ACVREP’s vision and mission is that all individuals who are blind or have low vision receive services from highly qualified professionals so that they may achieve full inclusion and success in their professional and community life.

A key element of full inclusion in community life is access to quality audio description services in all venues.  It is for this reason that ACVREP committed to developing certification for Audio Describers and Audio Description Consultants.

In order to develop a certification, ACVREP assembles a subject matter expert committee to develop the quality standards and the certification exam.  We received many qualified applications for the Audio Description SME committee (“ADSME”).

 ACVREP, in order to assemble the broadest and most comprehensive  engagement to develop the certification for audio describers and audio description consultants, has established the Audio Description Advisory Committee (“ADAC”)  that will amplify  the extensive expertise of the  Subject Matter Expert Committee.  The ADAC will be a resource to the ADSME and to ACVREP for input and feedback as the SME is developing the standards for both describers and consultants.

 Each member of the ADAC has agreed to be available for outreach by members of the ADSME to provide input on various aspects of the standards as they are being developed by the SME.  The ADAC will also, as a committee, review the standards and provide feedback to the SME prior to the SME making recommendations to the ACVREP Board of Directors with a request to post the standards for general public comment. 

While it is anticipated that the ADSME and ADAC will concur on the recommendations of standards prior to the standards being referred to the ACVREP Board of Directors, the ADAC may provide direct input on the proposed standards to the ACVREP Board of Directors.  ACVREP President and CEO, Kathleen Zeider, who serves on the ACVREP Board of Directors, will serve, ex-officio, on both committees and will be the liaison to the full Board.

Both the ADSME and the ADAC will play essential roles in developing the certification for the benefit of all consumers who are blind or have low vision.  On February 19, 2019 at its regular meeting the ACVREP Board of Directors approved the following members of the ADSME and the ADAC:

 

Audio Description Subject Matter Expert Committee

               Kim Charlson, Massachusetts. Chair

               Joyce Adams, Virginia

               Bonnie Barlow, Colorado

               Anna Capezzara, California

               Colleen Connor, Virginia

               Deb Fels, Canada

               Laurie Pape Hadley, Minnesota

               Mary Hanks, Texas

               Emily Harding Williams, Canada

               Lisa Hoffman, New York

               Celia Hughes, Texas

               Deb Lewis, California

               Jolie Mason, California

               Wendy Sapp, Georgia

               Joel Snyder, Maryland

               Jan Stankus, Massachusetts

               Martin Wilde, Illinois

              

Audio Description Advisory Committee

 

               Elisabeth Axel, New York, Chair

               Sarahelizabeth Baghun, Michigan

               Maria Asuncion Arrufat Perez de Zafra, Spain

               Rick Boggs, California

               Everette Bacon, Utah

               Stasha Boyd, Florida

               Emanuelle Orange-Parent, Canada

               Alison Myers, Australia

               Dawning Leung, Hong Kong

               Martine Abel-Williamson, New Zealand

               Bernd Bernecke, Germany

               Bronwen Andrea Okwesa, Virginia

               Jo Lynn Bailey-Page, Washington, D.C.

               Carl Richardson, Massachusetts

               Dan Spoone, Florida

               Georgina Kleege, California

               Nurit Neustadt, Israel

               Alan Woods, Ohio

               Francisco Lima, Brazil

               Mathew Cock, U.K.

               Tom Conway, Hawaii

               Jason Stark, South Carolina

               Paul Schroeder, Maryland