Welcome to the 72nd Annual Arkansas State Convention
April 17 and 18, 2026
Fairfield Inn & Suites, Conway, AR 72032

B.L.I.N.D
Braille, Legislation, Independence, Navigation, Determination

Introducing the Arkansas Affiliate Board:

President: Nena Chadwick
1st Vice President: Charles Tate
2nd Vice President: April Scurlock
Treasurer: David Henry
Secretary: Gene DeLeon
Board Member 1Bryson Jones
Board Member 2: Joshua Goolsby
Board Member 3: Wesley Hillman
Board Member 4: Jerree Harris

Introducing Chapter Presidents:

At Large Chapter: Tanya Vanhouten
Central Arkansas Chapter: Cindy Scott-Huisman
Northeast Arkansas Chapter (NEA): April Scurlock
Northwest Arkansas Chapter (NWA): Terry Peterson

Our National Representative: Jessica Beecham

Colorado State President, National Board Member

To learn more about Jessica’s story go to:
https://nfb.org/about-us/leadership/board-directors/jessica-beecham

What is the National Federation of the Blind

The National Federation of the Blind is the oldest and largest organization of and for the blind in the US. It is made up of blind/visually impaired people of all ages, along with their families and friends. As noted above, the National Federation of the Blind of Arkansas Affiliate is made up of an affiliate board, which meets monthly, and various chapters, which also hold monthly meetings and have their own board members. At the affiliate and chapter levels, we do have working committees to help achieve our goals.

The National Federation of the Blind Pledge:

I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation, and to abide by its constitution.

Belief Message:

The National Federation of the Blind advances the lives of its members and all blind people in the United States. We know that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day, we raise the expectations of blind people because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. Our collective power, determination, and diversity achieve the aspirations of all blind people.

Integrity and Respect:

To allow all attendees the chance to benefit from all aspects of the convention, we are committed to providing a harassment-free environment for everyone.

We appreciate your assistance in cultivating an atmosphere in which participants from diverse backgrounds can learn, network, and share with each other in an environment of mutual respect. Thank you for doing your part to contribute to our community and the high expectations we strive to maintain.

Fragrance-Free Policy:

The National Federation of the Blind of Arkansas’s goal is to be sensitive to members with perfume and chemical sensitivities who, as a result, may suffer potentially serious health consequences. In order to address this concern, members and participants at conventions and other meetings should refrain from wearing scented products, including, but not limited to, perfumes, colognes, aftershave lotions, or similar products. We want to ensure full participation in all of our state-wide activities.

Registration

All convention attendees are required to register. Registration for the convention entitles you to the hotel room rates, prize drawings, and the Banquet Dinner. If you have pre-registered for the convention, please go to the registration area to pick up your registration packet. If you did not pre-register, you may do so in the registration area. The onsite registration fee is $70. We will strictly adhere to the registration times so that our registration staff can participate in all convention activities. See the agenda for a list of times and locations of the registration area.

The registration table will be in the lobby before the meeting room. Hours will run from Friday at 8 am to 9 am. Then, 30 minutes before the start of the afternoon sessions. Saturday, 9 am through 10 am.

Door Prizes

Will be drawn throughout the general sessions. You must be present in person to win and be able to raise your hand virtually. To move things along, if your name is called, please call out so someone can bring your prize to you.

All Exhibitors will be in the breakfast area during the designated times on Friday and/or Saturday.

GENERAL SESSION I
Friday, April 17 Morning

9:00 Call to order-Announcements

President Chadwick

9:05 Opening Prayer

Ginger Robertson

9:10 Pledge of Allegiance

Bryson Jones

National Federation of the Blind Pledge
Charles Tate

9:20 Welcome to Conway

Mayor Castleberry

9:30 National Report

National Rep Jessica Beecham

10:15 Furloughs and Rifts of the Division of Services of the Blind

DSB Board Chair David Henry

10:35 Blind at Heart

Lisa Grimme

10:45 Transportation Challenges outside Public Transit Availability

Ginger Robertson

11:00 How to apply for the National Scholarship

Bryson Jones

11:15 Creative Descriptions

President Sandee Pinkstaff

12-1:30 Lunch

SESSION II
Friday, April 17 Afternoon

1:35 Announcements

1:40 Non-24 Disorder/Vanda Pharmaceuticals

Clinical Nurse Educator

1:50 The Story of Theo

Kristi McCleland

2:00 The History of the Arkansas Blind School

Superintendent, Nicole Walsh

2:20 Fit Break

Terri Peters

2:30 Louisiana Center of the Blind Graduate

Bryson Jones

2:45 Planned Giving

Audio File and National Rep. Jessica Beecham

3:00 Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship Recipients

Bettye Johnson, Wesley Hillman, Sadi Tate, Tracy, and Stacey Thompson

3:20 Newsline

Theresa Bertram

3:30 Leadership

Wesley Hillman

3:35 HapWare

CEO Jack Walters

3:45 Being Blind and an Auctioneer

Kenny Blair

4:00 Nomination Report

Chair Terri Peters

Dinner on your own

 

7 pm Auction

Come join us for a fun-filled time while we bid on fantastic items!!!

Right after the live auction will be the Awesome Pie in the Face! Let’s see who is going to raise some money and have a whipped-cream facial…

GENERAL SESSION III
Saturday, April 18, Morning

10:00 Announcements

President Chadwick

10:05 Presidents Report

Nena Chadwick

10:20 Panel: Randolph Sheppard/Blind Merchants

Mike Feeney, Ronnie Patterson, Gustavo Manzanales
Moderator Jessica Beecham

12 to 1:30 pm Lunch

GENERAL SESSION IV
Saturday, April 18, Afternoon

1:40 Announcements

President Nena Chadwick

Breakouts:

• Vanda Pharmaceuticals Shauna Jathro
• Creative Descriptions Sandee Pinkstaff
• Hapware Jack Walters
• Blind at Heart Meeting Lisa Deleon
• Learn Salsa dancing with Terri Peters (in Meeting Room)
• Tupperware with Cynthia Johnson
• NANO PAC Calvin Churchwell
• Technology, new vs out-of-date demonstration Gene Deleon
• Library for the Blind Natalie Martin
• Faithread Designs Haleigh Tracy
• Mobility Obstacle Course Bryson Jones
• Fairs (Friends of Arkansas Information Reading Services) Larry Wayland
• Tactile Art Model Feedback Kim Crowell

3:30 Business Meeting

Bring to Order

Rollcall
NFB Belief Message

Business Meeting Minutes 2025

April Scurlock

Treasurer Report

David Henry

Chapter Reports:

• At Large Chapter: Tanya VanHouten
• Central Arkansas Chapter: Cindy Scott-Huisman
• Northwest Arkansas Chapter: Terri Peters
• Northeast Arkansas Chapter: April Scurlock

Elections:

President:
1st Vice President:
2nd Vice President:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Board Member 1:
Board Member 2:

Announcements and Adjourn

7 PM Banquet

Prayer Bettye Johnson
Dinner
Banquet Address Jessica Beecham
Door prizes, awards, and drawings for the grand prize.

Thank you to all our members, volunteers, sponsors, exhibitors, friends, and most importantly, our families for all the support you have given throughout the year so that we can "Build the National Federation of the Blind of Arkansas"!

Dream Makers Circle

You can help build a future of opportunity for the blind by becoming a member of our Dream Makers Circle. It is easier than you think. You can visit your bank and convert an account to a P.O.D. (payable on death) bank account, which is payable after your passing to the National Federation of the blind or one of our affiliates. Your legacy gift to the National Federation of the Blind or the National Federation of the Blind of {insert state} can be made in the form of a will or living trust, an income-generating gift, or by naming us as the beneficiary of a retirement plan, IRA, pension, or a life insurance policy. You can designate a specific amount, a percentage or list NFB as one of several beneficiaries. For additional information, please contact Patti Chang at (410) 659-9314, extension 2422, or at pchang@nfb.org.

The PAC Plan

Allows members, affiliates, chapters, and others to make regular, automatic donations to the Federation each month. All you need to provide is your checking, savings or credit card account identification information.

Because of the costs associated with operating the program, the minimum donation is $5 per month, and there is no limit on how much you donate.

Please sign up at the PAC table during the convention to begin a new PAC contribution or to make changes to your current contribution. Your donation will help the blind live the lives they want.

Vehicle Donations

The National Federation of the Blind uses car donations to improve the education of blind children, distribute free white canes, help veterans, and so much more. We have partnered with Vehicles for Charity to process donated vehicles. Please call toll-free at (855) 659-9314; a representative can make arrangements, or donate online at www.nfb.org/vehicledonations.

Thank you to all our great sponsors

Gold Level:

Non-24 Disorder/Vanda Pharmaceuticals

Shauna Jathro
Shauna.jathro@vandapharma.com

Silver Level:

Creative Descriptions

Sandee Pinkstaff
creativedescriptions@gmail.com

Bronze Level:

HapWare

Jack Walters
jack@hapware.com

Pharmacy at the Wellington

Brittany Sanders
501-708-4320

Exhibitors:

Non-24 Disorder/Vanda Pharmaceuticals

Shauna Jathro
Shauna.jathro@vandapharma.com

Creative Descriptions

Sandee Pinkstaff
creativedescriptions@gmail.com

HapWare

Jack Walters
jack@hapware.com

NanoPac, Inc

Calvin Churchwell, Vision Rehabilitation Specialist
www.nanopac.com

Arkansas Library for the Blind

Natalie Marlin
Natalie.marlin@ade.arkansas.gov

Tactile Art

Kim Crowell

kimc@uark.edu

Faithread Designs

Haleigh Tracy
Tracyhaleigh8@gmail.com

Tupperware

Cynthia Johnson
cyntup@yahoo.com

Fairs (Friends of Arkansas Informational Readers Services)

Larry Wayland
lhwayland@hotmail.com