NFB of Utah Board Members

NFB of Utah Affiliate Board Members
President Ron Gardner,

     Ron Gardner, blind since birth, is an attorney and has practiced law since graduating from J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University in 1978. He was named Honored Alumnus of the Year from the BYU Law School in 1999. After litigating tax and bankruptcy cases for 17 years, he served as Legal Director of the Disability Law Center in Salt Lake City from 1995 to 2002. He also taught business law as an adjunct professor for Brigham Young University for fourteen years. From 2002 to 2005, Ron served as director of the Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness in the graduate school at Louisiana Tech University. He currently serves as Director of Field Services for the National Federation of the Blind. In that capacity he provides training to state agencies on rehabilitation issues and provides organizational and leadership training to organizations of the blind. Ron has addressed audiences in Melbourne, Australia; Johannesburg, South Africa; and San Juan Puerto Rico, as well as across the United States.
     In 2007 Ron was appointed by the President of the United States as a member of the United States Access Board, Washington, DC, and in 2008 he was appointed a member of the United States Election Assistance Commission Board of Advisors. Ron also has served since 2007 on the National Advisory Eye Council for the National Eye Institute. In 2004 Ron was a Contributing Author of “Promoting Consumer Empowerment through VR Counseling – 29th IRI” –Institute on Rehabilitation Issues, Rehabilitation Services Administration, U.S. Department of Education.
He currently serves as chair of the Advisory Council for the Utah Division of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. His service in the community also includes serving on the Utah State Bar Needs of the Elderly Committee, Statewide Rehabilitation Council for the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation, Advisory Committee on Disability Issues for Senator Orrin Hatch, Advisory Council for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, Board of Directors for the Utah Industries for the Blind, UTA’s Committee on Accessible Transportation, and the Governor’s Task Force on Needs Assessment for the Handicapped. He enjoyed his missionary service for the LDS church in Guatemala and El Salvador.
     He enjoys serving other people and working to further the mission of the NFB to “Change What it Means to be Blind.” Ron enjoys serving as President of the National Federation of the Blind of Utah and works with other members of the Board of Directors of the Utah affiliate, and with other NFB affiliates around the country to mentor blind children, high school students, and college students. He lives what he preaches regarding the importance of obtaining alternative skills that facilitate living and enjoying life to the fullest.
     Ron and Jan have five sons and five grandchildren. Together they love traveling, boating and water skiing, snow skiing and scuba diving. In short, Ron enjoys a high quality of life, and works to help all blind and visually impaired individuals create a high quality of life for themselves.

First Vice President Cheralyn Creer,

Cheralyn was born with Cone Dystrophy. She had a typical upbringing and was held to the same expectations as her peers and nine siblings. She progressed through the Utah public school system receiving family and special education support. However, she found herself lacking the confidence necessary to achieve her dream of becoming a teacher.

In college she became acquainted with the National Federation of the Blind. Surrounding herself with successful blind adults changed her life dramatically. Shortly thereafter, she accepted a position in Davis School District teaching Special Education. She taught and consulted for five years. After marrying her best friend, Nate Creer, she moved on to employment with the Utah State Office of Education. Among her many responsibilities, she served as the Vision Impairment Specialist for over 3 years.

Because of the impact the NFB had on her own life, she is committed to helping others to recognize and achieve their own potential. One important way she does this is coordinating the Utah network for Mentoring Excellence (U’nME). This program brings successful blind mentors together with blind youth. In conjunction with Project STRIVE, she hopes that today’s youth will have the skills and confidence she lacked at their age.

Cheralyn is the proud mother of Chase and Amelia Creer. Chase and Amelia inherited their mother’s eyes so she is even more determined to improve the quality of education and opportunities for blind and visually impaired children in the state of Utah.

Second Vice President Karl Smith,

Biography coming soon

Secretary Sachin Pavithran,

Sachin Pavithran was born in India, but grew up in Dubai which is in the United Arab Emirates. Being legally blind, Sachin did not receive the accommodations that he needed to be independent. Sachin came to the US at the age of 17 to start his college career at Utah State University. He graduated from USU with a degree in Business Information Systems, and another degree in Marketing. Sachin received his Masters in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling at Utah State University. Sachin Dev Pavithran is currently the Assistive Technology Specialist and the Disability Law and Policy Coordinator for the Center for Persons with Disabilities. Sachin enjoys being an advocate for people with disabilities. He keeps up with the research and development of various assistive technologies, and is involved nationally in working with legislators in the Federal Government to bring a change in various Federal Policies for the benefit of individuals with disabilities. He has reached out to the international community on Disability Policy and Infra Structure Development based on the requirements set forth by the Convention on Rights for Persons with Disabilities. He has trained and presented in several countries such as Egypt, Syria, Philippines etc. Sachin has over ten years of direct involvement in development, testing, and training for accessibility for assistive technology, extensive experience in lecturing and training others in accessible technology. Sachin provides technical assistance on accessible information technology for individuals and groups. He helps in the evaluation of products related to web accessibility and design. He also sits on various boards nationally, such as, The Research and Development committee for the National Federation of the Blind, The National Multicultural Council, Senator Hatch’s Advisory board for disability policy, and The National Clearing House for Rehabilitation Training Materials.

Treasurer Adam Rushforth,
Adam E. Rushforth is currently a technology instructor at the blind center in Salt Lake City. Previously he worked as the financial manager/controller of a small software and scanner retail company in Orem Utah. Adam received an MBA from the University of Utah and a Bachelors degree from BYU in Business Finance.

Board Member, Everette Bacon,

Everette is a graduate of Dallas Baptist University with a Bachelor’s in Music Education. He also received a Masters Degree from Western Michigan University in Rehabilitation Teaching.

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Everette has a long history of blindness in his family that dates back some 17 generations. He came to Utah because his wife is a resident Neurologist at the University of Utah. Everette started in the field of rehabilitation as a client many years ago. Rehabilitation helped him obtain his degree and find gainful employment as an Admissions Director for Dallas Baptist University. He became a District Trainer for Blockbuster Inc.

He now is employed by DSBVI as the Assistive Technology Specialist. In this position, Everette evaluates and trains clients on assistive technology. It is a field that he finds enjoyable. He is glad to give back to a field like rehabilitation, which has helped him in so many different ways in his own life.

Board Member Norm Gardner,
Biography Coming Soon.

Board Member Barbie Elliott,

Biography coming soon

Board Member David Poteet,

Biography coming soon.

Board Member Mark Turley,

Biography coming soon