Danielle Guzman-Orth, Ph.D.

Dr. Danielle Guzman-Orth specializes in research on validity and fairness with an emphasis on fair, equitable, and accessible education. Dr. Guzman-Orth conducts foundational research and provides technical assistance for state and consortia clients on their assessment systems, digital accessibility, and accommodations. Her research impact is demonstrated through enhanced equitable and accessible educational designs, instruction, and assessment opportunities for historically underserved students, including students with disabilities and students who are culturally and linguistically diverse. She is currently the co-chair of the American Educational Research Association’s Special Interest Group for Inclusion and Accessibility in Educational Assessment and the Assistant Communications Chair for Division D, Measurement & Research Methodology. She is an active contributor to multiple stakeholder groups, such as the Council of Chief State and School Officers English Learner Collaborative and the international W3C Accessibility for Children group. In these roles, she shares the latest research evidence to inform current and future applications of digital accessibility and inclusion. She has been recognized for her research and service through awards, such as the ETS Presidential Award and California Education Research Association Outstanding Research Award. She is a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Hispanic Higher Education and has authored numerous client reports and publications on accessible assessment in peer-reviewed journals, such as Educational Assessment, Language Assessment Quarterly, Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, and Journal of Educational Psychology, and several book chapters published in multiple volumes. She earned her Ph.D. in Education at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Derrick Smith, Ed.D., COMS

Dr. Derrick W. Smith serves as the Dean of the College of Education at Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM). He was appointed to the position at AUM in 2024. He holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Mathematics from Faulkner University, a M.A.Ed. in Special Education for the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and an Ed.D. in Special Education from Texas Tech University. Prior to his appointment as Dean at AUM, he served as a Professor of Special Education, Chair (2015-2018), and then Associate Dean (2018-2023) of the College of Education at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. His research focuses on STEM education for students with visual impairments. He has over twenty-three years of teaching and leadership experience in K-12 and higher education.

Kevin Hollinger, CATIS, COMS, NBCT-ENSVI, TVI

Kevin Hollinger is a Teacher of the Visually Impaired, Certified Orientation & Mobility Specialist, Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist and a National Board Certified Teacher as an Exceptional Needs Specialist in Visual Impairment. Kevin has been working in the public school system for almost 25 years. He is the owner of Hollinger Consulting, LLC, a consulting company offering evaluation, instructional, consultation and expert witness services. Kevin served as a Board Member for AERBVI, ACVREP and now Success Beyond Sight. He was the Chair of the AERBVI O&M Division, Subject Matter Expert for ACVREP, an American Printing House for the Blind Scholar, Adjunct Professor, and ADA Committee representative.

Seyoon Choi

Cary Supalo, Ph.D.

Dr. Cary Supalo completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Pennsylvania State University in 2010. He, being totally blind since the age of seven, founded Independence Science in 2009 to serve as a vehicle of change for students who are blind in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields of study. Dr. Supalo encountered many barriers to access along his path to becoming a chemistry professor and access technology innovator.

His love for science and his contagious passion for science access is seen by all who he interacts with. Dr. Supalo has mentored and guided many students, sighted and blind alike, to help explore their STEM career interests. Independence Science leverages Dr. Supalo’ network of connections both in the science education, and in the STEM educational technology industries along with his deep connections with the blind community. In the end, Dr. Supalo has created a synergy of momentum that is shifting the societal paradigm of science education for students who are blind to have hands-on science learning experiences. Dr. Supalo feels very strongly that students learn by doing and this has also been found to be verified through his formal research studies for students who are blind. The science access tools that he has developed and innovated through Independence Science are helping to empower students who are blind or have low vision around the world to be more engaged in a hands-on way to seek out more fulfilling hands-on science learning experiences.

Steve Noble, MPA

Steve Noble, MPA, is the current Principal Researcher for Accessibility at Pearson, and also serves as Mathematics and Science Content Specialist for Bridge Multimedia, as well as adjunct faculty with the University of Louisville. At Pearson, Mr. Noble supports accessibility and usability research studies that seek to understand the effective usability of Pearson’s digital assessment platforms. He has conducted extensive research on how to make mathematics and science content accessible to students with disabilities. Steve is also the State Immediate-Past-President for the Learning Disabilities Association (LDA) of Kentucky and serves on the national Public Policy committee for the LDA of America. Previously, he has served as Director of Accessibility Policy at Design Science, Inc., as a Policy Analyst for the Kentucky Assistive Technology Service (KATS) Network, and as Manager of Product Development for Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, in Princeton, NJ (now known as Learning Ally). He also served a 10-year term as a member of the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standards (NIMAS) Board for the US Department of Education.