2027 TAER Conference April 28 - May 1, 2027 @Waco Hilton
This award is given in honor of Patrick Van Geem, who began his career in the field of blindness and visual impairment in the early 1980s as a residential instructor at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. While employed at TSBVI he attended school and became certified as a teacher of students with blindness and visual impairments. He then worked as a Dorm Teacher, an itinerant TVI through the Austin Independent School District, and then in the Outreach Programs of the Texas School for the Blind as an Assistive Technology and Braille Production Specialist. Not only did Pat provide support to TVIs and students across the state of Texas, he also networked extensively with others in and outside of our field involved in technology. He was forward thinking and stayed up-to- date on new equipment and was aware of technologies and devices in development. This award recognizes values that Pat demonstrated through his work; continuous excellence, exceptional service, and inspirational leadership. This award will be presented to a TVI or team member who demonstrates outstanding instruction and support in an education setting of a student(s) with blindness or visual impairment using Assistive Technology.
2025 -
2024 - Donna Clemens
2023 - Al Rodriguez
2022 -
2021 - Nina Wibbenmeyer
2020 – Debra Leff
2019 – John Rose
2018 – Cecilia Robinson
2017 – Sue Mattson