Greetings Conference Attendees, We are thrilled to welcome everyone to Austin, Texas, for the 2026 National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB) Annual Conference! To help you navigate your time with us, the final conference agenda is attached to this email and pasted below for your convenience. Please take note of our key locations this year: * Conference Sessions: All sessions will take place on Level 3 of the hotel in Salon C and Meeting Rooms 301 and 302. * Evening Reception: Join us for our evening reception on Level 2 in the Brazos Room. We look forward to an incredible event filled with learning, collaboration, and networking. Safe travels, and we will see you very soon in Austin! Warm regards, The NBPCB Conference Planning Committee National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB) 2026 Annual National Rehabilitation and Orientation and Mobility Conference Agenda 25 Years of Excellence and Empowerment for the Blind From Strong Roots to Expanding Horizons July 3, 2026 8:30 AM-7:30 PM CDT JW Marriott Austin 110 E. 2nd St. Austin, TX 78701 800-627-7468 Acknowledgements We would like to express our appreciation to the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). The NFB has not only hosted these rehabilitation events for more than 20 years, but more importantly, it has provided the philosophy, leadership, and guidance upon which the most effective rehabilitation practices have been established. We would also like to give special thanks to the many individuals who contributed their time, energy, and expertise to making this rehabilitation and orientation and mobility conference a success. It is through the dedication, determination, and fortitude of these leaders in the organized blind movement that we have collectively shifted the focus of rehabilitation in this country. Together, we are truly helping people to live the lives they want! General Session Room: Salon C 7:30AM-In-Person Registration Opens 8:30AM-Welcome & Opening remarks Joni Martinez, NOMC, Conference Committee Chair, National Blindness Professional Certification Board; Austin, TX Dezman Jackson, MA, NOMC, NCRTB, Conference Committee, Independent Contractor & Owner of Directed Solutions LLC; Baltimore, MD Jordan Moon, NOMC, Graduate Certificate Louisiana Tech, Conference Committee, Director of Strategic Initiatives, SAAVI Services for the Blind; Phoenix, AZ 8:35AM-A Welcome from NFB Mark Riccobono, President, National Federation of the Blind; Baltimore, MD 8:50AM-Keynote: From Strong Roots to Expanding Horizons Jeff Altman, MA, NOMCT, CVRCB, National Blindness Professional Certification Board, Trainers Committee for Structured Discovery; Lincoln, NE 9:20AM-What's New with NBPCB Colin Wong, MA, President, National Blindness Professional Certification Board; Seattle, WA 9:30AM-Updates From PDRIB Kristen Sims, MED, NOMC, Interim Director, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness; Ruston, LA 9:40AM-A Word From the Orientation & Mobility Specialists Association Jimmy Morris, MA, NOMCT, Vice President, Orientation & Mobility Specialists Association, Lead Orientation & Mobility Instructor, Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired; Richmond, VA 9:50AM-Announcing Dare to Be Remarkable 2026 Nikki Jackson, Employment Program Coordinator, National Federation of the Blind; Baltimore, MD 10:00AM-Advocating for Local Change Jesse Shirek, Director of Advocacy, National Federation of the Blind; Baltimore, MD 10:15AM-Transferring Success: Incorporating Family & Friends as Partners in the Journey Pam Allen, Executive Director, Louisiana Center for the Blind; Ruston, LA 10:30AM-AI and Structured Discovery: Can They Work Together? Yadiel Sotomayor, MA, NOMC, NCRTB, NCATB, NCUEB, Access Technology Instructor, Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired; Richmond, VA 10:45AM-Functional Strategies for Building Effective Communication with ESL and Deafblind Students Jennifer Kennedy, NOMC, Orientation & Mobility Instructor, Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired; Salt Lake City, UT 11:00AM- What Structured Discovery Means to Me Liz Delgado, MA, COMS, NOMC, NCRTB; Oklahoma City, OK 11:10AM-Panel: 25 Years of NBPCB: The History and Evolution Ron Brown, MEd, NOMCT, National Blindness Professional Certification Board, Trainers Committee for Structured Discovery, Cane Travel Instructor, Cane & Able; Indianapolis, IN Curtis Chong, NCATB, National Blindness Professional Certification Board, Trainers Committee for Structured Discovery; Aurora, CO Casey Robertson, Ed.S, NCUEB, National Blindness Professional Certification Board, Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness, Louisiana Tech; Ruston, LA 11:55AM-Closing Remarks 12:00PM-2:00PM-Lunch, Learn, & Network Afternoon Breakout Sessions 2:00PM-2:50PM Breakout 1 Session A - Ethics: Maintaining Professional Relationships with Coworkers & Students, Room: 301 Jessica Bartenbach, NCUEB, NCRTB, Supervisor, Nebraska Center for the Blind, Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired; Lincoln, NE Jamie Sibson, MRC, NCUEB, Director, New Mexico Orientation Center for the Blind, New Mexico Commission for the Blind; Alamogordo, NM Session B - Cane Travel: Guide Dogs and Structured Discovery Room: Salon C Macaulay Beasley, NOMC, Center Director, Mississippi EMERGE Center, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind, Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services; Long Beach, MS Rachel Grider, MA, NOMC, NCRTB, Cane Travel Instructor, Louisiana Center for the Blind; Ruston, LA Becky Keller, NOMC, COMS, Director of Orientation & Mobility, Pre-Employment Transition Specialist, Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired; Richmond, VA Domonique Lawless, MA, NOMC, NCUEB, National Program Director, Blind Veterans Association; Mechanicsville, VA Session C - Incorporation of Braille Across Different Mediums Room: 302 Kelly Burma, NCUEB, Skills Center Coordinator, New Mexico Commission for the Blind; Albuquerque, NM Emily Smith, NCUEB, Braille Instructor, Blind Industries and Services of Maryland; Baltimore, MD 3:00PM-3:50PM Breakout 2 Session A - A Focus on Functional Technology Room: 301 Joe Goode, Access Technology Instructor, SAAVI Services for the Blind, Access Technology Committee Chair, National Federation of the Blind of Arizona; Phoenix, AZ Jaime Trausch, Chief Technology Officer, SAAVI Services for the Blind; Tucson, AZ Session B - Accelerating Cycles of Advocacy: Successful Strategies for Bringing NBPCB Certifications to the Table Room: Salon C Justin M. H. Salisbury, Med, NOMC, NCRTB, Graduate Student, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities; Minneapolis, MN Daniel Belding, MA, NOMC, NCRTB, Orientation & Mobility Instructor, Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired; Indianapolis, IN Jordan Moon, NOMC, Graduate Certificate Louisiana Tech, Director of Strategic Initiatives, SAAVI Services for the Blind, Legislative Director, National Federation of the Blind of Arizona; Phoenix, AZ Session C - Trainers Committee for Structured Discovery Meeting (Closed Event) Room: 302 Jimmy Morris, MA, NOMCT, Committee Chair, Trainers Committee for Structured Discovery, Lead Orientation & Mobility Instructor, Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired; Richmond, VA 4:00PM-4:50PM Breakout 3 Session A - An Approach to Training Co-workers and Apprentices in a Safe and Professional Space Room: 301 Colin Wong, MA, President, National Blindness Professional Certification Board; Seattle, WA Roland Allen, NOMCT, Cane Travel Instructor, Louisiana Center for the Blind; Ruston, LA Session B - Building a Structured Discovery Training Center From the Ground Up Room: Salon C Jordan Moon, NOMC, Graduate Certificate Louisiana Tech, Director of Strategic Initiatives, SAAVI Services for the Blind; Phoenix, AZ Dorothy Young, Director, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind, Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services; Madison, MS Joanne Wilson, Founder, Louisiana Center for the Blind, National Blindness Professional Certification Board; Alexandria, VA Session C - Exploring the Application of Structured Discovery to Deafblind Instruction Room: 302 Maurice Peret, NOMCT, Trainers Committee for Structured Discovery, Orientation & Mobility Therapist III, Ho’Opono Services for the Blind New Visions Adjustment Program; Honolulu, HI Evening Reception Room: Brazos 5:30PM-7:30PM-Conference Mix & Mingle Facilitated by NBPCB and PDRIB Speak with the day’s presenters in a less formal setting. Networking opportunity for job seekers and employers. Meet our newest NOMC certificants. Meet our newest NCRTB certificants. Meet our newest NCUEB certificants. Awards and recognition Announcements from centers across the nation Cash bar and light snacks will be available. Sponsors National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB) Colin Wong, President www.nbpcb.org admin@nbpcb.org Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness (PDRIB), Louisiana Tech University Kristen Sims, Interim Director www.pdrib.com ksims@latech.edu *Agenda subject to change