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 (*).
8:30–11:30 a.m. NOPBC Cane Walk
Room 306
Join the Cane Walk to experience cane travel with an instructor. Families are encouraged to attend together. Two sessions may be offered depending on attendance, followed by time for questions and dialogue.
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC)
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. On-Site Registration (30 dollars), Online Registration Packet Pickup, and Banquet Ticket Sales (90 dollars)
JW Grand Ballroom Foyer (level 4)
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Independence Market and Federation Free Reads
Salon D, Lone Star Ballroom (level 3)
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall
Griffin Hall (level 2)
9:00–10:00 a.m. The Seeing Eye: Guiding the Way Forward
Room 205
Explore how a Seeing Eye dog and adaptive technology can support mobility and independence; assess whether a guide dog may be the right fit for you; learn how adaptive technology may complement a guide-dog partnership; identify next steps and questions to consider.
The Seeing Eye
9:00–11:00 a.m. The Blind Professional Playbook
Salon H (level 3)
You’re hired! Now what? Early careers are full of firsts—first performance review, first time searching for an apartment, first time advocating for yourself at work. We welcome blind early professionals (0–5 years) to connect, learn, and build the playbook no one gave us. Sponsored by the NFB Employment Committee.
Lia Stone, Chair
9:00–11:00 a.m. Committee on Federation Website Coordination
Room 304
After introductions, the committee will review updates for and changes in Drupal. Discuss the topics and types of training that would benefit our website coordinators. Bring your questions for the group.
Steve Cook, Chair
9:00–11:00 a.m. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Salon G (level 3)
Hear of the progress that we, as an organization, are making in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). How can we drive DEI efforts across the Federation in fulfillment of our movement’s strategic priorities? Bring your questions, feedback, and concerns to the committee.
Shawn Callaway and Kenia Flores, Co-Chairs
9:00–11:00 a.m. Membership Committee
Room 302
Members represent our most powerful asset. All those who are interested in joining the membership committee to discuss innovative ideas to grow, nurture, and sustain membership in the organized blind movement are welcome.
Denise Avant, Chair
10:00–11:00 a.m. What’s New in Google Accessibility
Salon F (level 3)
This session provides a summary of recent updates to accessibility features across Google products.
Mariah Moon, Praveena Parsiboina, and Nimer Jaber, Google
10:00–11:00 a.m. EZRE: Receipts Built for Us, By Us
Room 401
Join EZRE founder Alberto Destarac for a live demo of the first app that delivers itemized digital receipts to your phone the moment you pay—no scanning, no asking for help at checkout. Hear it work with VoiceOver and TalkBack. Q&A, hands-on testing, and feedback welcome.
Alberto Destarac, Founder and CTO, and Andrew Gundersen, EZRE
10:00–11:00 a.m. TWC Stories
Room 202
Blind Texans want to go to work. Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is a proven path to get there. But what happens when that’s not true? Do you have a TWC story? If you’ve been let down, if you’ve struggled and want to be heard, if you truly want to go to work, then TWC Stories is the session for you.
Tanner Gers, CEO, AccessAbility Officer
10:00–11:00 a.m. Meet Up with Leader Dogs for the Blind
Room 201
Stop by to meet some guide-dog-mobility instructors from Leader Dogs for the Blind. They are available to answer questions, give demonstrations, and connect.
Leader Dogs for the Blind
10:00–11:00 a.m. Microsoft 365 Copilot: Reimagine Productivity
Salon B (level 3)
Hear how accessibility and AI work across Microsoft 365 Copilot, Narrator, agentic authoring, and image creation to drive productivity for everyone. Presented by blind support engineers at Microsoft.
Matt Philipenko, Commercial Support, and Crystal Jones, Disability Answer Desk, Microsoft
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Investing Fundamentals: Understanding Basics
Room 301
Learn the basics of investing: risk, diversification, time horizon, and asset types to build confidence, make informed decisions, and align your investments with your financial goals.
Timothy Moore, Senior Financial Advisor, AVP, Wells Fargo
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. New Fun, Safety, and Braille Solutions
Room 403
Try out new "Braille Ballz" for Braille play, "Safety Rods" for blind wayfinding and cushioning, "Dance Rods" for beautiful dance connections, "Book Making Kit" for self-publishing, and "Art Rods" for tactile creativity. Make and take home a Braille necklace.
Max Schafer, President, Underdog Educational
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. JAWS, AI, and the Future of Screen Reading
Rooms 203 and 204
Discover how AI is transforming screen reading and enhancing productivity and independence. Get a look at what’s coming next in JAWS and what using a computer looks like in the future.
Ryan Jones, SVP, Senior Financial Advisor, Global Accessibility Strategy and Advocacy, Vispero
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. IEP Advocacy in the Twenty-First Century: How and Why
Room 303
Are you passionate about children learning Braille, technology, and orientation and mobility? Do you want to advocate for age-and-stage appropriate goals? Have you always wondered how to get back on track when things seem hopeless? Join us to discuss all of this and more.
Sanho Steele-Louchart, Esq., Legal Program Coordinator, National Federation of the Blind
11:15 a.m.–12:45 p.m. NOPBC Youth Track Session (ages 11-18)
Room 306
Unconventional Scavenger Hunt. Refer to the Youth Track agenda for activity details.
11:15 a.m.–12:45 p.m. NOPBC Parent Leadership Program
Room 310
Interested in starting or growing a parent organization in your affiliate? Bring your lunch and join us for the first of two Parent Leadership Program sessions.
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC)
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Microsoft Copilot & Seeing AI
Salon B (level 3)
Learn the latest from AI thought leaders and blind innovators at Microsoft.
Jessie Lorenz, Copilot, and Saqib Shaikh, Seeing AI, Microsoft
12:30–2:30 p.m. NFB-NEWSLINE Coordinators Meeting
Room 205
Join NFB-NEWSLINE® coordinators and contributors to share subscriber stories, discuss requested features, and connect with others supporting NFB-NEWSLINE.
Jack Mendez, NFB-NEWSLINE Program Manager, National Federation of the Blind
1:00 p.m. Resolutions Committee
Salons 5 and 6 (level 4)
1CapApp Event: ECS.1capapp.com/event/nfb
Donald Porterfield, Chair
*1:00–2:00 p.m. Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder
Room 305
Learn why there is a high prevalence of Non-24 in the blind community, how it could impact sleep, and why it is often misdiagnosed. We will discuss the symptoms and how to start a conversation with a healthcare provider.
Shauna Jatho, RN and Maggie Felton, FNP, Clinical Nurse Educators, Vanda Pharmaceuticals
1:00–6:00 p.m. Drop-In Art Room
Salon A (level 3)
Free tactile art activities for everyone! Join the Tactile Art Collective and make art with us. Draw, sculpt, color pictures, fold origami, code SVG, build with LEGOs, and solve puzzles. Don’t know how? We are here to teach. Learn about flip-pics, pop-ups, and maps. Come to have fun!
Ann Cunningham, Coordinator
2:00–3:00 p.m. Android Accessibility Updates
Salon F (level 3)
This session focuses on recent developments within Android designed for the blind and low-vision community.
Nimer Jaber, Kyungjun Lee, Mariah Moon, and Lee Chou, Google
2:00–3:00 p.m. Tell Your Story, Change Minds
Room 403
Stories about the lived experiences of blind people change minds. As part of Blind Unbound, learn techniques to tell stories that make an impact. In this interactive workshop, you’ll practice sharing your story to challenge misconceptions and reshape perceptions of blind people.
Alison Tyler, Museum Project Lead, and Gary Wunder, Blindness Narrative Curator, National Federation of the Blind
2:00–5:00 p.m. Blind Parents Connect
Room 302
It’s essential for parents to connect with other parents. Add blindness to the mix, and getting connected with other blind parents is life changing. Come connect with other blind parents and grow your parent community. Let's learn from each other!
Lisamaria Martinez, Chair
3:00–6:00 p.m. Seeking Success Seminar
Salon C (level 3)
Are you a job seeker trying to get your foot in the door? A mid-career professional looking to pivot? Or do you have entrepreneurial aspirations? If you said yes, join us to hear from blind people across industries on how they turned their dreams into reality and how you can too!
Lia Stone, Chair
4:15–5:45 p.m. Twenty-Sixth NABL Mock Trial (Admission 10 dollars)
Salon E (level 3)
Federation lawyers oppose each other to enact a case addressing the civil rights of blind people, and the audience serves as the jury. The subject matter is serious, but the courtroom portrayers are very entertaining.
Ronza Othman, President, National Association of Blind Lawyers
5:00–6:30 p.m. Aira! Access Is a Human Right
Room 202
Join the Aira team to explore our latest innovations. Discover hands-free visual interpreting with Meta glasses, get involved in training our Project Astra-powered AI, and learn how to access Aira for free. The future of accessibility is here—come be a part of it!
Troy Otillio, CEO, and Everette Bacon, Chief of Blindness Initiatives, Aira
5:00–7:00 p.m. Blind Greek and Masonic Group
Room 305
Are you a member of a national Greek, Masonic, or Eastern Star organization? Help build our relationships with these organizations to ensure inclusion and participation, to engage in awareness activities, and to serve as a resource for the blind considering membership.
Shawn Callaway, Chair
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.
5:30–7:00 p.m. CASA Committee Meeting
Room 301
Bienvenidos a la reunión abierta de CASA. Construyamos juntos el futuro del liderazgo hispano en la NFB. ¡Te esperamos! Welcome to the CASA Open Meeting. Let's build the future of Hispanic advocacy in the NFB together. Join us!
Aleyda Santos, Chair
6:00–7:00 p.m. Blind and MENA: A Different Type of Brown
Room 304
Members who are American Arab, North African, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and Sikh face unique challenges in post-9/11 America, especially around blindness and access to services. Learn about identity, stereotypes, challenges experienced by, and resources for these individuals.
Ronza Othman, Moderator
6:00–8:00 p.m. First Annual Tactile Art Exhibit: Dark Arts
Salon A (level 3)
We are thrilled to invite all convention attendees to join us in the Tactile Art Room for our first annual tactile art exhibit. This year’s theme is Dark Arts. Drop in during exhibit hours to explore macabre masterpieces, creepy creations, and terrifying tactile treasures!
Lindsay Yazzolino, Coordinator
6:00–9:00 p.m. Legal Office Hours
Room 505
Meet with a disability rights attorney to discuss blindness discrimination concerns. Reservations are required. To reserve your appointment, email [email protected] or call 410-659-9314, extension 2440, no later than Friday, June 26.
6:00–10:00 p.m. Student Division Business Meeting
Rooms 203 and 204
All are welcome to join our lively division as we dive into all things blind students! Registration begins at 6:00 p.m., followed by programming at 7:00 p.m. Only members who have completed our membership process before June 30 will be eligible to participate in elections.
Lauren Chaya Altman, President
6:30–8:30 p.m. Ask an Archivist Office Hours
Room 302
Do you manage your chapter or affiliate’s records? Do you have historic items you want to donate? Do you want to discuss archival preservation methods? This drop-in event allows you to ask NFB Archives staff questions about how to best document, preserve, and store our history.
Nichole Chrissis, Archivist, National Federation of the Blind
7:00–8:00 p.m. Blindness in AAPI Communities
Room 303
Join us to explore the intersection of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) identity and blindness. Discuss unique challenges faced by our community, gain insights, celebrate diverse experiences, foster inclusive communities, and explore pathways to empowerment.
Shannon Cantan, Moderator
7:00–9:00 p.m. Advancing Our Advocacy: Legislative Meetup
Room 205
An opportunity for members interested in advocating for the rights of the nation’s blind to interact with our government affairs group and exchange strategies to advance our legislative priorities at the local, state, and federal levels.
Jesse Shirek, Justin Young, and Kyle Walls, Government Affairs, National Federation of the Blind
Agenda Navigation
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