The Board of Directors of VisionServe Alliance created the Roxann Mayros Champion Award in 2019 to highlight the legacy of her service to the field of blindness and low vision. As the first Chief Executive Officer of VisionServe Alliance following several executive paid and voluntary service posts with significant member organizations, Roxann brought structure to the first national association of non-profit organizational leaders dedicated to improving services and opportunities for people of all ages living with blindness and low vision. Her accomplishments included the creation of a knowledge network and support system for leaders in vision rehabilitation, promotion of best practices nationwide, national efforts for third-party vision rehabilitation services reimbursement, the inspiration of innovative and collaborative projects, and the galvanization of attention to issues of national relevance such as the Low Vision Rehabilitation Demonstration Project and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Her leadership hallmark was passion and unwavering commitment to the promise of a better way forward leading to living well with blindness and low vision.

• Must be a senior leadership team member (does not have to be the CEO) at a VisionServe Alliance member agency
• Service includes accomplishments such as founding/starting a new organization, subsidiary corporation or significant new program OR
• Turning around an organization that experienced significant loss, change or struggle of some other type OR
• Collaborating with an external organization to significantly expand mission impact of the organization which the nominee works or worked
• Nominees should act in accordance with VisionServe’s Code of Ethics. Nominators should review the VSA Code of Ethics Policy at this link.

Nominations must explain the extraordinary effort/actions taken by the nominee on behalf of the organization and include letters from the current CEO (if the nominee is not the CEO) of the organization for which the person works or worked, at least one member of the organization’s leadership team and at least one member of the organization’s Board for which the nominee works or worked. Selection of the Roxann Mayros Champion Award (maximum of two per year) will be based on a majority vote by the VisionServe Alliance Board of Directors.

Link to application form Receipt deadline for all 2024 nominations is February 17, 2024.

2019

Sharon Giovinazzo

World Services for the Blind

2020

Cindy Hollis

American Council of the Blind

2021 & 2022

(None awarded)

2023

Teri Shirk

Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired