Alabama AER 40th Annual Training Conference

"Honoring the Past and Embracing the Future"

The Alabama AER Board of Directors is pleased to announce the Alabama AER - 40th Annual Training Conference. Activities begin at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, September 26, and conclude at 12:30 pm on Thursday, September 28, 2023. This event will be conducted at the Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort at Grand National.  Make reservations by August 25th to ensure room availability and group rate.  

Auburn Marriott Opelika

CLICK HERE or call, 800 228 9290.to make hotel reservations.

CLICK HERE to download the conference registration form. Registration deadline is August 25, 2023. 

This conference represents a significant milestone for this chapter. For more than 40 years Alabama AER has advanced its mission to ensure the highest quality education and rehabilitation services for people living in Alabama who are blind or partially sighted. Alabama AER offers people working in the field of services for the blind a way to connect with others in the field, opportunities for professional development, training, and collaboration. Alabama AER has also awarded more than $40,000.00 in scholarships to students in fields of study related to education and rehabilitation for people who are blind or partially sighted. 

The conference schedule is being finalized. Release of the Agenda will be announced here and available for download soon. The speaker lineup is looking good. After an unfortunate and unavoidable early departure last year, AER International President, Mr. Lee Sonnenberg, will return as promised. Also, Sam Seavey, a YouTube star and entrepreneur who happens to be blind, will share his unique experiences and solutions leading to success. Presentations on technology, employment, core curriculum, ethics, and other related topics are being planned. Throughout the conference we will honor the rich history of Alabama AER and explore the path moving forward to an exciting and successful future.  

My sincere thanks and gratitude to Ms. Kelley Bond, President Elect and Program Coordinator, as well as the entire Board of Directors who are working diligently to deliver an informative, collaborative, and enjoyable event to remember. Please join us as we celebrate 40 years of service. For more information go to Alabama AER.

Alabama AER 2023 Election Results

Thank you to all candidates and members who participated in the Alabama AER 2023 Elections. On behalf of the Alabama AER Board of Directors, members, and other colleagues' congratulations to Ms. Marquita Riggins and Mr. Jack Harrison, for garnering the most votes in the 2023 Election. Both will serve as members of the Alabama AER Board of Directors for the next three years beginning at the adjournment of the business meeting on September 28, 2023.

Marquita Riggins

Marquita Riggins began her career at AIDB in 2018 as Assistant Director of Development in the Office of Institutional Advancement. She was responsible for creating and leading fundraising campaigns and managing relationships with donors, corporations, and community partners. She has worked and volunteered in leadership roles at a variety of community agencies, and nonprofit organizations serving people with disabilities.

Marquita has extensive program administration, fundraising, and leadership experience. She currently serves as Director of the AIDB Opelika Regional Center. There, Marquita leads a team of eight professionals working with individuals who are deaf, blind, deaf/blind, multi-disabled, and their families.

Jack Harrison

Jack Harrison has served in the fields of education and rehabilitation for over 40 years. He is currently the Principal Investigator for an O&M research project within the Services for the Blind Department at the E. H. Gentry Facility. He has spent a total of twenty-five years in direct classroom instruction at three of the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind campuses.

Jack first joined AER when the organization began 40 years ago. He is a current board member and the co-chair of the AER International membership committee. Jack has made presentations at state, regional, and International AER conferences. 

Alabama AER is both honored and blessed to have highly skilled and experienced members like Marquita and Jack who are willing to accept and commit to serve in prominent leadership roles. Their sacrifice of time and energy is a testament to their commitment to the mission of Alabama AER.

Thank you Yevette Pearce, Nominations Committee Chair, other candidates,  and all of those who made Election 2023 a success. 

The Future of Alabama AER

Leadership Training Initative 2023

Baloon Challenge

Alabama AER hosted its third AER Leadership Training Initiative (LTI) on May 8 & 9, 2023. The purpose of LTI is to introduce and train future leaders of Alabama AER to serve as board members, officers, and committee members. We met at the beautiful Alabama 4-H Center, in Columbiana, Alabama.  The following four members were selected to participate: LaTanya Chatman, Courtney Pettway, Stephanie Pizza, and Marquita Riggins. All Alabama AER Board Members also participated. 

We had lots of fun learning opportunities; especially the team building activities. There’s something about connecting with balloons or balancing on a log that just brings people together. We also conducted an official Alabama AER Board of Directors meeting. All LTI attendees participated in the meeting, each contributed, in their own unique way, enriching the discussion and demonstrating the value of distinct perspectives and new ideas. This impressive group of professionals will no doubt have a positive impact and play a significant role in the future of Alabama AER. 

Many thanks to the participants, board members, and our gracious hosts at the Columbiana 4H Center for making the 2023 LTI a successful event. 

CLICK HERE to view the LTI Power Point.