Board of Directors (Minnesota)
The membership elects the officers and directors to two-year terms at a state-wide convention. All officers and directors are blind. The Board meets at least quarterly.
OFFICERS
President - Jennifer Dunnam, St. Louis Park
612-203-2738
jennifer.dunnam1829@gmail.com
J
ennifer grew up in Louisiana, graduating from Louisiana Tech University with a double major in French and Spanish and a minor in political science. She moved to Minnesota after college and for several years worked as an instructor at Blindness Learning in New Dimensions (BLIND), alternately teaching braille, white-cane travel, and administering the Buddy Program for children. Then, for nine years, she worked at the University of Minnesota, coordinating the production of materials in braille, audio, and electronic formats and, for a short while administered a student-testing center. Currently, under contract with the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, she coordinates the administration of all of the courses leading to Library of Congress certification in braille transcribing and proofreading. She joined the National Federation of the Blind as the age of fourteen, after meeting successful blind adult role models. She has held several offices in the NFB of Minnesota, and was elected president in 2007.
(Term ends 2017)
Vice-President - Steve Jacobson, Edina
952-927-7694
steve.jacobson@visi.com
Steve retired from the 3M Company, where he was employed for more than forty years, most recently as a Lead Computer Analyst. He graduated from the Minnesota Braille and Sight Saving School and received a Bachelor's degree in mathematics from Augsburg College. Steve joined the NFB of Minnesota in 1971, has served as an officer of the student division, Metro Chapter president, and secretary of the NFB of Minnesota. He is also heavily involved in technology and is currently vice-president of the national NFB computer science division.
(Term ends 2018)
Secretary - Jennifer Wenzel, Bloomington
410-530-5207
jenwen319@gmail.com
Jennifer graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech communication from the University of Minnesota. She is a proud graduate of Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions(BLIND), Inc. The training she received there and her continued involvement in the National Federation of the Blind have helped her live the life she wants. She has taught braille, daily-living skills, and technology to students of all ages at the Colorado Center for the Blind, Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, and now BLIND, Inc. She has also worked with high school students with severe and profound needs, as a braille proofreader, and as a teaching assistant in a preschool for blind students. She has been active in the NFB in Colorado and Wisconsin, serving as secretary of the NFB of Wisconsin for several years, and is currently the treasurer of the Metro Chapter and the editor of The Bee, a national newsletter for parents of blind children. Her hobbies include reading, swimming, cooking, and tandem biking. She also loves to spend time with her family of husband Dan and their three boys.
(Term ends 2017)
Treasurer - Alice Hebert, Minneapolis
612-367-4286
kccajun@att.net
Alice is a Teleconference Specialist with AT&T. She previously served as the treasurer of the National Federation of the Blind of Alabama.
(Term ends 2018)
DIRECTORS
Cody Beardslee, Minneapolis
763-291-3711
codybeardslee@gmail.com
Cody was born in East Bethel, Minnesota. He is a graduate of Cambridge High School and also of Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions (BLIND). He currently serves as president of the Minnesota Association of Blind Students, and in 2017 he will begin his studies in Special Education at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, working toward becoming a teacher of blind students. He is an avid follower of baseball (particularly the Minnesota Twins) and enjoys various other outdoor activities.
(Term ends 2018)
Rob Hobson, Minneapolis
815-546-3306
rhobson@blindinc.org
Rob was born and raised in Illinois. He graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with a bachelors in political Science and pre-law. He later graduated from the Louisiana Center for the Blind and then went on to earn a master’s degree in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Orientation and Mobility at Louisiana Tech. Now He resides in Minneapolis where he works at Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions (BLIND) teaching White Cane Travel. Rob loves to get out and experience all of the fun activities that the city has to offer. Some of his hobbies include swimming, running, and bike riding.
(Term ends 2017)
Sheila Koenig, Minneapolis
612-977-9110
shekoenig@comcast.net
Sheila grew up and attended college in Wisconsin. After graduating from college, Sheila taught 7th grade English and 8th grade Spanish in Springfield, Missouri. She moved to Minnesota in 2000 and taught 9th grade English at South View Middle School in Edina for 15 years. She now works as the Transition Placement and Outreach Coordinator at State Services for the Blind. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Education from Cardinal Stritch College and her Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Minnesota. She attended Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions (BLIND), where she developed the skills and attitude to be a successful blind teacher. In 2007 she was awarded the "Blind Educator of the Year" award from the National Federation of the Blind.
(Term ends 2017)
Bryce Samuelson, Rochester
507-477-3165
bjsamuel30@outlook.com
Bryce was born in Rochester. In 2000, he graduated from Hayfield High School and went on to receive an Associate of Arts degree and a Certification in Web Design from Riverland Community College in 2003 and a Bachelor's degree in Scientific and Technical Communications from the University of Minnesota in 2006. After his graduation from high school and until after he graduated from Riverland Community College, he worked at ShopKo in Austin in various capacities. In 2009, he accepted an internship for the Office of Congressman Walz. Less than a month after completing his internship, he began training and then working at the Rochester location of the MN Low Vision Store where he worked until November of that year. After the job at the Low Vision Store ended, he founded Samuelson Contracted Services LLC to provide web design/maintenance, technical writing/editing, and project management services to small and medium-sized businesses in Southern Minnesota.
(Term ends 2017)
Bev Stavrum, Clearwater
320-558-9480
blindspt@aol.com
Bev was born in St. Cloud, moved to Minneapolis in the first grade, and graduated from West High School in 1967. She returned to the St. Cloud/Clearwater area to marry and raise a family. At the age of 40, she earned an Associate's degree in Business Management. She also attended vocational school in St. Cloud for supervisory management. After working 10 years at a local manufacturing plant as a receptionist, she is now a stay-at-home foster parent caring for teenage boys. She joined the NFB in 2009, and serves as Secretary of the NFB of Minnesota Central Minnesota Chapter.
(Term ends 2018)