NIB/NAEPB National Symposium 2022 | Envision Blog

NIB/NAEPB National Symposium 2022

By Envision Marketing • May 31, 2022
A group of people posing together in front of a stage at a conference.

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The Employee of the Year nominees from 2020 and 2021 and many Envision leadership members represented the  company at the recent NIB/NAEPB National Symposium in Washington D.C. The conference is also a great time for the Envision NIB Advocates for Leadership and Employment to gather for training and to prepare for meetings with their elected representatives. These events are invaluable for Envision employees to network and continue to grow partnerships with like-minded organizations. Many thanks to the attendees who traveled near and far to make the first post-pandemic conference a success! 

Peter J. Salmon Employee of the Year Award NIB Nominees (Direct Labor)
2021 Jose Leal – Wichita 
2021 Alma Smith – Dallas
2020 Sedrick Veal – Wichita 
2020 Adolfo Vargas – Dallas 

Milton J. Samuelson Career Achievement Award NIB Nominees (Indirect Labor)
2021 Terese Goren – Wichita
2021 Alvaro Rodriguez – Dallas
2020 Kellie Gerdts – Wichita
2020 Gale Levitan – Dallas

Teresa Houston, Envision Child Development Center (ECDC) Director in Wichita, and Blake Lindsay, Outreach Manager in Dallas; have been Envision’s employee advocates for many years, but in 2022, Envision added two more to the advocacy leadership team. Marybeth Clare, Cashier Stocker, Mountain Home, ID, and William Quist, Manager BSC Store Minot AFB, ND; are representing Envision Xpress as 2022 NIB Advocates for Leadership and Employment.

Marybeth attended the NIB/NAEPB National Symposium for the first time along with her guide dog, Hubble."It was an honor and delight to represent Envision as an NIB Advocate for Employment and Leadership. My guide dog, Hubble expertly guided me through the bustling airports and around the hotel," said Marybeth Clare. "At first, I was unsure of networking. However, I soon discovered that my flirty guide dog would make networking easier. I loved getting to meet and spend time with members of my Envision family. It was incredible to see how each NIB agency works individually and together to create employment opportunities for the BVI community. I know that as Hubble and I meet our legislators, we will have the support of our Envision family and NIB."

"As an advocate for Envision, I take my job very seriously and love the connections Envision has with our other sister companies. I am very proud of the relationships we have gathered throughout the years. Most of the NIB agencies have toured Envision and have a strong memory of their visit with us,” said Teresa Houston. “Relationships are fundamental with Envision. I enjoyed reconnecting with all the advocates and employees, yet I am extra fond of our own Blake – he is such a hard worker.”

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Launched in 2012 by NIB President and CEO Kevin Lynch, the Advocates for Leadership and Employment program is celebrating ten years of representing NIB, its associated nonprofit agencies, and people who are blind. The two-year training program is open to high-achieving employees who are blind, work for NIB associated agencies and want to learn about and engage in the public policy advocacy process. Advocates in training and graduates of the program help NIB and its agencies fulfill their mission of providing meaningful employment for people who are blind.