Saturday, March 28, 2026
SATURDAY MORNING, March 28, 2026
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM Scholarship Breakfast- Salon B
Important! Invitation Only Breakfast
Kyra Sweeney, Scholarship Chair, Bryton, MA
7:00 AM to 8:45 PM EXHIBITOR & SPONSOR FAIR OPEN
Salon A
8:00 AM to 12:00 PM REGISTRATION
Grand Foyer
Pick up your packets and swag bag.
8:15 AM to 8:45 AM NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Mika Pyyhkala, Chair
(Note: This is a closed meeting of the convention. Only appointed representatives from chapters and divisions are permitted to be in attendance.)
General Session II Salon CD
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Meeting ID: 945 1801 1561
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9:00 AM to 9:15 AM LET’S GET STARTED: and AUCTION ITEM
Shara Winton, President, NFB of Massachusetts
9:25 AM to 9:55 AM MCB: State of MCB
John Oliveira, Commissioner, MCB
9:55 AM to 10:10AM NABS Report
Elizabeth Minor, Board Member, National Association of Blind Students
10:15 AM to 10:50 AM Perkins Library for the Blind
Kim Charlson, Director
11:00AM to 11:45AM Chris Peterson AFC®, Founder and CEO, Penny Forward
Blind People Building Bright Futures One Penny at a Time
This presentation teaches the basics of investing in a simple, step-by-step way. You will learn how money grows over time, the different ways to invest (like stocks, bonds, and real estate), and how to avoid common mistakes like rushing into bad deals or following the crowd. The presentation also explains how financial markets work and why it’s important to have a plan instead of just hoping to get rich fast.
11:45 AM Door prizes, Announcements and AUCTION ITEM
12:00 PM to 12:55 PM Lunch Salons CD
12:00 PM- 12:50PM MABS Business meeting.
Students, please pick up your lunches and go to Salon B.
Are you a blind high school or college student looking to network with others on aspects of student life? Join the Massachusetts Association of Blind Students for their in-person business meeting where they will discuss important programs, accept new members through collecting dues and hold elections to determine leaders of our organization.
Christopher Suplice, President, Massachusetts Association of Blind Students
Elizabeth Minor, Board Member, National Association of Blind Students
SATURDAY AFTERNOON, March 28, 2026
Afternoon General Session
Salon CD
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Meeting ID: 945 1801 1561
Passcode: 2026
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1:00 PM. Call to order
Door prizes
1:05 PM. to 1:35 PM. You Go with Waymo
Hannah Tuten, WAYMO Public Affairs Manager
When will WAYMO be in Boston and how can we help get it here? Waymo is a fully autonomous driving technology company with a mission to be the world's most trusted driver by improving the world's access to mobility while saving thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes. Over the past decade, Waymo has worked with the National Federation of the Blind to design and develop a suite of accessibility features to ensure our service meets a variety of user needs.
1:40 PM to 2:00 PM Major MOVEMENT: Presidential Report
Shara Winton, President, NFB of Massachusetts
2:00 PM to 2:15 PM NFB Legal Update
Al Ilya-Board member, National Association of Guide Dog users and Senior Staff Attorney at Disability Law United
2:20 to 2:45 PM Advocacy in Action
Kyra Sweeney, First Vice-President, Legislative Director, NFB of Massachusetts
2: 45 PM to 3:15 PM Today’s AI and its evolving intelligence
Minh Ha, Providence, RI
Hai Nguyen Ly, Florence, MA
Mika Pyyhkala, South Boston, MA
AI can be a great tool for independence—and an amplifier for advocacy efforts—when you know how to ask. This session shows blind and low-vision users how to put today’s AI to work for everyday life: summarizing information fast, drafting compelling advocacy letters, organizing daily tasks, and reducing cognitive load. Live, screen-reader-friendly demos will be paired with a practical “prompt engineering” toolkit: how to give context, set constraints, request structured outputs, and iterate when you're just not getting the results you are looking for. You’ll leave with prompt ideas for advocacy letters, meeting follow-ups, article summaries, and planning routines—plus strategies to verify outputs and protect privacy.
3:15 PM to 3:25 PM Member to Member: Getting to know you
Bronwen Tedesko, Arlington, MA
Explaining the member-to-member project
3:35 PM to 3:45 PM Bell Academy update
Stephanie Berarra Valdes, Bell Academy Director
3:50 PM to 4:15 PM The National Federation of the Blind Training Centers
Rachel Grider, Rustin Louisiana
Learn about the Louisiana Center for the Blind and our other NFB Training Centers. Is structured Discovery for you. Learn how it works and why it so successful.
4:15PM Auction item, door prizes and adjourn Session III.
Break Outs
4:45 PM to 6:00 PM Saturday Evening Break-outs
Imagination in Motion
Salon B
Minh Ha, Providence, RI
A Drop-In Art Room for Makers and Dreamers
Need a break from the hustle of convention? Come recharge your imagination with direct, tactile artmaking in the Drop-In Art Room: a relaxed, creative space open to everyone. No experience is needed; stay for a few minutes or lose track of time while exploring rainbow loom jewelry, tactile drawing, origami, flip-pics, and other imaginative projects. Whether you’re a lifelong maker or just curious to try something new, this is a welcoming place to express yourself, create freely, and connect with others through tactile art.
4:45PM to 6:30PM Beyond Sight: The Power and Precision of Blind Fencing
Salon F
Step into the dynamic world of Blind Fencing and discover a sport where strategy, precision, and skill take center stage. Coach Cesar Morales of the International Fencing Club will demonstrate how Blind Fencing is practiced and trained at a competitive level, joined by blind fencers Stephanie and Christopher. This interactive breakout session will provide a live demonstration of technique, communication, and tactical movement unique to Blind Fencing. Attendees will also have the opportunity to step onto the strip, try the sport for themselves, and learn how fencing is being reimagined as an exciting competitive pathway for blind and low vision athletes.
Whether you are an athlete, an advocate, or simply curious, this session offers a powerful look at what is possible when determination meets discipline.
4:45 PM to 6:30 PM White Cane and Structured Discovery
Salon G
Rachel Grider, Rustin, LA
Structured Discovery: How Does It Work?
Do you have questions about how blind people travel independently? Do you want to firm up your orientation and mobility skills? Are you interested in learning tips and tricks for performing every-day tasks non-visually? Do you wonder what makes Structured Discovery training centers unique? If any of these questions apply to you, then you'll want to drop into this break-out session where you can learn about Structured Discovery and work on some cane travel skills. In addition, there will be an opportunity to receive some one-on-one orientation and mobility training.
Annual Banquet
7:00 PM Salon CD
Stephanie Berarra Valdes, Mistress of Ceremonies
Join Zoom Meeting
https://nfb-org.zoom.us/j/94518011561?pwd=1sezymizdZhSbFOifgbDmGIaToC8uW.1
Meeting ID: 945 1801 1561
Passcode: 2026
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Join instructions
https://nfb-org.zoom.us/meetings/94518011561/invitations?signature=nvzM0mjmeayEdMo9UAFfEBz6XR7RS_bKiev3tIR_12MKey Note Address:
Grace Pires, NFB President, Rhode Island
VOICES OF TOMORROW: Scholarship Presentations
Kyra Sweeney, Chair, NFB of Massachusetts Scholarship Committee
AUCTION: Annual Fundraising Auction
Shannon Cantan, NFB of Massachusetts Auctioneer