VIDBE-Q Volume 66, Issue 2
20
disabilities. Mark continues to advocate with the U.S. Department of Education to
implement key components of the CMA within their regulatory structure.
A second area of contribution is through his mentorship. Throughout his
career, Mark has been a mentor to multiple scholars and professionals in the fields
of visual impairment and deafblindness. Mark has mentored many professionals
including Tiffany Wild, Holly Lawson, Stacy Kelly, Amy Parker, Rebecca
Sheffield, Eric Caruso, Kathryn Botsford, Sean Tikkun, and many others. He loves
advocacy and this love pervades his professional life to the benefit of our entire
field.
A third arena where his leadership shines, is within national organizations.
This is Mark's second time directing AER and his knowledge during a time of
change in our field is invaluable. Mark has been working to provide guidance,
create connections and to bring the field forward through his communications,
outreach, and innovations. Leadership in the best of times is challenging but it is
doubly so when the field is dealing with COVID-19 and profound changes in the
way teachers must teach.
Amy Parker writes, "Mark exemplifies what effective advocacy, coalition
building, mentoring, and leadership means. He brings his keen knowledge as an
attorney together with his lived experience as an individual who happens to be
blind to co-create a better world for all people with visual impairments."
