Parents
Utah Parents of Blind Children
3881 Silver Spur Circle Park City, UT 84098
435-649-4835
Denise Colton, President
Denise 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. 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.
Pat Renfranz, Vice President
Pat was raised in central Florida, and graudated from Purdue university in Indiana. Pat and David are the parents of two girls, Caroline and Camille. Caroline is blind due to congenital bilateral microphthalmia. She is honored to serve as VP of the UPBC and is treasurer of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children.
Marla Palmer, Secretary
Marla is the former President of the UPBC. She is currently serving as director of the transition project STRIVE, a 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 lives in North Salt Lake with her supportive husband Mike and three beautiful children Lauren, Megan and Adam. Megan and Adam have Albinism.
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 USOE for 3 years and is currently coordinating U’nME, a program that brings successful blind mentors together with blind youth. She is a mother to two children Chase and Amelia. Both Cheralyn and Chase are blind and have a diagnosis of Cone Dystrophy.
Julie Ledford, Board member
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.
Wendy Bybee, Board member
Wendy has been a member of the UPBC 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.
For additional information visit http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Parents_and_Teachers.asp?SnID=998273189