Keynote Speakers:

Robbin Clark

Robbin Clark is an Expanded Core enthusiast! She currently serves as the Assistant Director/Principal at the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind over the Expanded Core Curriculum & Instruction and the Bridges Programs. She is the camp director for Camp Abilities Utah, a one-week developmental sport camp for children with visual impairments. Prior to her current work, she worked seven years as the vision rehabilitation therapist in the Children’s Services division at BESB in Connecticut. Other past professional roles include: teacher for deafblind children, an early intervention therapist for children with vision impairments and director for various programs of students with vision impairments. Robbin offers professional expertise, tips, and resources to parents and educators on her blog The Independent Little Bee, adifferentkindofvision.blogspot.com, and on her 9MoreThanCore social media accounts (IG, Facebook). She collaborates with a number of schools for the blind to effectively train staff in Expanded Core instruction and is often invited to be a keynote speaker in workshops and symposiums.  Personally, Robbin has been active in the vision impairment community since her youth: living and working with her mother who has total vision loss provided the foundation for her life’s passion. Her credentials include a vision rehabilitation therapist graduate degree from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock and a graduate endorsement in curriculum & instruction from Walden University.

Dr. Sudhi Kurup, MD 

Dr. Sudhi Kurup, MD is a Pediatric Ophthalmologist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, Dr. Kurup, attended Northwestern University as an undergraduate followed by medical school at the University of Michigan. Upon completing his Ophthalmology residency and Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus fellowship at Northwestern University and Lurie Children’s Hospital, respectively, he joined the faculty and has been practicing there since. He is an active member in the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG) and has special interest in education as the ophthalmology resident site director at Lurie. He lives in the northern suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two children.

Dr. Noreen Shaikh, OD 

Dr. Noreen Shaikh, OD is a Pediatric Optometrist and Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. She delivers full scope pediatric eye care specializing in Visual Impairment, Specialty Contact Lens care including Aphakia, and Myopia Control. She is an active member in the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG) and recently she got selected to serve as one of the committee members for special interest working group. She enjoys research and is a contributing member to multiple national studies. She presents at The American Academy of Optometry and the American Association for Pediatric Surgeons. She received “Best of Show” recognition from American Association for Pediatric Surgeons last year. Dr Shaikh lives in Chicago and loves to spend time with her husband and her children.

Dr. Magdalena Stec, OD

Dr. Magdalena Stec, OD is a Pediatric Optometrist, Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, and an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. She delivers full scope eye care that addresses all aspects of patients’ visual needs. She serves as a referral source for Pediatric Low Vision patients, Pediatric Specialty Contact lens fits, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) including pediatric concussion and pediatric stroke. Most recently, she co-developed the Myopia Control Clinic and Alternative Aphakic Contact Lens Clinic. She loves to share knowledge and guide trainees based on evidence-based medicine. She mentors OD colleagues along with medical and pre-medical students. Her scholarly credentials include being a contributing member to a multitude of national studies. She regularly presents at The American Academy of Optometry and the American Association for Pediatric Surgeons. Last year, she received “Best of Show” recognition from the American Association for Pediatric Surgeons. She completed multiple leadership courses through the Academy of Optometry including the Disney Institute of Leadership and Business Development. She is involved in the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigating Group and other national research-based institutions that has allowed her to become a leader and an innovator in pediatric optometry. In her outside patient care time, she enjoys spending time with her family. Her husband and two children love outdoor activities, sports and traveling.

Haleigh Nierman M.S. OTR/L 

Haleigh Nierman M.S. OTR/L graduated from Rush University and is an Occupational Therapist at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. Coming from a family of optometrist, Haleigh has a special interest in working with patients with visual impairments and challenges. Haleigh enjoys mentoring colleagues in all things vision and acts as the pediatric vision lab specialist on the inpatient floor pediatric floor at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. 

Molly Dunne, Director of Professional Learning & Coaching at NSSEO.

Molly Dunne is a proud graduate of Illinois State University's Low Vision & Blindness Program. Molly has worked for NSSEO since 2009. She began teaching as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired in Chicago Public Schools and has served in many leadership roles, including DHH/Vision Coordinator, Related Services Coordinator, and Innovative Learning Coordinator. She has taught and supervised a wide range of classrooms and programs across the continuum. Molly values creating supportive and inclusive environments where all can learn and grow. 

Breakout Speaker Information:

Michael Altendorf studied at Illinois State University from 2015-2019 and is now in his third year of teaching at Harvard District 50. Like many other itinerants, his caseload varies with CVI, multi-needs, and academic students.

Rachel Bell is a  graduate of Northern Illinois University.  She is a TVI and COMS. She has worked at SASED in various roles since 2014.

Sumer Bellinder has been a TVI/O&M at Niles Township District for Special Education (NTDSE) for 17 years.  She has worked with all ages of students but has primarily worked with early childhood and elementary-aged students for the past several years.  Sumer has her Perkins CVI micro-credential. Her passion for literacy and thinking outside of the box when creating and procuring materials and activities for students makes her an asset to her teams. 

Cynthia Bergeron has worked as an itinerant Teacher of the Visually Impaired and as a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist for NSSEO in Arlington Heights, Illinois since 1995. Cynthia has Master’s Degrees in Orientation and Mobility and Elementary Education, and holds certifications as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and as a Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist (CATIS).  Cindy attended Northern Illinois University. She is Co-President of the Illinois Association of Orientation and Mobility Specialists (IAOMS).

Lisa Borgo is currently an Itinerant Teacher of the Visually Impaired for Rockford Public Schools. She received her bachelors to be a Teacher of the Visually Impaired from Northern Illinois University. She then completed her Masters in Orientation and Mobility and program for Vision Rehabilitation Therapy at NIU. Lisa has always had an interest in DeafBlindness, and completed the coursework on DeafBlindness through the online program at University of South Dakota. Lisa has been involved with Camp Lions of Illinois since 2010. She started as a volunteer for the camp and now is one of the directors of the camp. Lisa adapts activities to make them accessible for all of the blind and low vision participants. Her favorite camp activities are swimming, horseback riding, and dancing! Camp Lions has changed her life in so many ways and she looks forward to it every summer.

Julia Bowman received her Master's degree in Teaching Students with Visual Impairments from the University of Massachusetts-Boston, where she was named a Zermas Scholar. A former chemist, she was inspired by her experience as a parent in the Perkins School for the Blind Infant-Toddler Program, and decided to become a TVI/DTV. She was fortunate to be mentored by Ellen Mazel, who is the director of the CVI Center at Perkins. After graduation, Julia taught for the Carroll Center in Newton, MA before moving to Illinois and joining the staff at Illinois School for the Visually Impaired, where she currently works as a Birth to Three Teacher (DTV). As the mother of a child with multiple disabilities and multiple visual impairments, Julia appreciates the challenges that families face during the early childhood years.

Dana Brosso graduated in 2010 from Illinois State University with her Bachelor's in Special Education, in the field of Low Vision/Blindness  and has been teaching for 13 years as a TSVI. She currently works for The Northwestern Illinois Association as a TSVI, CATIS and is CVI Range Endorsed.  In 2018, Dana earned her graduate certificate from NIU as a Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist (CATIS) and will be completing her Master's in Educational Leadership through Purdue University, in March of 2023. 

Bob Chada is a TVI & O&Mer, and also has his LBS1 (general special education) license who works for Chicago Public Schools where he has worked for 23 years. 

Chandler Clark is a 1st year Vision Teacher for district U-46. He enjoys baseball, (go White Sox!) trying new food, and playing with my teacup Yorkie, Pretzel. Chandler hopes to go back to school and get his Master’s in CATIS, so he can help my students develop the technological literacy skills they need to be successful after graduating.

Michelle Clark is the Outreach Director at Illinois School for the Visually Impaired. She received her BS in Psychology from Illinois College in 2008. In 2019 she completed her MA in Human Services Counseling: Dobson Center Parenting and Child/Adolescent Development from Liberty University. Her duties include coordinating ISVI’s Opening Doors Program and connecting families with vision resources. 

Michelle Clyne, M.S. Ed., coordinates Project Reach: Illinois DeafBlind Services (the state’s deaf-blind project) and previously worked on the project as a deafblind specialist. She has also been a music therapist in a residential school for children with deafblindness and additional disabilities and volunteered with Hilton-Perkins International and the Helen Keller National Center. She also helped develop the Illinois standards and test for the LBS II/Teacher of the Deaf-Blind, the revalidation of the CEC Deaf-Blind Intervener Standards. She worked with teams on the development of several NCDB Open Hands, Open Access: Deaf-Blind Intervener Learning Modules and Module One of the new Teaching Children Who are Deaf-Blind NCDB Modules. She holds an Illinois PEL: Teacher of Students Who are Blind or Visually Impaired credential and an Illinois Early Intervention credential as a Developmental Therapist–Vision Specialist with evaluation credentials. While a part-time instructor at Illinois State University, Michelle co-taught for the El Vista (Early Learning Visual Impairment Services Training and Advancement) program.

Susan Dalton is a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist currently on the faculty of Northern Illinois University’s Department of Special and Early Education.  A contributor to the recently published textbook, Foundations of Vision Rehabilitation Therapy, Sue has been teaching courses in Special Education, Activities of Daily Living and Home Economics for Persons who are Visually Impaired since 1998.  She has worked in early intervention as a developmental therapist, teacher of the visually impaired and directed a state-wide transition program for teens with visual impairments in Illinois for 17 years.  

Jean Deptolla is the Assistant Coordinator for the Northwestern Illinois Association.  She has been working in the vision field for 36 years and has worked as a TVI, DT-V, and DeafBlind Specialist.  She has taught a variety of classes in the Vision Department at NIU and presented at various conferences over the years.  Currently she supervises the Vision programs in Kane County for NIA and covers the northwest area of the state for Project Reach. She is planning on retirement in June of 2025, but hopes to continue to be active in the Vision field.

Jennifer Duncan is in her fourteenth year in education. She is a graduate of the Northern Illinois University vision program as a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments and Certified O&M Specialist. In addition, Jennifer has a master's degree in specialized endorsements (ESL and LBS1), a graduate of the EL VISTA early intervention program through Illinois State University, and a National Board-Certified Teacher. Jennifer completed her Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Teacher Leadership through National Louis University as well as received a Coaching and Mentoring certificate. She currently serves as the Past-President and Conference Chair for the Illinois AER, Secretary of the Illinois Association of Orientation and Mobility Specialists (IAOMS), and the National AER O&M Division District 3 Director covering Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ontario, and Wisconsin.

Molly Dunne is the Director of Professional Learning & Coaching at NSSEO. She is a proud graduate of Illinois State University's Low Vision & Blindness Program. Molly has worked for NSSEO since 2009. She began teaching as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired in Chicago Public Schools and has served in many leadership roles, including DHH/Vision Coordinator, Related Services Coordinator, and Innovative Learning Coordinator. She has taught and supervised a wide range of classrooms and programs across the continuum. Molly values creating supportive and inclusive environments where all can learn and grow. 

Sara Edwards is a Teacher for Students with Visual Impairments (TSVI), Developmental Therapist/Vision (DTV), and an evaluator in the Illinois Early Intervention program. She has worked for the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired in the Birth to Three program since 2011.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in low vision and blindness as well as her master’s degree from Illinois State University. Besides working full time in Early Intervention, she has enjoyed teaching courses in ISU’s El Vista and Limitless programs and serving on the IAER board. Sara enjoys being able to reach out to families in Early Intervention and share her experiences of raising two children with visual impairments. 

Mindy Ely is the assistant professor of low vision and blindness at Illinois State University and the coordinator of the fully online MS Ed Low Vision and Blindness degree program.  

Chris Fiorito is a TVI who works for Northwestern Illinois Association (NIA).  Presently her work assignment is in the Belvidere School District. She graduated from Illinois State University in 1991 where she earned a Bachelor's Degree specializing in Blind and Partially Sighted.  She taught 2 years at Southwest Cook County Co-Op and then taught in McHenry County for 23 years before joining NIA in 2016. In 2017, she earned her Supervisory Endorsement. 

Morgan Foreman graduated from Illinois State University’s Vision Program and began her career as a TVI in 2013.  She has worked in both a classroom setting for extended school year programs, as well as an itinerant setting during the school year.  Morgan received her Master’s Degree in Reading from University of St. Francis in 2017, completed Illinois State University’s EL VISTA program in 2019, and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Blindness and Low Vision from Missouri State University.  Morgan works as a TVI for Naperville Community Unit School District 203 and an early intervention DTV for Will, Grundy, LaSalle, and Kankakee counties.

Liz Freeman is in her eighth year as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired, and her fifth as a Certified Orientation & Mobility Specialist. She earned her undergraduate degree from Illinois State University, and her Master's from Northern Illinois University. Liz works for NSSEO in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, and is currently the treasurer of the Illinois Association of Orientation & Mobility Specialists (IAOMS).

Alex Gillaspie is a graduate research assistant in the Visual Disabilities Program at Northern Illinois University.

Maura Guimon-Warren has been a school-based vision professional in Illinois for 20 years. She has held both classroom and itinerant positions throughout the Chicagoland area. Currently, she works as both a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments and a Certified Orientation and Mobility Instructor in Naperville, Il. Maura earned her undergraduate degree for TVI from Illinois State University and her Master’s in Orientation & Mobility from Western Michigan University. Additionally Maura holds a Master’s in Educational Technology and completed a graduate certificate program to become an early intervention provider in both vision and O&M. Maura has presented at state, national and international conferences on the topics of braille literacy, working with early learners, and students with multiple disabilities. Maura currently serves as the secretary for the Illinois Chapter of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired. 

Amber Gulino graduated from Illinois State University in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in low vision and blindness, and also graduated with her LBS1. She has been a TVI with the Lockport Area Special Education Cooperative for the past nine years. 

Leslie Hoskins is a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) and the Outreach Services and Community Engagement Manager at Leader Dogs for the Blind. She joined the O&M team in March of 2014 and worked as the Camp Director and a COMS for 6 years before she transitioned to her new role of Outreach Services in January of 2020. Leslie has presented at numerous conferences within the blindness and low vision field on topics such as Guide Dog Readiness, Incorporating GPS into O&M and Camps for Teens with Visual Impairments. Leslie attended Western Michigan University where she graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and a Master of Arts in Orientation and Mobility. Leslie hosts monthly Collaboration Events for Leader Dog graduates and is one of the hosts of the Taking the Lead podcast. 

Gaylen Kapperman holds the rank of Professor Emeritus in the Visual Disabilities Program at Northern Illinois University where he has worked since God invented dirt.

Ashley Keegan is a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments at the Delta Gamma Center in St. Louis, MO. She received her bachelor’s degree in Special Education: Low Vision and Blindness from Illinois State University in 2009. Ashley was an itinerant TVI in Illinois before joining the Delta Gamma Center early intervention team in 2014. Ashley now resides in the Chicago suburbs and provides virtual vision services within the Missouri First Steps early intervention program.

Stacy Kelly is a Professor in the Northern Illinois University (NIU) Visual Disabilities Program and has done extensive research with her colleagues at NIU and many of the NIU graduate assistants including those presenting this year at Illinois AER.

Laurel Kramer received her bachelor's degree from Illinois State University in Special Education specializing in Low Vision and Blindness. She also holds a Learning Behavior Specialist I endorsement. In addition Laurel holds two masters degrees in Orientation and Mobility as well as Adapted Physical Education both from Western Michigan University. She currently holds the Vice President position on the board of the Illinois Association of Orientation and Mobility Specialist (IAOMS). Laurel currently works as a dual Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist for NSSEO.

Brian Kulaga works as a TVI with the Niles Township District for Special Education #807 (NTDSE). Prior to becoming a TVI, he worked as a LBS1 for five years in elementary resource/instructional classrooms.  He is a proud graduate of the first cohort of the Master's of Science in Education: Low Vision and Blindness program at Illinois State University!

Justine Kylloe graduated from NIU in 2015 with a Bachelor's degree in Rehabilitation Services and went on to earn a Master's degree at NIU for TVI/O&M in 2017. In 2021, Justine completed NIU's graduate certificate program for Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist for People with Visual Impairments. She has also been working as a TVI/COMS with District 300 since 2017. 

Rebecca Lambert, M.S.Ed, is a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairment and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist.  She has been working in the field of Early Intervention for the Delta Gamma Center for Children and privately since 1995.  The Delta Gamma Center for Children operates in the Metro St. Louis Area, covering both sides of the Mississippi River.  Rebecca resides in Vandalia, IL with her husband and 2 children.

Tracey Nardi is a COMS/TVI from Northern Illinois University.  She has worked at SASED for many years and currently has a caseload of high school and transition-aged students.  She continuously collaborates with her colleagues on an advanced travel curriculum that drives instruction to ensure that students are as prepared as possible to take ownership of their lessons and independence.  

Joe Nast is Chicago-born and Houston-raised, Joe brings a passion for educational accessibility and more than ten years of Assistive Technology and post-secondary Disability Services experience back home to a new career as the Assistant Director for the Chicago Lighthouse, Illinois Instructional Materials Center (IIMC).

Rachel Newland  is a  graduate  research assistant in the Visual Disabilities program at Northern Illinois University.

Susan O’Brien is a teacher for students with visual impairments and an early interventionist focused on learners with CVI.

Stefanie Ortman is the Admissions Director at the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired.  She  obtained her BA in psychology from University of Illinois at Springfield in 2005.  She then received her Master’s in Social Work from Saint Louis University in 2007.  Prior to working for Illinois School for the Visually Impaired, Stefanie worked at Illinois School for the Deaf as the social worker for 13 years. Stefanie has experience in the fields of community mental health for 5 years and the hospital setting for 1 year.  She has worked at the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired for 2 months as the Admissions Director.  Part of her duties at ISVI include assisting families and school districts with the enrollment process at ISVI.  She provides tours of the campus, assists with the intake paperwork, contacts appropriate agencies and schools for student information, and helps the admissions assistant with student record keeping.  Stefanie also assists families, school districts, and other agencies find statewide resources.

Alyssa Otis has been with Leader Dog for over 10 years as a guide dog mobility instructor (GDMI) and now as the Outreach Specialist. She started at Leader Dog right after graduating from Central Michigan University with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and American Sign Language.  Over the past 10 years, Alyssa has trained with hundreds of dogs and has placed client/guide dog teams all over the US, Canada and Spain. She has been a GDMI apprentice mentor, participated in professional seminars for COMS seeking to learn more about guide dogs, and presented to various groups on guide dog training and expectations.

Eric Ott is a Certified Orientation and Mobility Instructor who has worked at Northwestern Illinois Association since 2019.  He earned a BS in Education from Miami University 2004 and a MS in Special Education from NIU 2018.

Jennifer Ottowitz is a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist and Older Blind Specialist for the Older Individuals Who Are Blind Technical Assistance Center (OIB-TAC) which is part of the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision housed at Mississippi State University.  She received her Bachelor of Science in Education degree in Special Education for the Multiply and Orthopedically Handicapped from Kent State University and her Master of Science in Education degree in Special Education for the Visually Impaired from Northern Illinois University.  She brings over 29 years experience providing direct service to adults who are blind or who have low vision working in center-based programs in Illinois and Wisconsin. She also worked for nine years as an instructor and Learning Expert with Hadley.  She is co-editor of the Foundations of Vision Rehabilitation Therapy textbook and has presented at state and national conferences on a variety of topics related to working with adults living with vision impairment.

Julie Pahr  is a graduate research assistant in the Visual Disabilities Program at Northern Illinois University.

Brittany Payne is in her 2nd year of being a Vision Itinerant for District U-46. She is currently a student at Northern Illinois University working towards my Orientation and Mobility degree. She looks forward to her future as a dual-certified TVI and Orientation and Mobility instructor. 

Kirstin Peahl is a COMS from Western Michigan University.  She has worked  at SASED for many years and currently has a caseload of high school and transition-aged students.  She continuously collaborates with her colleagues on an advanced travel curriculum that drives instruction to ensure that students are as prepared as possible to take ownership of their lessons and independence.  

Jen Perkins is a TVI/COMS with a certification in EI. I graduated from NIU in 2014 and work for Northwestern Illinois Association. 

Kirsten Safley has been a TVI at NTDSE for 2 years. She has worked with students of all ages but has primarily worked with elementary students both in general education as well as life skills. Kirsten has a passion for literacy and supporting teachers in making literacy accessible to those with visual impairments while helping students to see the fun in learning.

Maddy Sawyer is an MA., BCBA (board certified behavior analyst), LBS1, LBS2 and she works for CASE Special Education Cooperative where she serves two school districts as a BCBA. 

Chantille Schram is a Child Development Specialist that has been working in the field of Early Intervention for over 15 years with the past 3 years working for the Delta Gamma Center serving Children with vision impairments and supporting their families.  Chantille lives in Troy, IL with her husband and 2 children.

Cheri Sinnott Springer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Director of the Illinois Service Resource Center which is funded by the Illinois State Board of Education to provide behavior support for students who are visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing.  She is an Adjunct Faculty member at College of Lake County where she teaches Introduction to Social Work and Introduction to Counseling. 

Steve Sroka has served as the Associate Director of Events for the Foundation Fighting Blindness for 16 years. He manages Outreach and Event functions across the Midwest and beyond, managing their VisionWalk, the Foundation’s National Signature event, in 7 cities. He also manages golf outings, dinners and many other smaller events, as well as educational activities about vision-related research.

Richard Stauder is the Assistive Technology Instructor/CVRT at Second Sense in downtown Chicago. He is a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist and Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist (CATIS). He meets with clients individually or in small groups and provides training related to assistive technology and independent living skills. Richard earned a bachelor's of arts in Social Work from Illinois State University in 2011 and master's of education specializing in vision rehabilitation therapy and a master's certificate in assistive technology instruction for people who are blind from Northern Illinois University in 2020.

Rosemary L. Nave Stawasz earned the trifecta from Western Michigan University- B.S. in Special Education- Visual Impairment in 2002, M.A. in Orientation & Mobility in 2003, and Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences in 2019. She began her teaching career in 2003 and taught in Arizona, North Carolina, and Michigan. Rosemary was an adjunct instructor at Western Michigan University in the Blindness and Low Vision Studies department for a total of 10 years. Then, she became an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky's Visual Impairment program for two years. After leaving Kentucky, Dr. Nave Stawasz moved to Chicago, Illinois in 2019 and transitioned into adult blind rehabilitation before joining the itinerant vision team at Naperville 203 in the Spring of 2021. 

Shannon Sweezy-Champion graduated from Illinois State University in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in the areas of low vision and blindness, as well as learning behavior specialist. She has worked as a teacher of the visually impaired in an itinerant setting for the last 9 years, and currently works for Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization (NSSEO).

Lisa Tabaka is a graduate of Illinois State University and has been working with students who are blind or have low vision for the past nineteen years.  Currently, she works for Heart of Illinois Low Incidence Association (HILIA) as vision facilitator and itinerant teacher of students with visual impairments. Lisa is a National Board Certified teacher and for the last three years has served as co-chair of IVLC. 

Megan Thomas, has close to a decade of experience as a TVI and O&M. Currently she is working with students in Morton Grove, Skokie, Lincolnwood and a small portion of Niles. My favorite aspect of this field is bringing fun and interactive learning experiences to my students.

Peter Tucic is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at HumanWare. He works closely with key organizations throughout the field of vision loss at both local and national levels relating to their optimal use of HumanWare’s blindness assistive technology. Peter graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History. In addition to consistently presenting at several annual conferences, Peter has also been published in Closing the Gap magazine and regularly creates written and video tutorials for a wide array of HumanWare blindness products.

Tara Uding, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, graduated from Illinois State University in 2011. After seven years in the schools, she began working in early intervention at Delta Gamma Center. She lives in the St. Louis area with her husband and two children. 

Katie White is a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist with NSSEO. She is Co-President of the Illinois Association of Orientation and Mobility Specialists (IAOMS).

Maggie Vandewaarsenburg, M.S.Ed, is a Child Development Specialist with the Delta Gamma Center.  Maggie has been serving families in early intervention for the past eight years and has been a Child Development Specialist with the Delta Gamma Center since July of 2022.  She is currently attending classes at Missouri State University to earn her TVI certification. 

Tracy Wilks has been a Teacher of Students with visual impairments in the Chicagoland area for more than 25 years.  During this time Tracy has been both classroom-based and itinerant TVI.  Tracy has earned her Master’s in educational administration and her Master’s certificate in early intervention.  Additionally Tracy holds a Concentration in Deaf-Blindness & High Intensity Support Needs and the Perkins Endorsement in the Roman CVI range. Currently Tracy is an itinerant teacher in Naperville and works on a team of some of the best vision professionals in the business!

Emmett Yost  is a graduate research assistant in the Visual Disabilities Program at Northern Illinois University.

Samantha Zauner-Undesser earned her bachelors in Special Education: Low Vision and Blindness as well as Learning and Behavior at Illinois State University. She earned a Master’s in Elementary Education from St. Thomas University.  Samantha teaches in the Wilmette, IL school district as a TVI/LBS specialist and is also a Developmental Therapist– Vision Specialist in the Illinois Early  Intervention System.

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