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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Friends,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I’m delighted to share that our National Representative for the 2026 NFB of Maryland State Convention will be Shawn Callaway. Shawn is a member of the Board of Directors of the NFB, President of the NFB of the District of Columbia, a federal employee, a husband, and a father. Below is Shawn’s bio.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Shawn Callaway is a locally acclaimed disabilities advocate, motivational community leader, and currently a Program Specialist for the United States Department of Health and Human Services. For more than 23 years, he has leveraged his own experience, professional career, and personal time toward helping others to overcome obstacles that are highly attributed to the attitudes, misconceptions, and perceptions of what it means to a person with disabilities. In his current position as a Program Specialist, Shawn manages grant programs that focus on establishing innovative opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and traumatic brain injuries. Shawn has also dedicated a portion of his professional career as a Social Worker, currently for the Columbia Light House for the Blind, and previously for the DC Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) and the Catholic Communities non-profit organization. In these roles, Shawn worked with consumers struggling with a variety of conditions related to vision loss, mental health, or addiction. He facilitated peer support groups and helped them gain access to resources to assist them in having the best quality of life.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Shawn is familiar with having unexpected circumstances and life-altering events that impacted his life moving forward. After graduating from high school, Shawn planned to obtain a BA degree from South Carolina State University. Unfortunately, in 1991 Shawn was involved in an accident that caused him to become permanently blind. But Shawn did not allow his circumstances to hold him back. A few years after the accident, he entered the Workforce Technology Center (WTC) in Baltimore, MD and obtained independent living skills, assistive technology training, and Braille reading training. His efforts at WTC became the catalyst to propel Shawn forward in pursuing higher education degrees including his associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s, as well as his licensure in Graduate Social Work.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>In 2011, Shawn was elected President of the National Federation of the Blind of the District of Columbia and in 2016 he was elected to the NFB National Board of Directors. Shawn is inspired by the NFB’s mantra “You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.” This quote has motivated Shawn to continue his efforts in helping others live the lives they want to, in upholding multiple leadership positions and affiliations to give back to his community. Within the NFB Shawn is Chairman of the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee, President of the National Organization of Blind Black Leaders, and Chairman of the Blind Greek and Masonic Group. He has served as Chairman of the DC State Rehabilitation Council and as previous Boards for the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind and the D.C. Center for Independent Living.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Shawn is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated and the Fort Stevens Lion’s Club. In addition, Shawn’s influence can be heard on Takoma Radio 94.3 airing every first and third Monday of each month. Shawn is a co-host of the radio show titled “Open Our Eyes” which focuses on the inclusion of persons with disabilities within our society. In 2016, Shawn received a citation from U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, for his leadership in bringing awareness to the needs of the blind community regarding employment. Shawn currently resides in Washington, D.C. with his lovely wife of 18 years Latonya Callaway, raising their 9-year-old daughter, Camille.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Education & Credentials<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Licensure: Licensed Graduate Social Worker<br>A.A. in Psychology I Essex Community College I 1995<br>B.A. in Psychology I University of Maryland College Park I 1997<br>M.S.W. in Social Work I Catholic University of America I 2000<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>You definitely want to be at the convention to get to know Shawn and hear his keynote address at the banquet.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Regards,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ronza<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ronza Othman, </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>President</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>443-426-4110<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pronouns: she, her, hers<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows 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. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>