An inspirational speaker, author, trainer, and executive coach, David has empowered individuals and organizations to transform obstacles into opportunities for over 25 years. David delivers captivating and uplifting messages for teams and audiences of all sizes. David is also the author of Feeling Your Way through Life. He creates customized workshops and trainings for government agencies, colleges and universities, community-based organizations, and Fortune 500 Companies nationally.

Legally blind since birth, David is a nationally-recognized expert in vocational rehabilitation for people with disabilities. He earned his MA in Educational Leadership and Administration and his undergraduate degree from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. He has been an elected school board director of the Lower Dauphin County School board since 2019. David has held leadership roles in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, most recently serving as Executive Director of the PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.

Dr. Robert Gilbert is one of the world’s leading authorities on sports psychology and peak performance. As a professor at Montclair State University, he has spent the last 40 years researching the mental strategies used by the world’s top athletes, business leaders, sales people and students.

For seven years, Dr. Gilbert edited “Bits & Pieces,” the world’s most popular motivational magazine. Dr. Gilbert’s Success Hotline has given daily motivational messages to millions of callers since 1992.

Dr. Gilbert has appeared on hundreds of radio and television talks shows and he has given speeches for companies like IBM, I.T.T., Johnson & Johnson, Verizon Wireless, Madison Square Garden and Nabisco. He has spoken at academic institutions such as the United States Military Academy, UMass Amherst, University of Wisconsin, and Brown University.

Dr. Gilbert personally coaches athletes, performers, executives and sales people. These one-on-one sessions conducted by phone have produced dramatic performance shifts. His four most recent books are, “How to Have Fun without Failing Out” about college success, “Good to Great Golf” on the psychology of winning golf, “105 Great Stories” and “Thank God You’re Lazy.”

Want to hear Dr. Gilbert motivate you right now? Call the Success Hotline at 973-743-4690.

Sandy Jones, M.S. Ed., is a Professor Emeritus from CCBC (Community College of Baltimore County), Baltimore, MD, where she taught a special needs population in the Developmental Education department. Sandy believes strongly that each student has the right to college and has served for over 25 years to provide support for each student’s success. She has dedicated her career to serving special needs students.

Sandy taught various offerings of English and Reading, closely working with Disability Support Services. She tutored students with special learning needs in the Tutorial Center throughout her career. Sandy has presented at numerous educational conferences, including: MACRA (Mid Atlantic College Reading Association), Board President; DEAM (Developmental Education Association of Maryland) Board member, and Project Access at RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology). Sandy traveled with representatives of CCBC to the United Kingdom to explore common interests in special needs education at Rotherham College of Arts and Technology.

Recently, Sandy has enjoyed working as an independent contractor for Blind Savvy USA in developing curriculum and facilitating workshops for blind and low vision transition-age students.

J.J. Meddaugh is the owner of A. T. Guys, a technology sales, training, and consultancy company based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Since 2008, A. T. Guys has developed and distributed products and services to benefit people who are blind and visually impaired, and has partnered with numerous companies including Fortune 500 businesses on accessibility and usability projects.

J.J. is an advanced Android user and has participated in a variety of trainings, seminars, and events over the past decade. He has provided his expertise to assist developers in making their apps accessible and has participated on a variety of Android-based projects. He has twice attended Google’s developer conference in California. He is also a certified NVDA Expert.

He cohosts the Blind Bargains Qast, a podcast focused on access technology and lifestyle topics, and formerly was a cohost of That Android Show, a podcast focusing on Android apps and news. Other interests include tactile graphics, audio production, and goalball. A graduate of Western Michigan University, he enjoys playing the keyboard, travel, and trying new cuisines.

JP Williams is an accomplished singer, workshop leader, LifeCoach, and public speaker based in Nashville, Tennessee. Blind since age 10, he brings a unique, seasoned perspective to every opportunity. He has an innate gift for connecting with audiences through humor and music to share wisdom and inspiration. JP is a co-writer on the three-week no. 1 hit single “Best Shot”—the song that launched the career of country music artist Jimmie Allen. He’s performed on the Grand Ole Opry (a stunning solo acoustic performance co-written with Bobby Tomberlin), as well as countless other notable stages throughout his career in the music industry. He writes under his own publishing company, Blonde Leading Blind Music.

Previously, he was signed as a staff writer with Major Bob Music from 2011 to 2018. To keep up with JP, follow @blindmangram on Instagram or visit jpwilliams.net.

Matt Vollbrecht “would be totally blind by the age of three and would eventually need prosthetic eyes.”  This diagnosis, rather than defining him, inspired him to unleash his true potential. Matt was discovered to have an incredible interest and tremendous natural talent for singing and playing the piano. Having “absolute perfect pitch” Matthew began studying piano at age four and voice at age six.  Matt studied classical vocal training at the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University. He has performed for and shared the stage with many well-known musicians, actors, dignitaries, and political figures. He has received many awards such as: at age of 10, he was the youngest recipient in history of the VSA Arts National Young Soloist Award. He went on to represent VSA Arts in several performances at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, as well as at the VSA Arts International Festival in Brussels, Belgium. His life experiences and the many opportunities afforded him have helped him to gain a unique understanding of diversity, human emotions, and problem solving.

Through his own creativity and unique ability, Matthew combined spoken messages with musical performance. Matt officially began motivational speaking in 2006. Matt shares many of his life experiences in his first book entitled “Blind Faith”. In 2012, he released his second book entitled, “Titanic – the Most Complete Story Ever Told”.

Julie Abe, Founder of ai-works, serves as a supporting consultant for BlindSavvy USA, bringing more than 30 years of experience in IT, accessible software design, organizational development, process improvement, and workforce training. She specializes in helping government agencies and service organizations implement AI training that improves staff productivity, client services, workplace readiness, and personal independence. Julie’s work bridges technology, accessibility, and practical workforce outcomes, helping blind and low-vision consumers and the professionals who serve them use AI tools with confidence and purpose.

Katy Grubb is a designer and creative with a passion for brand development and sustainability. A graduate of the Susquehanna University Graphic Design Program, she brings both local and international experience to her craft, from her work with small businesses around northeastern USA to global brands based in Berlin, Germany. Her goal is to cultivate the BlindSavvy USA brand through a combination of effective and consistent messaging, clear and concise graphics and visuals, and accessibility through all formats.