Presenters
Dr. Arielle Silverman
Director of Research, American Foundation for the Blind
Dr. Arielle Silverman joined AFB as Research Specialist in September 2021, after having previously served as an independent contractor contributing to several AFB research projects, including studies related to Workplace Tech, Blind Leaders Development, and Guide Dogs for the Blind. In 2022, she was promoted to the title of Director, Research.
Prior to joining AFB, Dr. Silverman served as an independent research and training consultant specializing in disability research and inclusion training. She has also worked as a technical writer for the National Rehabilitation Information Center and as a postdoctoral fellow and research scientist at the University of Washington Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. Dr. Silverman has authored or co-authored more than a dozen peer-reviewed research articles, and she is experienced with conducting both quantitative and qualitative research related to blindness and visual impairment. She has also presented inclusion workshops to nonprofit organizations, for-profit companies, and professional associations.
Dr. Silverman holds a BS in Psychology and Biology from Arizona State University and an MA and Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. In addition to her research and training work, she has co-directed a pre-employment transition program for blind and low-vision youth in Virginia. Her research interests include disability identity, employment, methods of improving public attitudes about disabilities, and neurodiversity.
Dr. Sarahelizabeth Baguhn
Research Specialist, American Foundation for the Blind
Sarahelizabeth Baguhn, Ph.D. serves as a Research Specialist on AFB’s Public Policy and Research team since joining in June 2022. She is responsible for contributing to research design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting.
Prior to her role at AFB, Dr. Baguhn started her career in Special Education in Wisconsin before transitioning to teaching blindness and low vision skills as a TVI/COMS. She then spent five years at Western Michigan University, focusing on teaching preservice professionals in their TVI, VRT, O&M, and AT blindness and low vision studies programs. She has published peer-reviewed research articles on topics of echoidentification and assessments and has given over 20 presentations at vision conferences in the USA and abroad. Notably, she has presented at conferences such as the International Mobility Conference and the AER International Conference. Dr. Baguhn also serves on the board of directors for ACVREP, the board of directors for the Michigan Blind Athletic Association, on the subject matter expert committee for Assistive Technology with ACVREP, as well as the advisory council for Audio Description.
Dr. Baguhn earned her doctorate from Western Michigan University in 2021, where she studied interdisciplinary health sciences and worked to develop a valid and reliable assessment for young children’s orientation and mobility skills. Her research focused on testing blind children’s orientation and mobility skills. She holds a master's in Orientation and Mobility for Children from Western Michigan University and a bachelor’s in Special Education from the University of Wisconsin. Her current research interest includes barriers faced by workers who are blind or have low vision and accessibility of digital information.
Dr. Lynne Koral
Dr. Lynne Koral is blind due to retinopathy of prematurity. She received her doctorate in August 2023 from Walden University, an online university in Public Policy and Administration. Dr. Koral is passionate about policy and its impact on blind individuals, especially blind women. Dr. Koral facilitates calls for the American Council of the Blind on their community platform and is in a choir in her religious institution. She has lived in New York, California, Alaska, and Florida and spent three months in Arlington, Virginia, as a Workforce Recruitment Program participant in 2008. She now lives in Olympia, Washington. She has taught braille and technology, has testified in front of the Alaska and Washington legislatures, has overseen recruiting convention speakers, and is now on the convention committee for the Multicultural Affairs Committee. Dr. Koral also has a master’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in public administration with an emphasis on policy analysis. She was also trained on trauma and disability in 2004 in Austin, Texas, with about 14 other advocates from three agencies, including the American Council of the Blind, and she was in Leadership Anchorage from 2003-2004. She also got legislation passed for private and verifiable voting in 2002 as President of Alaska Independent Blind. Dr. Koral enjoys creating programs, public speaking, and educating others.
