Regional Support
Northwest Region Leslie represents Alaska, American Samoa, Guam, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, South Dakota, her home state of Washington, and Wyoming. Her experience working with students with visual impairments extends over 6 years in Kitsap and Whatcom counties and includes serving as a TVI and O&M Specialist, including summer programs in independent living skills, and career experiences for youth who are visually impaired. For the last two years, she has worked on completing a general certificate in Assistive Technology from California State University Northridge and through Western Michigan University for the Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist (CATIS) for people who are blind or visually impaired. Leslie lives with her current guide dog Neil and retired guide Gwenny and is working toward competing in Dressage with her horse Sid. You can contact Leslie at lweilbacher@aph.org. Northcentral Region Northeast Region Erin represents Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia, and her home state of New York. Erin has more than 25 years of experience as a TVI and the Statewide Coordinator of Education for the Blind and Visually Impaired for the Delaware Division for the Visually Impaired. She earned her A.A.S. in Early Childhood Education at Villa Maria College of Buffalo, B.S. at Michigan State University in the areas of Elementary Education, Special Education, and Teacher of students with Visual Impairments, and an M.S.E.D. at St. Bonaventure University in Childhood Literacy. Spending time with her family on the waterfront is Erin’s most cherished pastime. You can contact Erin at eweaver@aph.org. Southcentral Region Stephanie represents Serving Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas. Stephanie’s professional career in the field of visual impairments began with a Master of Arts in Special Education with a focus on Visual Impairments and Orientation & Mobility from Texas Tech University. Her experience working with students with visual impairments extends over 18 years and includes serving as a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments and O&M Specialist. Before obtaining her master’s degree, Stephanie was a junior high special education teacher. She has been the webmaster for Texas AER for several years and is enrolled in an educational diagnostician program at Texas A&M Commerce University. She recently served as the State Lead for the Texas Sensory Support Network with ESC Region 11, providing technical assistance and professional development across Texas. She was an author for the Texas 2 STEPS Assessment and Curriculum; has served as the Southern representative on the Colorado Vision Coalition and the advisory board for ECI of North-Central Texas. Stephanie currently resides in Texas. She has 24 hens, two roosters, a turkey, two dogs, and six kids. You can contact Stephanie at swalker@aph.org. Southwest Region Jenny Wheeler, Regional Specialist, Southwest Jenny represents her home state of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. She has worked in the field of visual impairment for 20 years as a paraprofessional, braille transcriber, TVI, COMS, and AT specialist. She has a Bachelor of Music in Oboe Performance and a Masters of Arts in Special Education, Teaching Students with Visual Impairments. Jenny has served the Arizona AER chapter for more than 10 years as a board member, treasurer, vice president, president, and past president. She has a special interest in providing individualized technology education to children who have visual impairments and multiple disabilities, and in working with innovative schools and organizations to promote students’ technological and academic success. She is thrilled to join the APH team as the Southwest regional outreach specialist and so thankful for the opportunity to work with professionals across the Southwest to bring training and support to educators, service providers, administrators, and families. You can contact Jenny at jwheeler@aph.org Southeast Region Alicia represents Alabama, her home state of Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and the Virgin Islands. She is a seasoned Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVI) with 25 years of experience evaluating the Functional Vision, Expanded Core Curriculum, and Learning Media needs of students with visual impairments (birth to age 22). Simultaneous to serving as a TSVI, Alicia assisted with piloting the first Summer Transition Program for teens who are blind or visually impaired in Florida and subsequently spent 14 years as the Transition Program Coordinator at a Lighthouse. Her experience further includes working as an adjunct professor for Florida State University’s Program in Visual Disabilities, presenting at local, state, and national events, and writing curriculum and content for the American Foundation for the Blind’s family of websites (now housed with APH). In her free time, Alicia enjoys practicing yoga, paddleboarding, bike riding, fishing, gardening, and spending time with her Maine Coon and orange tabby cats. You can contact Alicia at awolfe@aph.org.
