2025 – Neil Jarvis
Neil has dedicated more than 30 years to advancing digital accessibility, significantly impacting the print disability sector through his extensive career spanning advocacy, training, leadership, and policy development. His work has not only improved access to information for individuals with visual impairments but also influenced global standards and best practices in accessible publishing.
Leadership in Adaptive Technology and Accessible Publishing:
His involvement with the British Computer Association of the Blind (BCAB) as a trustee from 2002 to 2004 underscored his commitment to building digital skills within the blind and low-vision community.
From 2005-2018, he worked in various roles at the Blind Foundation New Zealand. Under his leadership, the Foundation established partnerships that made mobile screen-reading software more affordable, enabling greater independence for blind users. His strategic influence continued as he assumed senior leadership roles from 2008 to 2018, overseeing library services, accessible format production, and international relations. Notably, he led the digitization of the Foundation’s library service, managed government contracts related to accessible information, and spearheaded advocacy efforts for international copyright reform and accessible publishing.
A key highlight of Neil’s work was his tenure on the Board of the DAISY Consortium for ten years, where he played a crucial role in advancing global accessible publishing initiatives. He was instrumental in the development of low-cost braille technology, serving as Company Secretary for the Transforming Braille Group, which partnered with Orbit Technology to create affordable electronic braille devices.
Advocacy for the Marrakesh Treaty and Global Accessibility Initiatives
Neil’s impact extended to international advocacy through his leadership in the World Blind Union’s (WBU) campaign for the Marrakesh Treaty. From 2012 to the present, he has worked to facilitate the treaty’s adoption and implementation across the Asia-Pacific region. His efforts have involved collaborations with WIPO’s Accessible Books Consortium, publishers, and blindness organizations worldwide. He has presented at conferences in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, and Thailand, emphasizing the importance of equitable access to printed materials.
In New Zealand, Neil played a pivotal role in the country’s campaign to join the Marrakesh Treaty, working closely with government agencies to amend copyright legislation. His advocacy ensured that print-disabled individuals could benefit from increased access to accessible reading materials both nationally and internationally.
Contributions to the Round Table on Information Access and BLENNZ: Neil’s leadership extended to the Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities, where he served on the Executive Committee from 2012 to 2021, including six years as President.
Additionally, Neil contributed to the Blind & Low Vision Education Network New Zealand (BLENNZ) as a Board of Trustees member from 2012 to 2018. He later advised BLENNZ on accessible information services, assisted in establishing its transcription service, and facilitated its recognition as an authorized entity under New Zealand’s copyright law. His expertise ensured that educational materials became more accessible to blind and low-vision students.
Legacy and Ongoing Impact
Neil’s three-decade career has left an indelible mark on the print disability sector. His leadership in accessible publishing, advocacy for digital inclusion, and contributions to international copyright reform have transformed the landscape for individuals with print disabilities. His work continues to influence global best practices, ensuring that accessibility remains a fundamental consideration in publishing, education, and digital technology.
2023 – Kathy Riessen
Kathy Riessen was awarded the 2023 Award for her outstanding contributions to the print disability sector. Beginning her career in 1988 at Townsend School, she spent over 32 years advancing accessibility services in South Australia’s Education Department. Riessen mastered and innovated braille production techniques, developed crucial resources for the Australian Braille Authority (ABA), and served as Chair of the International Council on English Braille’s Code Maintenance Committee. Her notable achievements include co-writing the UEB Australian Training Manual, creating formatting guidelines, and implementing advanced technological solutions for braille production.
2019 – Tom Macmahon
Tom Macmahon made exceptional contributions to the print disability sector in Queensland and nationally. As a blind teacher with the Queensland Department of Education since 1981, Tom specialised in teaching music, music therapy, and assistive technology to braille-using students. With expertise in JAWS and screen reading software, his extensive work included statewide consultancy, workshop training, and representation on national committees, while maintaining active involvement in organisations like the Round Table, Australian Braille Authority, and Queensland Braille Writing Association. Beyond his professional achievements, Tom embraced technological innovation, maintained a strong commitment to braille literacy, and provided continued service to the community through the Braille Music Camp.
2018 – Christine Simpson
Christine Simpson dedicated her career to advancing braille literacy and accessibility. Beginning at the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind in 1991, she pioneered innovative teaching methods including remote braille instruction. Her most significant contribution was editing the International Council on English Braille’s Rules of Unified English Braille, which became the definitive manual worldwide. As Chair of the Australian Braille Authority and an international representative, Simpson shaped braille standards while maintaining extensive involvement with Blind Citizens Australia. Throughout her career, she developed formal assessment procedures, managed adaptive technology services, and actively mentored others in the blindness community, consistently working to improve information accessibility for people with vision impairments.
2017 – Ramona Mandy
Ramona Mandy dedicated her career to advancing braille literacy and technology access. Starting as an adult braille instructor at the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind in the mid-1990s, she later became HumanWare Australia’s national sales representative in 2001, where she established herself as a leading expert in braille technology. Through her roles as Convenor of the Australian Braille Authority Victorian Subcommittee and her extensive work demonstrating assistive technologies nationwide, Mandy consistently advocated for braille literacy while ensuring appropriate matching between users and technology, particularly in introducing products like the BrailleNote Touch to the vision-impaired community.
2016 – Nigel Herring
Nigel Herring dedicated nearly 40 years to servicing and developing adaptive technology for the print disability sector. Beginning with managing Royal Blind Society studios, he became Australia’s leading expert in maintaining various assistive devices, from the obsolete Optacon to modern braille embossers. He developed crucial software including Picture Braille Tactile Graphics and Toccata for braille music, while establishing Pentronics after working with Wormold and Pulsedata. Known as the “embosser guru” across Australia and New Zealand, Herring’s commitment extended beyond technical expertise to ensuring accessibility and affordability of adaptive technology. His dedication to servicing everything from vintage Perkins braillers to modern smart braille displays made him a trusted figure in the community, enabling countless individuals with print disabilities to achieve greater independence and inclusion.
2015 – Elisabeth Wegener
Elisabeth Wegener, a dedicated contributor to the print disability sector for over 25 years, made significant impacts in both Australia and Papua New Guinea through her work as a braille transcriber and volunteer. As a long-serving member of the Round Table Executive Committee, she played key roles in developing accessibility guidelines, including chairing the working group that produced the 2011 Round Table Clear Print Guidelines. She coordinated multiple Round Table Annual conferences and actively supported the NSW Braille Forum’s initiatives. Notably, she provided crucial support to PNG’s print disability community through Callan Services for Disabled Persons, including transcribing national examinations into braille and training staff at Mount Sion School for the Blind in Goroka. Throughout her career, Elisabeth worked tirelessly to advance accessibility and braille literacy.
2014 – Bill Jolley and Janet Reynolds
William (Bill) Jolley devoted over 40 years to advancing information access for people with print disabilities. After graduating in mathematical statistics from the University of Melbourne, he served as founding Secretary of the Round Table on Information Access and held key leadership positions within Blind Citizens Australia. His career encompassed managing Australia’s largest braille production unit and working with the Australian Communications and Media Authority, while pioneering digital accessible information services. Jolley’s influence extended internationally through establishing braille facilities in Kenya, developing training programs in Fiji and Vietnam, and serving as Secretary General for the DAISY Consortium. His contributions were recognised with multiple awards, including Telstra’s Australia Day Award and the Medal for Happiness of Blind People from the Vietnam Blind Association.
Janet Reynolds, co-recipient of the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award, transitioned from mathematics teaching to become a significant figure in Aotearoa New Zealand’s braille community after joining the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind in 1991. As a braille transcriber and later manager of the Accessible Format Production Department, she played a crucial role in developing UEB Guidelines for Mathematics and Technical Materials and led Aotearoa’s smooth transition to Unified English Braille. Reynolds served as Treasurer for the Braille Authority of New Zealand Aotearoa Trust (BANZAT) and worked extensively with Duxbury developers on braille production software.
2013 – Frances Gentle
Frances Gentle, recognized for her nearly 30-year contribution to the print disability sector, dedicated her career to developing educational programs for people with vision impairment across Australia, East Asia, and the Pacific Region. As a lecturer at the Renwick Centre and through her research work, she championed braille literacy while establishing programs ranging from teaching at St Edmunds School to creating an English language program for adults with vision impairment in Japan. Her international impact included training braillists in East Timor and serving as Pacific Chairperson for the International Council for the Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI). Gentle’s work with national and international standards-setting bodies, particularly her role in developing the Trans-Tasman examination for Unified English Braille proficiency, helped shape educational practices and improve information access for people with vision impairment worldwide.
2012 – Josie Howse
Josie Howse dedicated over 25 years to advancing accessibility for people with print disabilities, particularly through her extensive work in braille development and education with the Australian Braille Authority. Her contributions span multiple committees and projects within Round Table, including the development of various guidelines and the organisation of key events. She has been instrumental in developing braille standards and codes, notably playing a crucial role in implementing Unified English Braille (UEB) in Australia and revising the British Braille Primer to incorporate UEB is a trusted and valuable resource.
2011 – Jacqueline Booty and Jan Smark Nilsson
Over a 30-year career, Jacqueline Booty transformed access to print disability services in Australia, particularly in Queensland, where she began as a primary school teacher before specialising in teaching visually impaired students in 1965. Her expertise in braille literacy and numeracy led her to establish Queensland’s first state-wide braille resource centre, consolidating resources from 10 different centres and pioneering computer networking for acquisitions. As a respected authority in the field, she authored groundbreaking educational materials, including the southern hemisphere’s first mathematics program for print-disabled students using an abacus, and contributed to national curriculum standards. Her influence extended beyond direct teaching through her roles as a university lecturer, state consultant, and active member of numerous national committees, including the Australian Braille Authority and Round Table.
Jan Smark Nilsson was a transformative leader in library services for people with print disabilities in Australia from the late 1970s through the 1990s. As Executive Director of the Braille and Talking Book Library of Victoria (B&TBL) and later as Managing Director of Pulse Data International (Australia), she revolutionised accessible format services by shifting them from a charity-based model to a rights-focused public library service. Drawing on her background in journalism and librarianship, she pioneered numerous innovations including professional narration for talking books, computerised book circulation systems, and specialised braille publications. Her achievements included securing government funding, establishing the library’s accreditation as a public library, developing the largest audio book collection in Australia, and actively participating in over 20 committees advocating for improved information access. Her leadership fundamentally changed attitudes toward print disability services and established lasting improvements in how literature and information were made accessible to all.
2010 – John Simpson
John Simpson made significant contributions to improving information accessibility for people with print disabilities in Australia over a 30+ year career. As Executive Officer of Blind Citizens Australia and through his work with Round Table, he championed numerous initiatives including audio description standards, copyright reforms, and government information accessibility. Together with his wife Christine, he established Information alternatives to produce audio format materials, and authored influential reports including a landmark 1999 study on television accessibility for blind viewers. His advocacy work spanned multiple areas including library services, television, cinema, live theatre, and digital media, consistently pushing for equitable access to information and entertainment. He played key roles in major sector developments, including helping lay groundwork for the 2004 merger that created Vision Australia and organizing the highly successful 2008 International Council on English Braille General Assembly in Melbourne.
2009 – Bruce Maguire and Mary Schnackenberg
Bruce Maguire has been an influential figure in print disability access for over 25 years, particularly in the development and advancement of braille codes. As a leader in both the Australian Braille Authority and the International Council on English Braille, he played a crucial role in modernising technical braille codes and developing the Unified English Braille (UEB) system since the early 1990s. His work has been characterised by a forward-thinking approach that recognises the complementary relationship between braille and technology, advocating for both as essential tools for literacy among blind people. As a former President of Round Table and dedicated advocate, he has consistently provided guidance on braille and accessibility issues.
Mary Schnackenberg has made extraordinary contributions to accessibility services in New Zealand over a 35+ year career at the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind. Her innovations included developing an award-winning Telephone Information Service, implementing automated library systems, and pioneering a groundbreaking digital talking book service that delivered DAISY books via internet. As the president of the International Council on English Braille and a past president of the Association of Blind Citizens of New Zealand, she has been instrumental in advancing accessibility initiatives both locally and internationally. Her achievements include helping establish the Australia and New Zealand Accessible Information Group, contributing to innovative copyright legislation for accessible format production, and improving public transport accessibility. Her advocacy has spanned multiple domains including telecommunications, radio, music, and internet access. Her significant contributions have been widely recognized through numerous honours, including her appointment as a Companion to the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) in 2007, a Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary International, and a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Auckland.