcasts.
Sarah has been with AFB since 2016. Previously, she earned an MA in International Relations and Economics from Johns Hopkins University and a BA in Political Science and German from the University of Alabama.
Paul Schroeder, Vice President, Government and Community Affairs, American Printing House for the Blind
Paul Schroeder is Vice President, Impact and Outreach, for the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). He is responsible for APH’s public policy engagement and oversees several programs and services including APH’s Outreach Services and the National Instructional Materials Access Center. Prior to joining APH, Schroeder served as Vice President, Public Policy and Strategic Initiatives for Aira, which provides access to visual information. Previously, he served as Vice President of Programs and Policy for the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and Director of Governmental Affairs for the American Council of the Blind (ACB).
Mark Richert, Chair, AER Legislative Committee
A Florida-licensed attorney since 1993, Mark Richert has led or otherwise been at the center of most of the vision loss community’s public policy achievements of the last thirty years promoting the rights and potential of people who are blind or who have low vision. From the establishment of the American Printing House for the Blind’s National Instructional Materials Accessibility Center (NIMAC) to accessible prescription drug labeling, from polling place and voting machine accessibility to the ongoing technology revolution spurred on by the Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) and much more, Mark has navigated critical policy improvements from their inception to implementation. In addition to his service to AER, Mark has provided policy counsel to the American Council of the Blind, the American Foundation for the Blind, VisionServe Alliance, the Council of Schools and Services for the Blind, and National Industries for the Blind. He lives in Northern Virginia.