CONTACT: Tony Stephens, Assistant Vice-President, Communications 212.502.7627 | tstephens@afb.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has announced that Kim Charlson and Susan Mazrui are the winners of the Migel Medal, the highest honor in the field of blindness.
“It is an honor to recognize these two outstanding leaders, who have spent their lives making the world more inclusive and accessible for those who are blind or have low vision,” said AFB President and CEO Eric Bridges. “Both Kim and Susan have made such a substantial impact on the field that their work will be felt for generations to come.”
The AFB Migel Medal was established in 1937 by the late M.C. Migel, AFB's first chairman, to honor professionals and volunteers whose dedication and achievements improve the lives of people who are blind or have low vision. The honorees will be formally recognized during a special awards luncheon on Sept. 24th at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis as part of the annual AFB Leadership Conference.
About the 2024 Migel Medal Honorees
Kim Charlson is the executive director of the Perkins Library in Watertown, MA. An Oregon native, Charlson joined Perkins in 1985 and was elevated to library director in 2001. In addition to furthering the library’s mission to provide accessible reading material to people who are blind, have low vision, or physical or reading disabilities, Charlson also oversees iCanConnect, the FCC’s National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program, providing free communication technology and training to eligible individuals. She is the co-chair of the Federal Communications Commission’s Disability Advisory Committee, and she serves as the co-chair of the Coalition on Assistive Technology. A distinguished expert on library and information services for people with disabilities, Charlson serves on several committees for the Library of Congress’s National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled.
In 2013, she was elected as the first woman president of the American Council of the Blind, where she spearheaded multiple national campaigns covering a wide range of blindness-related issues that significantly expanded access and inclusion for people who are blind or have low vision. During this time, she served as a member of the Accessible Books Consortium to support the Marrakesh Treaty. Charlson is the president of the North America/Caribbean Region of the World Blind Union (WBU) and the WBU’s World Braille Council chair. She has a master’s degree in library science from the University of North Texas.
Susan Mazrui serves as Director of Public Policy for AT&T Services Inc. and has worked in communications for over twenty years. Mazrui has previously served as the Co-Chair of the Disability Advisory Committee for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
During her time at AT&T, she was instrumental in establishing the Corporate Accessible Technology Office (CATO), the first-of-its-kind call center for customers with disabilities. Her work contributed to the launch of the first mobile phone with built-in text-to-speech and she also led AT&T’s disabled employee's resource group.
Mazrui received her master’s degree in education from San Francisco State University and taught graduate and undergraduate courses in Special Education and Computer Literacy. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the US International Council on Disabilities. Ms. Mazrui was inducted into the Spinal Cord Injury Hall of Fame in 2008, received Careers and the disABLED Magazine’s 2013 National Employee of the Year Award, and was named Champion of Diversity at AT&T in 2014. She also received the Stephen Garff Marriott Award from the American Foundation for the Blind and a Digital Accessibility Leadership Award from G3ict in 2016.
About AFB
Founded in 1921, the American Foundation for the Blind creates equal opportunities and expands possibilities for people who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision through advocacy, thought leadership, and strategic partnerships. In addition to publishing the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB), AFB is also the proud steward of the Helen Keller Archive, which is available on the AFB website at www.afb.org.
