scholars

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Kate almon

Kate began her career working with people who are blind or visually impaired at Guide Dogs for the Blind. She enjoyed training clients and guide dogs for years, leading her to enroll in the Master's in Orientation and Mobility degree at Portland State University. She studied wayfinding with a focus on tactile maps for her Master's Thesis, and since has developed a keen interest in supporting people's independence through well-created tactile maps and other wayfinding tools.

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Alice klein

Alice Klein is a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist. Her passion has always been to make the world a more equitable place for all. This partnership between Sound Transit and Portland State University is a great opportunity to contribute to accessible and equitable transit options. Alice lives in Seattle with her husband and they enjoy riding public transit to experience the vibrant culture the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

Faith, an Asian woman with black and silver hair, smiles while standing in front of foliage. She is wearing a bright blue top and red-framed glasses.

Faith Yeung

Faith Yeung, MA, is working as a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments in Bellevue, WA. Her journey in special education began in 2017 as a paraeducator, and she has been working towards an MS in Orientation and Mobility, through Portland State University’s IDEALS scholarship. Faith earned her COMS certification at the end of 2022.

Ky, a white woman with tan skin and light brown hair, smiles on an outdoor balcony overlooking Santorini, Greece. She is wearing a light blue top and brown sunglasses.

Ky Wiese

Ky (she/her) works as a Qualified Guide Dog Mobility Instructor at Guide Dogs for the Blind in Boring, Oregon. She began her career there in March 2018 and quickly found a strong interest in the Orientation and Mobility aspects of client instruction. She is now pursuing the Master’s degree and O&M certificate through PSU; she thoroughly enjoys proprioception, adult eduction, and tactile map construction. She lives with her two dogs and cat in a Portland, Oregon suburb.

Patrick, a person with with short, medium-brown hair and mustache, smiles while standing on a coastal beach. They are wearing a light gray hoodie.

Patrick dickensheets

Patrick Dickensheets, he/them, is in his first year of PSU's O&M and VIL program and is supported by the LIBROS scholars grant. He has worked in education for a total of 7 years with three years as a special education teacher in Florida. He moved to Portland, Oregon with his husband and rambunctious pets and has been helping his husband as an archeological field technician. He recently began working for NW Regional Education Service District as an instructional aide while he finishes classes at PSU.

Deanna, a Caucasian person with with a blue beanie and blue eyes smiles while standing in the snow.

Deanna Wilcox

Deanna Wilcox (she/her) has been in special education since 2017. She had worked with learners who have a wide variety of disabilities before she started her Master's program and O&M certification in 2022 at Portland State University. Currently, she lives in Tacoma, WA with her cat while she is finishing up her degree.

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Julie Schaar

Julie is a longtime resident of the King County area and is currently working as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired in Issaquah. She is completing her COMS certification this fall and is eager to join the project to increase accessibility for transit travel in the Seattle area. In her free time, Julie enjoys spending time with her husband and two children and enjoys cooking, thrifting, and outdoor activities.

Mallary, a Caucasian woman with with brown eyes and brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, smiles while crouching down next to a Labrador Retriever guide dog.

Mallary Hoefer

Mallary Hoefer (she/her) is a qualified Guide Dog Mobility Instructor who has worked at Guide Dogs for the Blind for the past ten years. She is in the first year of the Master's degree program for Orientation and Mobility at PSU. She lives outside of Portland with her husband, two dogs, and various chickens.

Matt, a man, with short, brown hair and a 5 o’clock shadow, wearing a light blue shirt, grins.

Matt Bullen

Matt Bullen (he/him) is currently the O&M intern at the Seattle location of the Washington State Dept. of Services for the Blind. He is working to complete his MS and O&M certification at PSU. Originally from the UK, he worked for 18 years at Seattle Children's Hospital. He is an IDEALS federal scholar. He is also involved with O&M-related research projects at various institutions. Matt lives in Seattle with his wife.

Jennifer, a woman with green eyes, shoulder-length brown hair, and wearing sunglasses on her head, smiles while standing closely in front of a tree.

Jennifer Scheel

Jen is attending Portland State University as an IDEALS scholar and is in her second year of the program. She has worked with teens for over a decade and has worked with teens who are blind, low vision and deafblind for the last 5 years as a youth program specialist at the Washington State Department of Services for the Blind for over 5 years. When she is not in school or working, Jen is passionate about being outside in nature, yoga, and cooking delicious food.

Rorye McFadden

Rorye McFadden is an English and social science teacher based in San Diego, California. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of San Diego, where she focused her studies on history, Spanish, and theater arts. She later focused her studies on the field of education, where she received two single subject teaching credentials and a master’s degree in general education from the National University. In her spare time outside of the classroom, she likes to spend time with her husband, daughter, and dogs going on hiking adventures in the Southern California region. She also manages and plays on a co-ed indoor soccer league, golfs, and enjoys thrifting around various parts of San Diego County.

A woman with dark brown eyes and long black hair, wearing a cream colored blouse, sits in a office chair and smiles.

myat Aung

Myat is a Certified O&M Specialist and Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments, currently working with school-age students. She is completing the special education Master’s for O&M. Myat enjoys teaching O&M skills since it promotes more independence for individuals with visual impairments. Myat lives with her husband and daughter in Gresham and has been in the Portland area for the past 19 years. In her free time, Myat enjoys sewing, gardening, and hiking with friends and family.

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