Wisconsin Council of the Blind&Visually Impaired

THE STAFF

	Karen V. Majkrzak: As Executive Director, Karen is responsible for the overall operation of the organization and reports directly to the nineteen-person Council. Karen has managed non-profits for many years and comes to us after having successfully developed ElderCare programs with in-home services provided by hundreds of volunteers. Familiar with vision impairment through family as well as professional experience, Karen moved to Madison from Illinois to become Executive Director in 2005. In her spare time, Karen enjoys reading, cycling, music, theater, and concerts. (Her name is pronounced “may-zak.”)
	Gary R. Goyke: Gary joined the Council in 1984 as a Legislative Lobbyist. Since 2000, he has spearheaded our advertising and public relations efforts as Director of Public Relations and Marketing. Gary is also responsible for the special events the Council holds around the state, and arranges speaking engagements for various organizations. He is a member of the National Public Relations Society, the Wisconsin Communicators Council and the Association of Wisconsin Lobbyists.
	Marshall Flax: Marshall came to the Council in January of 1992 and is the Director of the Vision Rehabilitation Service. He is a Certified Low Vision Therapist and a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist. Marshall provides low vision services and orientation and mobility services to people who have lost or are losing their sight. He is nationally recognized for his work in these areas and has authored several articles and co-authored a book on the subject. Marshall’s professional affiliations include Honorary Associate with the University of Wisconsin Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Honorary Fellow with the Waisman Center at the UW-Madison, and he has served on the Board of Directors of the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (2001-06). He enjoys wilderness canoe trips in the Boundary Waters/Quetico, mountain biking and cross-country skiing.
	Betsy Gruba: Betsy joined the staff in May of 2002 as Director of Technology. She is responsible for the Council’s website and data management systems, as well as supporting the staff’s computing needs. She also assists people who are blind or visually impaired learn computer skills. In May of 2008 Betsy received "Venus" a 48 pound 20 inch tall black labe guide dog from Guide Dogs for the Blind in Boring, Oregon. Betsy says of the use of a service animal "I don't know why I waited so long" A “techno-geek,” Betsy’ enjoys knitting and baseball.
	Deda Oatsvall:Deda joined the staff in December of 1997 as Finance and Benefits Coordinator. Her job duties include payroll, daily cash sales, accounts payable and receivable, bank reconciliations, assisting with annual reports, audits and general financial responsibility. In her spare time, Deda likes to go to the movies and play cards.
	Kathi Koegle: Kathi joined the staff in May 2007 as Outreach & Development Manager for the Council. Kathi brings more than 20 years nonprofit experience in writing, editing, relationship building, communication and marketing. She’s a former French teacher who “loves all things French.” In her free time, Kathi loves to bake, garden, read, volunteer and search for treasures at antique flea markets.
	Brent Perzentka: Brent has been a member of staff since 2003 and works in the Sharper Vision Store. Having grown up in Madison with two visually impaired parents, Brent brings first-hand experience to the job. An all-around athletic guy, he enjoys basketball and baseball and plays in leagues in the Madison area.
	Melanie McIntosh began working at WCB&VI as part-time Grant Coordinator in September, 2007. She came to Madison from Port Huron and Ann Arbor , Michigan and received her masters degree in social work at UW-Madison.. She had a career in child welfare and juvenile justice before taking an interest in aging and the community options program . After a decade devoted to that work, Melanie returned to the juvenile justice field from which she retire d a few years ago. In the course of her career, she developed many successful grants for local programs. Currently, i n addition to her work with WCB&VI, Melanie studies art and is a docent at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. She also continues to be a community advocate and volunteer , serving on non-profit boards of directors , advisory committees , and at the Holy Wisdom Monastery. Melanie enjoys hiking, cooking for her son and f riends, and continuing to learn about regional art and music. A frequent traveler, she can be found in San Francisco visiting her daughter ’s family , in Michigan visiting her parents, or on an adventure with an old friend . A sailor and swimmer, Melanie tells us that if she didn’t live in Madison, she would live in Duluth or Sheboygan – somewhere close to one of the Great Lakes!
	Ann Salazar : Ann has been working for WCB&VI since January 1992. She also served as a member of the Council for 3 years. Ann answers the phone, takes orders and distributes free white canes to people in Wisconsin. She also is in charge of the Braille transcription that the Council produces which includes the Council Courier, the newsletter of the Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired. She is currently Past President of the Madison Evening Lions Club, and is a member of the ADA Para Transit Subcommittee which is a city of Madison committee. Ann likes to chat on the Internet with her friends for fun.
	Heather Buggs : Heather joined the staff in August of 2007. Heather answers the phone, takes orders, and assists in the Sharper Vision Store. Heather grew up in Madison surrounded by many blind and visually impaired people; she brings knowledge and experience to the job. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time outside
	Connie Pagel: Connie Pagel grew up in a small town in central Wisconsin and moved to Madison about six years ago. She has a keen interest in addressing all kinds of diversities, making her especially well-suited for her position as a Program Assistant here at the WCB&VI and the Sharper Vision Store. Some of Connie’s life experiences include earning a diploma from Mid-State Technical College, attending the University of Wisconsin –Stevens Point, earning a certificate in Human Resources from MATC, and, for a number of years, working as a musician. She was a member of the Portage County Literacy Council and has helped raise money for the Habitat for Humanity. In her free time, Connie enjoys playing and listening to music, visiting antique shops, and going to museums, her favorite being The Rock and Roll Museum and Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Connie and her spouse have two adult sons.
	Ray Cubberly: Ray came to the Council in February of 2007 as a Program Assistant through Age Advantage, the Older Worker Program. He was hired as a permanent staff member in November of 2007. His duties include various database maintenance activities such as entering and acknowledging donations, keeping the newsletter mailing list current, recording and reporting monthly volunteer hours, and various spreadsheet projects. In his spare time Ray enjoys movies, music, nature trails, and day trips.
	Virginia DeBlaey: Virginia works for the Council part-time each week in the areas of public relations and outreach. She was a member of the Council for nine years, serving as President and on its Board of Directors. Virginia also belongs to the Badger Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired and the Midwest Association for the Blind. She was employed as a Rehabilitation Teacher for the blind by the state of Wisconsin in Milwaukee for 24 years. After retiring she worked at the Center for Deaf/Blind adults for four years. Virginia lives with her mischievous cat, AJ and enjoys working for the Council.