Welcome to the 2026 National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania State Convention at Hershey Lodge, November 5–8, 2026. Use the links below to jump to convention information or a specific day of the agenda.
Convention Information
Registration
Registration will be held Thursday, November 5, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, and Friday, November 6, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Location: Cocoa Pre-Function Area, outside Cocoa Ballrooms 3, 4, and 5, Lobby Level.
National Federation of the Blind Materials
A table featuring National Federation of the Blind materials will be available in the Cocoa Pre-Function Area outside Cocoa Ballrooms 3, 4, and 5, Lobby Level.
Dog Relief Areas
Dog relief areas are available outside the Hershey Lodge. For additional information, contact David Goldstein or Veronica Quinn.
Exhibit Hall
Location: Cocoa 1, Lobby Level. Hours: Thursday, November 5, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Friday, November 6, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Thursday, November 5, 2026
Daytime Activities
Registration, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Location: Cocoa Pre-Function area outside Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
Exhibit Hall, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Location: Cocoa 1, Lobby Level.
Box Lunch Pickup, 12:00 PM
Box lunches will be available in the back of Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4, and 5, Lobby Level. You must have a ticket or bracelet to get one.
Technology Seminar, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Moderators: David Goldstein, 1st Vice President, NFB of PA, and Simon Bonenfant.
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4, and 5, Lobby Level.
Evening Activities
Mexican Buffet, 6:00 PM
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
You must have a bracelet or ticket. There will be an open bar available.
Federation Feud, 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Pamela Baquero, President, PA Association of Blind Merchants, Host. Come, join the fun as Pam challenges members of the Affiliate on their knowledge of the Federation.
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
Open bar available.
Friday, November 6, 2026
Morning Activities
Continental Breakfast for Early Bird Registrants, 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
You must have your bracelet.
Pennsylvania Association of Blind Merchants, 8:30 AM to 10:15 AM
Pamela Baquero, President.
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
Exhibit Hall, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Location: Cocoa 1, Lobby Level.
PA Association of Guide Dog Users, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Veronica Quinn, Acting President, Vice President, Capital Chapter.
Location: Cocoa 6, Lobby Level.
Blind Seniors Group, 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Connie Scheu, Facilitator, Member Board of Directors NFB of PA, President Erie County Chapter.
Location: Cocoa 2, Lobby Level.
Blind Parents Division, 10:15 AM to 11:45 AM
Stacie Leap, President.
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
Box Lunch Pickup, 11:45 AM
Box Lunch Pick-up in back of Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level. You must have your bracelet or a ticket!
Afternoon Activities
NFBofPA Board of Directors Meeting, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
DeafBlind Division Meeting, 1:15 PM to 2:15 PM
Chris Westbrook, President.
Location: Cocoa 2, Lobby Level.
Meet the National Representative and Ice Cream Social, 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM
Come meet Our National Representative and Enjoy an Ice Cream Social sponsored by the PA Association of Blind Merchants.
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
Diabetes Group, 2:15 PM to 3:30 PM
Come learn Some Updates and Ideas on How to Manage Your Diabetes; Christine Palmer and Marva Hall, Facilitators, Members Greater Philadelphia Chapter.
Location: Cocoa 6, Lobby Level.
Jigsaw Chapter Meeting, 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Chris Westbrook, President.
Location: Cocoa 2, Lobby Level.
Resolutions Committee Meeting, 2:45 PM to 3:30 PM
Michelle McManus, Chairperson, 2nd Vice President, NFB of PA.
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
Jewelry-Making Workshop, 3:45 PM to 4:45 PM
Would you like to learn how to make jewelry? Join Rachael Hudson for some tips and tricks on doing this!
Location: Cocoa 2, Lobby Level.
Travel and Technology Focus Group, 3:45 PM to 4:45 PM
Moderated by Lizzy Muhammad-Park. What will structured discovery (independent travel) look like as AI becomes more prevalent? Join the discussion to think through problems before they arise and help others by sharing your travel tips, tricks, technology and experiences.
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
PA Association of Parents of Blind Children, 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Location: Cocoa 6, Lobby Level.
Evening Activities and Meetings
Italian Buffet, 6:00 PM
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
Bring your bracelet or ticket. An open bar will be available.
Convention Auction, 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Get ready for some friendly competition and big fun at our Auction.
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
Pennsylvania Association of Blind Students Division, 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Noor Khraisat, President.
Location: Cocoa 6, Lobby Level.
Nominating Committee, 10:05 PM
David Goldstein, Chairperson.
Location: Room TBD.
Only those notified may attend.
Saturday, November 7, 2026
NFB Pledge
I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.
General Session
Location: Cocoa Ballrooms 3, 4, and 5, Lobby Level.
Invocation, 8:30 AM
Noor Khraisat, President, PA Association of Blind Students.
Tribute to Our Nation and the National Federation of the Blind, 8:35 AM
Welcoming, 8:40 AM
Rachael Hudson, Member Board of Directors, NFB of PA, President, Capital Chapter.
Housekeeping, 8:45 AM
David Goldstein, Convention Chairperson, 1st Vice President and Michelle McManus, 2nd Vice President, NFB of PA, President, Happy Valley Chapter.
Presidential Report, 8:50 AM
Lynn Heitz, President, National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania.
Report From Our National Representative, 9:15 AM
Everette Bacon, 2nd Vice President, National Federation of the Blind, President, NFB of Utah.
2026 NFB of Pennsylvania State Scholarship Finalists, 9:45 AM
Noor Khraisat and Daud Yassar.
What’s New at the Library for Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians?, 10:00 AM
Tara Murphy, Director, LAMP.
An Update from the Bureau of Special Education, 10:15 AM
Carole Clancy, EdD, Bureau Director, Bureau of Special Education, Department of Education, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Questions?, 10:35 AM
Update on Blindness Services in Pennsylvania, 10:50 AM
Chris Cowan, MA, CRC, LPC, Bureau Manager, Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Labor and Industry, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Questions?, 11:10 AM
Accessibility Challenges of Digital Content For Blind, 11:20 AM
Kerry S. Lueders, EdD, COMS, TVI, CLVT, Associate Professor, Director, Low Vision Rehabilitation Program, Department of Blindness and Low Vision Studies, Drexel University, Elkins Park Campus.
Lunch, 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM
Location: Cocoa 1, Lobby Level.
You must have a bracelet or ticket.
Our Partners At PATTAN, 1:30 PM
Greg Garhart, M.Ed., TVI-COMS, Educational Consultant and Jen Edgar, M.S., COMS, Educational Consultant, Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network.
Why I Am a Federationist, 1:45 PM
Harriet Go Danner, Secretary, NFB of PA, President, Keystone Chapter; Elizabeth Mohamed Park, National Scholarship Finalist 2022 and David Denotaris, CEO, Skies the Limit LLC.
When Should I Engage With CAP?, 2:15 PM
Andrew Pennington, Director, PA Client Assistance Program.
Questions?, 2:30 PM
What Is PATF?, 2:45 PM
Wendy Davis, Director of Marketing and Outreach, Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation.
Report of the Nominating Committee and Elections, 2:55 PM
David Goldstein, 1st Vice President, NFB of PA.
The Inner Workings of a Chapter, 3:20 PM
David B. Goldstein, 1st Vice President, NFB of PA.
What is AIRA and How Do I Become a User?, 3:35 PM
Everette Bacon, Chief, Blindness Initiatives, Aira Tech Corp.
My National Convention Experience, 3:50 PM
Veronica Quinn, Vice President, Capital Chapter, NFB of PA and Julian Silecky, 2026 National Scholarship Finalist.
Why Should I Go to an NFB Training Center?, 4:05 PM
Yvonne Hughes, Member, Greater Philadelphia Chapter; Rachael Hudson, Member, Board of Directors NFB of PA, President Capital Chapter; Chip Johnson, 2nd Vice President, Keystone Chapter.
What’s New With NABS?, 4:35 PM
Joshua Olukanni, National Association of Blind Students.
What’s Up With PABS and How Can We Help?, 4:45 PM
Noor Khraisat, President, PA Association of Blind Students.
Housekeeping, 4:55 PM
Michelle McManus and David Goldstein, Convention Co-Chairpersons.
Adjournment of General Session, 5:00 PM
Evening Banquet Events
Cash Bar, 6:00 PM
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
Banquet, 7:00 PM
David Goldstein, Master of Ceremonies, 1st Vice President, NFB of PA.
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
Sunday, November 8, 2026
Breakfast and Chapter Gathering
Breakfast, 8:00 AM
Location: Cocoa Ballroom 3, 4 and 5, Lobby Level.
Chapter Breakfast, 8:15 AM
Harriet Go-Danner, Facilitator, Secretary, NFB of PA and President, Keystone Chapter.
Business Meeting
Location: Cocoa Ballrooms 3, 4, and 5, Lobby Level.
State Financial Report, 9:00 AM
Jason Polansky, Treasurer, NFB of PA.
Funding at the State Level, 9:40 AM
Lynn Heitz, President, NFB of PA.
Funding at the National Level, 9:50 AM
Everette Bacon, National Representative, 2nd Vice President, National Federation of the Blind, President NFB of Utah.
Funding at the Local Level, 10:10 AM
David Goldstein, 1st Vice President, NFB of PA, Treasurer, Keystone Chapter and PA Association of Blind Merchants, NFB of PA.
Resolutions, 10:20 AM
Michelle McManus, Chairperson, 2nd Vice President NFB of PA, President Happy Valley Chapter.
Legislative Report, 11:00 AM
Michelle McManus, Legislative Chairperson.
Adjournment, 12:00 PM
Our Federation
The National Federation of the Blind is not an organization speaking for the blind, it is the Blind speaking for themselves.