Monday, July 6 – Opening General Session

Any agenda changes made after Braille and print production can be accessed on the NFB26 app or at nfb.org/convention. Changes will be marked with an asterisk (*).

8:00–8:45 a.m. Devotions

Room 305

8:15–8:45 a.m. On-Site Registration (30 dollars), Online Registration Packet Pickup, and Banquet Ticket Sales (90 dollars)

Room 402

8:15–8:45 a.m. Banquet Exchange

JW Grand Ballroom Foyer (level 4)

Opening General Session (9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.)

JW Grand Ballroom (level 4)

Join Zoom via Web

1CapApp Event: ECS.1capapp.com/event/nfb

Call to Order and Invocation

President Riccobono gavels the session to order; religious member offers an invocation.

Presentation of Colors and Pledge of Allegiance

National Association of Blind Veterans, a Division of the National Federation of the Blind

Keep NFB Growing: Welcome from the Texas Federation Family

2026 National Convention Host Committee: The National Federation of the Blind of Texas

Celebration of Freedom: Veterans Recognized

Roy Stinson, President, National Association of Blind Veterans, a Division of the National Federation of the Blind; Goodyear, Arizona

Roll Call of States and Appointment of Nominating Committee

Affiliate announcements of delegate, nominating committee appointment, and future convention plans.

Reports and Resolutions

President Riccobono delivers important information and convention business as time allows.

12:00–1:00 p.m. Rebooting My Career After Losing Vision at Thirty-Nine

Room 303

I spent thirteen years building video games at EA before losing my vision. I broke sighted habits, adapted, and earned a job at Amazon. This session covers how I retrained for high-level jobs and raise the bar on accessibility services.

Marc Mulcahy, Principal Software Dev Engineer, Amazon Trust Privacy and Accessibility 

Sharon Gong, Sr. Software Engineer, Amazon Trust Privacy and Accessibility 

Aaron Romero, Senior Software Engineer, Amazon Trust Privacy and Accessibility

12:00–2:00 p.m. Advocacy, Empowerment, and Accessible Voting

Room 202

Your chance has arrived, get voting with Democracy Live. Experience the latest accessible voting technologies, learn how to advocate for accessible voting in your community, and connect to share your perspective. Your voice makes a difference.

Jake Koch, Education and Outreach Consultant

12:00–2:00 p.m. Multiline Braille for Active Lives

Room 205

Discover how the Dot Pad X brings multiline Braille to your active life. Learn how to seamlessly connect to iOS, Windows, and notetakers for unparalleled access to books, apps, documents, and more.

Timothy Hornik, Sales Development Manager, and Dave Williams, Customer Experience Manager, Dot Inc.

12:00–1:45 p.m. Banquet Exchange

JW Grand Ballroom Foyer (level 4)

Final opportunity to request a special banquet meal.

12:00–1:45 p.m. Independence Market and Federation Free Reads

Salon D, Lone Star Ballroom (level 3)

12:00–1:45 p.m. Exhibit Hall

Griffin Hall (level 2)

12:15–1:45 p.m. NOPBC Youth Track Session (ages 11-18)

Room 306

Resolutions Explained. Refer to the Youth Track agenda for activity details.

12:15–1:45 p.m. NOPBC Parent Leadership Program

Room 310

This is the second of two meetings for the Parent Leadership Program. If you are interested in starting or growing a parent organization in your affiliate, please join us. Bring your lunch.

National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC)

12:15–1:45 p.m. Louisiana Center for the Blind Open House

Salon C (level 3)

Since 1985, LCB has been a place where blind people build confidence, grow skills, and shape futures. Connect with our vibrant community—students, alumni, instructors, and our team from the Institute on Blindness at Louisiana Tech—and check out the programs that make it all happen!

Pam Allen, Executive Director, and the LCB Crew

1:00–2:00 p.m. Making Amazon Shopping Easier

Salon F (level 3)

Learn about the latest accessibility features that make navigating and shopping on Amazon faster and more intuitive. Discover how AI-powered tools and improved navigation help customers find products and information more efficiently and create a more inclusive shopping experience.

Kiran Kaja, Principal Product Manager, Amazon Worldwide Stores Accessibility

1:15–1:45 p.m. On-Site Registration (30 dollars), Online Registration Packet Pickup, and Final Banquet Ticket Sales (90 dollars)

Room 402

General Session II (2:00–5:00 p.m.)

JW Grand Ballroom (level 4)

Join Zoom via Web

1CapApp Event: ECS.1capapp.com/event/nfb

Call to Order

President Riccobono gavels the session to order.

Presidential Report

Mark Riccobono, President, National Federation of the Blind; Baltimore, Maryland

Build, Lead, and Innovate: Transforming Expectations Through Blind-Centered Solutions

Mike Calvo, CEO and Co-Founder, Pneuma Solutions; Watkinsville, Georgia

Keep Accessibility Advancing: Continuous Innovation Influenced by the Blind

Neil Barnett, Chief Accessibility Officer, Microsoft; Redmond, Washington

Bending the Arc of the Universe Towards Justice: Representing the Organized Blind Movement in the Courts

Jessica Weber, Managing Partner, Brown, Goldstein & Levy; Baltimore, Maryland

Keep Your Hands on the Court: Innovative Nonvisual Access to Professional Sports

Jerred Mace, CEO, One Court Technologies, Inc.; Seattle, Washington

Reports and Resolutions

President Riccobono delivers important information and convention business as time allows.

5:00–8:00 p.m. Blind Unbound Story Collection

Room 404

We need your voice. Share your story with Blind Unbound. Refer to the "Start Here: Essentials for Your Schedule" section in the agenda for details.

5:00–9:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall

Griffin Hall (level 2)

Final opportunity to visit the Exhibit Hall.

6:00–7:30 p.m. Colorado Center for the Blind: Life Changing

Salon C (level 3)

Through structured discovery, you will gain belief in yourself. Hear from staff, students, and alumni; their stories will inspire you. Arrive at 6:00 p.m. The program will begin promptly at 6:15 p.m. Challenge yourself and create opportunities.

Julie Deden, Executive Director

6:00–8:00 p.m. Communications Committee

Room 302

Join chapter, affiliate, and division leaders to learn best practices in communications. We’ll explore the tools available to us through our national office and exchange ideas. Learn to effectively use communication to build the Federation. Everyone is welcome!

Liz Wisecarver, Chair

6:00–9:00 p.m. Career Fair

Salon E (level 3)

Come meet national and regional employers who are interested in hiring you, including many of our convention sponsors and Texas employers. This is your first step to a great future! Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Sponsored by the NFB Employment Committee.

Lia Stone, Chair

6:00–10:00 p.m. Adaptive Sports Unleashed: Blind Hockey

Salons G and H (level 3)

Come try blind hockey. Score a goal. Make a save. Feel your body move like never before. This is a full workout disguised as joy. Build fitness, sharpen your reactions, and join a community that has your back. Feel the sport. Find your fire.

Josh Schneider, Member, NFB Sports and Recreation Division

7:00–8:00 p.m. NFB-NEWSLINE Subscriber Credential Help Desk

Room 304

Stop by for help retrieving your NFB-NEWSLINE credentials, asking brief questions, or learning more about the service and its available features.

7:00–8:30 p.m. Blind Survivors Group Workshop

Room 301

Engage in our interactive workshop on building safer spaces for people of all identities and generations. Learn to recognize bullying, abuse, coercion, and trauma impacts while strengthening resilience, boundaries, trust, and support networks in every community.

Christine Grassman, Chair

7:00–10:00 p.m. NOPBC Annual Seminar Workshops

For more details visit nopbc.org. Sponsored by the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. Cassandra McKinney, President

7:00–8:15 p.m. – Concurrent Workshops Group D

  • Getting a Fair Evaluation for Your Child with Multiple Disabilities (Room 303)
  • Panel of Success: Advocating for Your Blind Child (Room 305)

8:45–10:00 p.m. – Concurrent Workshops Group E

  • Social Skills (Room 303)
  • Mock IEP (Room 305)

7:00–10:00 p.m. NOPBC Youth Track Session (ages 11-18)

Room 306

Skills and More. Refer to the Youth Track agenda for activity details.

7:00–10:00 p.m. Working for Yourself, but Not by Yourself

Room 205

Experience how professional training, systems-based practices, personal development, and superior Nikken Japanese-wellness technologies are revolutionizing professional network marketing. Imagine the joy of working with successful mentors to earn through serving others.

Mary Ellen Gabias and Paul Gabias, Independent Nikken Wellness Business Consultants

Agenda Navigation

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