The Older Individuals who are Blind Technical Assistance Center’s (OIB-TAC) Older Blind Specialist Jennifer Ottowitz and Project Director Kendra Farrow have been named the recipients of the 2026 Susan and Paul Ponchillia VRT Publication Award for their article, Voices from the Field: Perspectives of Professionals About Older Blind Services.
Published in The New RE:view, the article explores the real-world strengths and challenges of delivering Older Blind services to older individuals who are blind or have low vision (B/LV). By sharing the firsthand experiences of direct service practitioners, Farrow and Ottowitz highlighted current field realities designed to inform future service delivery, professional training, and policy moving forward.
The award was established in 2008 to honor the legacy of Susan and Paul Ponchillia by recognizing scholarship that connects meaningful research with practical impact in the field of vision rehabilitation therapy (VRT). Both authors bring expertise as recognized experts in the VRT field - Farrow has guided OIB-TAC activities and provided national technical assistance on program administration, evaluation, and outreach since the center's inception in 2015. Ottowitz brings nearly three decades of direct service experience to her role and is co-editor of the textbook Foundations of Vision Rehabilitation Therapy.
The award will be presented during the VRT Division business meeting at the upcoming AER 2026 Biennial International Conference in Louisville, KY.
The NRTC focuses on employment outcomes of people with blindness or low vision (B/LV), providing training, technical assistance, and resources for professionals and people with B/LV interested in employment through funding from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research grant #90RTEM0015. To learn more, visit our About page and the NTAC-BLV website.