Phil Hatlen Award

The Phil Hatlen Award recognizes excellence in leadership and innovative changes in the field of Visual Impairment. This award is given in honor of Dr. Phil Hatlen for exemplary and dedicated service to our field.  A visionary of change, Dr. Hatlen has been an inspiration to countless professionals during his career as a teacher, university professor in teacher preparation programs, and in his many leadership roles in national and state organizations and committees.  He currently shares his enthusiastic commitment to the continuous improvement of educational opportunities for blind or visually impaired students as superintendent of Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

The recipient of this award may be an administrator or university professor. This recipient must have brought about innovative changes or provided out-standing leadership to our field that ultimately improved services to programming and quality of life to students with a visual impairment.

Past Winners
2024 - Kate Hurst​
2023 - Cecilia Robinson
2022 -Chrissy Cowan
2021 - Stephanie Walker
​2020 - Shannon Darst
​2019 - Kate Hurst
2018 - Olga Uriegas
2017 - Bill Daugherty
​2016 - Michael Munro
2015 - Debra Sewell
2013 - Ann Adkins
2012 - Tricia Lee
2011 - Nora Griffin-Shirley
2010 - Dr. Rona Pogrund
2009 - Frankie Swift
2008 - Fran Hammer
2007 - Mary Ann Siller
2006 - Marnee Loftin
2005 - Dr. Rita Livingston
2004 - Cyral Miller
2003 - Dixie Mercer
2002 -
2001 –
2000 –
1999 –
1998 -
1997 - Phil Hatlen