Utah Parents of Blind Children

Utah Parents of Blind Children

477 East Truman Avenue
Salt Lake City, Utah  84115
upbcmail@gmail.com
http://www.upobc.blogspot.com

Julie Ledford, President

Julie Ledford is a native to Utah and a graduate of Ricks College (BYU-Idaho). Julie and her husband Kevin are parents of four energetic boys; Zachary, Kaleb, Aaron and Brayden. Kevin, Zachary, Aaron and Braydon are visually impaired as a result of Congenital Cateracts and Anaridia.

Pat Renfranz, Vice President

Dr. Pat Renfranz, PhD was raised in central Florida, and graduated from Purdue University in Indiana. Pat is a bio-genetics scientist and worked for the Huntsman Cancer Institute.  Pat and her husband David are the parents of two girls, Caroline and Camille. Caroline is blind due to congenital bilateral microphthalmia. She is honored to serve as Vice President of the Utah Parents of Blind Children and is currently the Treasurer of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children.

Andrea Campbell, Secretary

Andrea grew up in Upstate New York. She has a BS in Human Development, AAS in Radiologic Technology, and a certificate in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (Ultrasound). Andrea and Barrie have called Utah their home for the past 7-8 years. They have a daughter Catie and son John. Catie was born with Spina Bifida and Bilateral Colobomas that affect the irs, cornea, retina, and optic nerves in both eyes.

Nate Creer, Treasurer

Nate is a graduate of Western Governors University where he earned a M.B.A. in Healthcare and IT Management. Nate has a history working in rehabilitation services, and with children who have special needs. Nate is married to Cheralyn Creer and a dad to two amazing kids, Chase and Amelia. Cheralyn and Chase are both legally blind and have a diagnoses of Cone Dystrophy.

Cheralyn Creer, Board Member

Cheralyn Braithwaite Creer taught and consulted for Davis School District for 5 years, she worked as the Vision Impairment Specialist at the Utah State Office of Education for 3 years and is currently coordinating the Utah Network for Mentoring Excellence (U’nME), a program that brings successful blind mentors together with blind youth.  She also serves on the advisory council for the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind.  She is a mother to two children Chase and Amelia. Both Cheralyn and Chase are blind and have a diagnosis of Cone Dystrophy.

Rachel Hixson, Board Member

Rachel and her husband Kevin, are the parents of four children. Their middle daughters, twins AnnieMae and Abbie, were born 17 1/2 weeks premature. AnnieMae survived and is 10 years old. She has retinopathy of prematurity, a stroke in her visual cortex and PVL, a traumatic brain injury incident to her premature birth. Rachel works for the March of Dimes with families of babies in the newborn intensive care unit at University Hospital as the Parent Support Specialist, advocating for families.

Josie Ishaya, Board Member

Josie has lived in Utah all of her life. She is married and has two children, Bryson (9) and Madison (3). Bryson was born with bilateral ophthalmic colobomas that effect his iris, cornea, and optic nerve. Josie works full time as a Registered Nurse at a juvenile prison in Ogden. She is also a full time student, pursuing a clinical Doctoral degree in Nursing Practice at the University of Utah.

Wendy Bybee, Advisory Board Member

Wendy has been a member of the Utah Parents of Blind Children since it started in the 1990s. In fact she was its first president. Wendy has been employed for the past ten years as a Teacher Assistant with the Utah School for the Blind. She also tutors children in Braille in the evenings and was honored as the 2004 Educator of the Year. Wendy is a visually impaired mother of two sons, Drew and James, who are also visually impaired. All three have Congenital Cataracts.

Denise Colton, Advisory Board Member

Dr. Denise Colton, PhD is a licensed psychologist who specializes in the psychoeducational evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents. She currently maintains a private practice with the Park City Learning & Behavior Clinic. Denise also serves as a board member of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. She and her husband Rick have resided in Park City, Utah for nineteen years and have two daughters, Katie and Kristie who have a progressive visual impairment called Stargardt disease.

Marla Palmer, Advisory Board Member

Marla is the former President of the Utah Parents of Blind Children. She is currently serving as program director of NFB of Utah Project STRIVE, a transition program designed to help visually impaired youth move towards independence. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelors in Therapeutic Recreation. Over the past 10 years, she has been actively involved in advocating for the needs of blind and visually impaired children in Utah and throughout the nation. She currently serves on the advisory council for the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind. She lives in North Salt Lake with her supportive husband Mike and three beautiful children Megan and Adam and Lauren. Megan and Adam have Albinism.