In recent years, the BSCB has presented three awards during the banquet at the annual Spring Convention to individuals and organizations who have provided outstanding service to the Massachusetts blindness community. Descriptions of these awards are presented below. After that, beneficiaries from the most recent year back to 1996 are identified. As you will see, titles of the awards have varied somewhat over the years. Many thanks to Kim Charlson for compiling this comprehensive list, as well as for providing profiles for the 2020 recipients.
The Outstanding Service Award is given to an individual or organization that provides products or services of particular value to blind persons. This award is presented annually. The appropriate candidate is usually a company or individual who provides a tangible product or service.
The Community Access Award goes to an individual or an organization that has demonstrated a commitment to increased access for blind and visually impaired persons. This could be access to the printed word, transportation, the arts, employment, Etc. This award is presented at the discretion of the BSCB board of directors.
The Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award goes to a BSCB member who has performed exemplary advocacy work. This can include those who have worked on national, statewide or local issues. This award is given out at the discretion of the BSCB Board of Directors.
Historical BSCB Award Recipients
2024
Community Access Award: Allyson Bieryla, Science Center Astronomy Lab and Telescope Manager, Harvard University, Astronomer, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Solar, Stellar, and Planetary Sciences Division Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
In recognition of her commitment and dedication to accessibility, inclusion, and the expansion of opportunities and greater engagement in astronomy, eclipse understanding, and increased awareness of science and space by all people who are blind or have low vision
Outstanding Service Award: Paul Ruvolo, Olin College
In recognition of his innovative and creative approaches to accessibility, engineering and design for students at Olin College studying to make the world a more accessible place for everyone, especially for people who are blind or have low vision
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: Tiny Kurys
In recognition of her commitment and dedication for over 30 years to providing peer support, consumer-based mentorship, guidance for adults experiencing vision loss from retinitis igmentosa and other retinal diseases in Massachusetts and beyond
2023
Outstanding Service Award: Joseph Sullivan
Recognized for his development of the Duxbury Braille Translator software, the world’s leading software for producing braille, for over 190 different languages
Community Access Award: Joseph Kolb
Recognized for his forty-plus year career as an orientation and mobility instructor, he has facilitated the independence of well over 1000 individuals who are blind to travel independently and safely in the community
Community Access Award: Elizabeth Koh, Reporter, The Boston Globe
Recognized for her investigative reporting and exposure of the leadership concerns at the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: James (Jim) Badger
Recognizing his leadership in his role as SEIU 509 representative at the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind during COVID and the closing of two regional MCB offices demonstrating a significant amount of personal courage
2022
Community Access Award: ACB Community & ACB Media
Recognized jointly for their amazing efforts in bringing people together through the wide ranging topics of the Community calls and ACB Media programming together they have changed the present and future landscape of how ACB and its affiliates can reach out, communicate and maintain connections with people who are blind or have low vision
The Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: Tyler Littlefield
Recognized for his development of a fully accessible tracker of COVID-19 statistics as a resource for those who are blind or have low vision
Outstanding Service Award: Heather Thomas
Recognized for her many years of service at the Carroll Center for the Blind where she worked as an Assistive Technology Instructor, teaching hundreds of blind and low vision consumers of all ages to use screen readers and screen magnification technologies.
2021
Community Access Award: Disability Law Center, Inc.
In recognition of its commitment and dedication to accessibility, the protection of civil rights, and the expansion of opportunities, and greater inclusion in society for Massachusetts residents and all others nationwide who are blind or have low vision
Community Access Award: Boston Symphony Orchestra: Boston Pops Holiday Concert 2020
In recognition of its innovative and creative introduction to the provision of Audio Description services for the 2020 Holiday Pops Concert series, and its commitment to ongoing access for people who are blind or have low vision
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: Cheryl Cumings, President & Founder,
Our Space, Our Place, Inc.
In recognition of her innovative and creative leadership in the provision of peer-based mentorship after-school programs and career exploration services for children and youth in the Greater Boston area and beyond, and her visionary commitment to make more opportunities available for all students who are blind or have low vision, especially those from minority communities.
2020
Community Access Award: Karen Santiago
In recognition of her commitment and dedication to all aspects of the production and distribution of the Blind Perspective, an online and audio publication for the blindness community
Outstanding Service Award: Hannah Fairbairn
In appreciation of her distinguished career providing rehabilitation teaching services for hundreds of newly blind individuals at the Carroll Center for the Blind; and in recognition of the publication of her book “When You Can’t Believe Your Eyes: Vision Loss and Personal Recovery”
Betty Gayzagian Award: Nona Haroyan
In recognition of her numerous contributions in service to the Greater Worcester Blindness Community, and for her tireless advocacy in support of the family of a teen to get him admitted to Perkins, and for her work in the area of assistive technology access for people with vision loss in Central Massachusetts
Community Access Award: Memorial Foundation for the Blind
In recognition of its commitment and dedication to the provision of specialized programs and services in Central Massachusetts and beyond for all people who are blind or have low vision.
2019
Community Access Award (two recipients): Huntington Theatre Company – Meg O’Brien, for expanding access to live theater through audio description.
Greater Boston Legal Services Inc. – Dan Manning and Alexa Rosenbloom, for providing excellent legal representation to increase access to services in the Boston area
Outstanding Service Award: Sassy Outwater-Wright for her leadership of the Massachusetts Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired (MABVI) and establishing its VIBRANT program
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: Bruce Howell, for his work at the Carroll Center to improve web accessibility, and his effective chairmanship of the MCB Rehabilitation Council
2018
Community Access Award: James Izatt and The Worcester Talking Book Library, for his commitment and dedication to the provision of specialized library-based technology access programs in Central Massachusetts
Outstanding Service Award: Paul Saner, for his leadership and management of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind As Its Commissioner since August 2013
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: Vicki Vogt, for her dedication, advocacy, and hard work on all issues surrounding audio description
2017
Community Access Award: Vince Lombardi and Audio Journal, for his commitment and dedication to the provision of specialized information access programs and audio description services in Central Massachusetts and beyond
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: Deann Elliott, for her dedication, determination, leadership and hard work on issues of importance to people with disabilities
Outstanding Service Award: Venkatesh Chari and Orbit Research, for his engineering breakthroughs and design initiatives to create products to make the world more accessible
2016
Community Access Award: Lawrence Raymond, for his leadership and dedication to the provision of specialized programs and services in Central Massachusetts and beyond
Outstanding Service Award: Carla Burke, for her leadership in the library community in Harwich, on Cape Cod and beyond
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: Denise Karuth, for her dedication, determination, leadership and hard work on all issues of importance to people with disabilities in Massachusetts and across the nation
Lifetime Achievement Award: Rosalind (Roz) Rowley, for her lifetime commitment to the education of students who are blind or visually impaired
2015
Community Access Award: Beverly A. Scott, for her commitment and dedication to the provision of accessible transportation services for all people who are blind or visually impaired in Massachusetts
Outstanding Service Award: Myra Burloff, for her leadership in the disability community
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: Marcia Dresser, for her leadership and hard work on all issues of importance to people who are blind or visually impaired in Massachusetts and across the nation
2014
Community Access Award: Amy Ruell, for providing information and access to enhance the use of assistive technology
Outstanding Service Award: Steven M. Rothstein, in recognition of his leadership in the blindness community
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: Mary Haroyan, for her leadership and advocacy in Central Massachusetts
2013
Community Access Award: American Repertory Theater, for their provision of audio description
Community Access Award: Not Your Average Joe’s, for their provision of Braille menus in all of their locations
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: Brian Coppola, for his work to make prescription drug labels more accessible
2012
Community Access Award: Carl O. Richardson III, Massachusetts State House Bureau of State Buildings, for his leadership in bringing physical and programmatic accessibility to the Massachusetts State House
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: David Kingsbury, Co-Chair, BSCB Transportation Committee, for his leadership in the area of accessible transportation
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: Rick E. Morin, Co-Chair, BSCB Transportation Committee, for his leadership in the area of accessible transportation
Leadership Award: Robert Hachey, for his outstanding contribution to the organization as president from 2006 to 2012
Outstanding Service Award: William Henderson, in recognition of his distinguished career, his leadership in the integration and inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream schools
2011
Community Access Award: Representative Edward J. Markey, for his determination to gain passage of the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award
Jennifer Harnish, Ph.D., for her support and establishment of a support group for parents who are blind
2010
Outstanding Service Award: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Hannah Goodwin and Valerie Burrows, for their commitment to accessible arts and museum access
Community Access Award: Massachusetts Audubon Society, for bringing accessible nature opportunities to all people who are blind or visually impaired in Massachusetts
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: Nancy Jodoin, for her advocacy on access and public health in Massachusetts
2009
Outstanding Service Award: Svetlana and Harris Sussman, for the establishment of the M.N. Adamov Memorial Fund for independence for people who are blind in Russia
Community Access Award: Louise Beach, for her leadership in minority communities
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: George Mcdermott, for his leadership and advocacy in Central Massachusetts
2008
Outstanding Service Award: Bank of America, for their efforts to promote financial independence for all people who are blind in Massachusetts and around the nation
2007
Outstanding Service Award: David D. Chabot, guide dog harness maker
Community Access Award: Senator Steven A. Tolman,
185th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Outstanding Leadership Award: Judi Cannon
Betty Gayzagian Advocacy Award: Rick E. Morin
2006
Outstanding Service Award: Ron Bersani, Talking Information Center
Special Recognition Award: Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, for their 100 years of service
Leadership Award: Jerry Berrier, for his outstanding contribution to the organization as the president from 2004 to 2006
2005
Outstanding Access Award: Wang Center For The Performing Arts, for longstanding commitment to accessibility and dedication to the provision of audio description
Community Awareness Award: Worcester Historical Museum, for their commitment to promoting awareness of guide dogs in Massachusetts
President’s Advocacy Award: Elizabeth (Betty) Soderholm, for her leadership and advocacy in the areas of rehabilitation and transportation services
Outstanding Service Award: Judy Berk, Cultural Access Consortium for her commitment to arts accessibility, and ensuring full participation for people who are blind or visually impaired
Outstanding Service Award: Leon Murphy, for his distinguished career manufacturing Perkins Braillers with care and precision for 45 years
2004
Outstanding Service Award: Arthur O’neil, for his provision of accessible recreational opportunities
2003
President’s Advocacy Award: Albert Gayzagian, for his years of leadership in advocating for a full range of educational, employment, and rehabilitation options for people who are blind
Outstanding Service Award: Stan Eichner, for his commitment to civil rights and lifetime dedication to ensuring full access for all citizens of Massachusetts
2002
Outstanding Service Award: Kevin J. Lessard, for his outstanding career with the Perkins School for the Blind, and for his dedication to the delivery of quality programs and services for all people who are blind and visually impaired
President’s Advocacy Award: Pamela Loch, for her tireless efforts which resulted in the preservation of bus service for Hopkinton and surrounding communities
2001
Outstanding Service Award: Andrea Doane, for her role in the development of audio description services, and her commitment and dedication to quality standards and the goal of access to the arts for all
Access Achievement Award: Wheelock Family Theatre, for its leadership role as the first theater in Massachusetts to provide audio description services, and for its ongoing dedication to the principles of access to the arts for all
2000
Outstanding Service Award: Fran Weisse, for her dedication to the delivery of information and quality programs and services for all people who are blind
Leadership Award: Kim Charlson, for her outstanding contribution to the organization as president from 1994 to 2000
1999
Outstanding Service Award: Beezy Bentzen, for her dedication and commitment to the goals of safe and independent travel and an accessible environment
1998
Outstanding Service Award: Debby Smith, for her commitment to quality programs and services for all people who are blind and visually impaired
Leadership Award: Laura Oftedahl, for her outstanding contribution to the organization as the editor of Baylines from 1990 to 1998
Volunteer Recognition Award: Vicki J. Vogt, for the many tasks she does to support the activities and members of the BSCB
1997
Outstanding Service Award: Diane L. Croft, for her commitment to Braille literacy
1996
Outstanding Service Award: Charles H. Crawford, for his many years of leadership, service, and advocacy for blind and visually impaired people in Massachusetts