Our inaugural panel of Holman Prize judges came together at LightHouse headquarters in June 2017 to choose three winners from a pool of more than 200 ambitious and adventurous blind candidates. In 2019, the committee will convene for the third time to decide on the next three blind prizewinners. Encompassing a wide range of expertise, our international committee members – virtually all of whom are themselves blind – embody the spirit of James Holman, our finalists and the LightHouse for the Blind’s overarching mission.
The 2019 Holman Prize Committee
Jennison Asuncion
Engineering Manager, LinkedIn
Bryan Bashin
CEO, LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Jason Roberts
Author, 'A Sense of the World'
Dr. Sharon Zell Sacks
Retired Superintendent, California School for the Blind
Dr. Zachary Shore
Historian
Anil Lewis
Executive Director, NFB Jernigan Institute
Dr. Sile O’Modhrain
Professor, University of Michigan
Eric Bridges
Executive Director, American Council of the Blind
Kerryann Ifill
President of the Senate, Barbados
Dr. Britt Raubenheimer
Senior Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Holly Scott-Gardner
Advocate & Student at Coventry University studying Spanish.
Sassy Outwater-Wright
Executive Director, Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Ahmet Ustunel
Teacher of the Blind and Visually Impaired and 2017 Holman Prizewinner
Kathryn Webster
Consultant, Deloitte & Touché, LLP
The 2018 Holman Prize Committee
Dr. Sile O’Modhrain
Professor, University of Michigan
Anil Lewis
Executive Director, NFB Jernigan Institute
Rosa Gomez
Assistant Deputy Director, CA Department of Rehabilitation
Aerial Gilbert
former Outreach Manager, Guide Dogs for the Blind
Gary Wunder
Editor, Braille Monitor
Dr. Sheri Wells-Jensen
Professor, Bowling Green State University
Dr. Sharon Zell Sacks
Retired Superintendent, California School for the Blind
Jason Roberts
Author, 'A Sense of the World'
Dr. Brian Miller
U.S. Department of Education
Chancey Fleet
Technology Educator, NY Public Library
Dr. Wendy David
Clinical Psychologist
Don Brown
CEO, Access Work Systems
Bryan Bashin
CEO, LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired
The 2017 Holman Prize Committee
Jennison Asuncion
Engineering Manager, LinkedIn
Bryan Bashin
CEO, LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Don Brown
CEO, Access Work Systems
Dr. Wendy David
Clinical Psychologist
Christopher Downey, RA
Architect
Chancey Fleet
Technology Educator, NY Public Library
John Heilbrunn
VP, Danish Association for the Blind
Dr. Joshua Miele
Scientist, Smith-Kettlewell Eye Institute
Dr. Brian Miller
U.S. Department of Education
Dr. Mona Minkara
Computational Chemist
Jason Roberts
Author, 'A Sense of the World'
Dr. Sharon Zell Sacks
Retired Superintendent, California School for the Blind
Dr. Zachary Shore
Historian
Debbie Stein, MSW
Author
Dr. Sheri Wells-Jensen
Professor, Bowling Green State University
Gary Wunder
Editor, Braille Monitor