[il-talk] Updated Committee list

[Patti Gregory-Chang]

I have updated our committee lists to reflect changes in Federal 
Legislation, Braille Literacy Social Media and Newsletter.  It is pasted in 
below.  Let me know if other changes are needed.

2011 NFBI Appointments:

updated: 10/29/11



COMMITTEES



*Advocacy Committee

(Advocates with employers, schools, DRS, ICRE-WOOD and other public or 
private agencies for blind residents of Illinois.)

Chair Annette Grove

Sharon Howerton

Ronza Othman

David Meyer

Debbie Stein

Lois Montgomery



*Braille Literacy Initiative

Chair   Liz Bottner

Debbie Stein

Debbie Pitman

Bill Reif

Bob Gardner

Lois Montgomery

Charlene Elder

Denise Avant

Joe Monti

Liz Bottner

Patrick Olson



*Chappel Award Committee

(Responsible for decisions with guidance from NFBI board on aiding and 
selecting people to attend events.)

(This is our only committee where the membership remains anonymous.)



*Development Committee

(Prepares and submits grant proposals.  Sends out annual appeal letters. 
Handles things like our letter to estates attorneys.)

Chair: Cathy Randall

Linda Villa (annual appeal)

George Villa (annual appeal)

Glenn Moore (Treasurer NFBI)

Denise Avant (grants)

Charlene Elder (grants)

Debbie Pitman (grants)

Bill Reif

Debbie Stein



*Door Prizes

Chair: Denise Avant

Alan Glickman

Roberta Glickman

Debbie Pittman

Don Jordan

Bob Widman

LeAnne Mayne



*Freedom Link

(Transitions Club Committee)

Chair: Debbie Stein

Bill Reif

Cathy Randall

Dave Meyer

Mary Lou Grunwald

Marco Giannatti

Steve Hastalis

Bruce Paul

Sarah Chung

Nikki Nishijima

Michal Nowicki



*Fund Raising and Budget Committee

(Responsible for all Fund Raising events e.g. Carson Days, Certificates, 
Obtoberfest, and Won-Ton-O-Fun.  Responsible for putting together an annual 
budget for presentation to the board.)

Chair  Glenn Moore

Bill Isaacs

Cathy Randall

Mary Lou Grunwald

Bob Widman

Don Jordon

Patrick Olson

Bruce Paul



*Guide Dog

Liz Bottner

Debbie Pittman

Lynne Zielinski

Jerry Conley

Edwin Rodriguez

Yusef  Dale

Dale Sczwek

Donna Miles



*ISVI

(Deals with the school for the blind and its issues.)

Chair:  Denise Avant

Charlene Elder

Cathy Randall

Dave Meyer

Debbie Stein

Bill Reif

LeAnne Mayne



*Legislation- State, Committee

(Responsible for State Legislative action.)

Co-Chairs: Bill Reif  Jemal Powell

Marco Giannotti

Annette Grove

Bob Gardner

Charlene Elder



*Legislation-Federal Committee

(Responsible for Washington Seminar and Federal Legislative Action )

Chair Annette Grove

Debbie Pittman

Bob Gardner

Syed Yussifuddin

Jemal Powell

Lois Montgomery

Charlene Elder

Sarah Chung

Rose Sloan

Steve Hastalis



*Newsletter Braille Examiner Committee

(Writes and distributes our Newsletter.)

Editor Connie Davis

Debbie Stein

David Meyer

Cassandra Certeza

Carolyn Nelson

Glenn Moore

Dale Sczweck

Steve Hastalis

Bill Reif



*Newsline Committee

David Meyer

Byron Lee

Bob Widman

Bill Reif

Lois Montgomery

Liz Bottner

Brian Sumner



*Parents

(Plans and carries out parents' seminars and parents' events at 
conventions.)

Chair Debbie Stein

Note:  This committee is also planning our Parent/Teacher Seminar for 2012

For that event Debbie Pittman is taking charge of the teacher portion

Nelly Gamino

Ronza Othman

Cathy Randall

Dave Meyer

Bill Reif

Byron Lee

MaryLou Grunwald

Vandana Chaudhry

Syed Yousifuddin

Charlene Elder

Liz Bottner

Dale Schweck

Glenn Moore

Joanna Graham



*Public Relations  Committee

(Responsible for notifying agencies and getting the word out generally on 
all NFBI events.  Responsible for getting as much press contact for our 
events as possible.)

Co-Chairs: Debbie Pitman and Charlene Elder

Bob Widman

Venzelma Cotton

Lori Eby

Glenn Moore

Carolyn Nelson



*Resolutions Committee \

(Responsible for reviewing and recommending "do pass" or "do not pass" to 
the convention.)

2011 Members were:

Chair George Villa

Ronza Othman

Bill Reif

David Meyer

Debbie Pittman

Alyson Slaughter

Mary Lou Grunwald

Denise Avant

Liz Bottner

Steve Hastalis



*Renewal Committee

(Responsible to assist all chapters in strengthening present membership and 
building new members.  Need to coordinate at-large chapter.

Co-Chairs:  Dale Sczwek and LeAnne Mayne

Gina Falvo
Bob Gardner
Nancy Gardner
Leslie Hamric
Linda Hendle
Lois Montgomery
Carolyn Nelson
Pat Olson
Patrick Olson
Cathy Randall
Bill Reif
Bob Widman

Alma Hinkle



*Sales Committee

(Responsible to research items to sell as fund raisers)

Chair: Mary Lou Grunwald

Debbie Pittman

Marco Giannotti

Nikki N.

Patricia Bissel

Casandra Certeza

Adam Kozarewicz

LeAnne Mayne

Myra Rimirez



*Scholarship Committee

(Decides who is awarded scholarships and internships.  Mentors those persons 
at convention and throughout the year.)

Chair Debbie Stein

Cathy Randall

Debbie Pittman

Nancy Gardner

Ronza Othman

Bill Reif

Syed Yussifuddin

Dave Meyer

Denise Avant





*Social networking on the web

Chair: Ronza Othman

Byron Lee

Connie Davis

Ryan Kwaak

LeAnne Mayne (

Liz Bottner

Greg Rosenberg



*Special Events Committee

(Plans and carries out all aspects of our spring seminars and conventions 
except for press, sends out convention bulletin, and plans board meetings.)

Co-chairs Denise Avant and Chris Jeckel

Ronza Othman

Cathy Randall

Linda Villa

George Villa

Joseph Monti

Mary Monti

Nancy Gardner

Byron Lee

Liz Bottner

Robert Gardner

LeAnne Mayne



Transportation Committee

Represent NFBI when dealing with transportation issues with both mainline 
and paratransit issues

Chair Jemal Powell

Steve Hastalis

Debbie Pittman

Leanne Mayne

Tray Bradley

Hap Holly



*Webpage Committee

(Purpose to keep the webpage growing and up to date. This committee will 
design, and implement the page as well as urge all to get content to the 
webmaster in a timely fashion.)

Chair:   Byron Lee

Connie Davis

Debbie Pittman

Glenn Moore

Marco Giannotti

LeAnne Mayne

Greg Rosenberg



NFB National LIAISON APPOINTMENTS



Public Relations

Debbie Pitman



*Science Camp and Youth Slam Coordinator

Denise Avant



GOVERNMENT ADVISORY PANEL APPOINTMENTS



*Blind Services Planning Council

NFBI Representatives: Dave Meyer and Charlene Elder Bill Reif



*Library Committee Representative

David Meyer

Patrick Olson,



*SRC

Bob Gardner



Governor's Task Force on ISVI and ISD and education of the blind and deaf

Patti Chang

Denise Avant



OTHER

Pace Suburban ADA Advisory Committee

Jemal Powell



*Choir

Leader: Pam Gilmore



*Mentoring for 2012 National Convention

Debbie Stein

Cathy Randall

Ronza Othman

Bill Reif

Mary Lou Grunwald



*Protocol Development Coordinator

(Goal here is to further develop protocols for the affiliate as to how to 
handle different things like memorials, Chappell awards, notification of 
NFBI board by chapter presidents etc.)

Patti Chang to coordinate  -



P.S. Text the word BLIND to 85944 to donate $10 to the NFB Imagination Fund 
via your phone bill.

P.S.S.  National Federation of the Blind of Illinois is now on twitter at 
www.twitter.com/nfbi.
We also have a facebook page.  Just search for "NFBI".

Patti Gregory-Chang, Esq.
Chairperson, NFB Scholarship Committee
scholarships at nfb.org
President, National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
pattichang at att.net
www.nfbofillinois.org