Board of Directors
Our dedicated Board – comprised of industry and business leaders – guides the vital work we do.
Remembering Michael McGowan
With great sadness, we share the passing of our dear friend, exceptional leader, and ardent VisionServe Alliance Board Member Michael McGowan. Michael’s passion and unwavering commitment helped transform our mission into reality. Together, we developed crucial initiatives to support our members and advance the BVI community. He will be deeply missed.
Meet our Board
Executive Committee
Serving January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2024
Lauren Branch
Board Chair
NewView Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, OK
Serves on the Executive (Chair), Finance (Chair) & Fund Development Committees
Bernadette Kappen
Vice-Chair
NY Institute for Special Education
Bronx, NY
Serves on the Executive & Public Policy (Chair) Committees
Dennis Steiner
Treasurer
VisionCorps
Lancaster, PA
Serves on the Executive, Governance & Finance Committees
Lee Nasehi
President & CEO, VisionServe Alliance
St. Louis, MO
Serves on the Executive Committee
Courtney Plotner
Secretary
ABVI- South Carolina,Charleston, SC
Serves on the Membership (Chair), Governance (Chair) & Public Policy Committees
Board at Large
Serving January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2024
Sharon Giovinazzo
Member-at-Large
Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, San Francisco
Serves on the Membership (Co-Chair) & Public Policy Committees
Reinhard Mabry
Member-at-Large
Alphapointe
Serves on the Finance & Public Policy Committees
Diane Nelson
Member-at-Large
Visual Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS)
Serves on the Conference (Chair) & Membership Committees
Board at Large
Serving January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2025
Craig Meador
Member-at-Large
American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
Louisville, KY
Serves on the Finance & Conference Committees
Denise Jess
Member-at-Large
Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired
Madison, WI
Serves on the IDEAL (Co-Chair) & Public Policy Committees
Board at Large
Serving January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2026
Jennifer Lake
Member-at-Large
Goodwill of the Finger Lakes
Rochester, NY
Serves on the Public Policy Committee
Brian Patchett
Member-at-Large
Louisiana Association for the Blind
Shreveport, LA
Serves on the Public Policy Committee (Chair)
Board at Large
Serving January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2027
Randy Pierce
Member-at-Large
Future In Sight
Concord, NH
Serves on the Membership Committee
Eric Bridges
Member-at-Large
American Foundation for the Blind
Arlington, VA
Serves on the Governance Committee
VisionServe Alliance
Innovate. Lead. Collaborate.