Utah Parents of Blind and Visually Impaired Children: Advisory Panel Bios

What is the UPBC?

The purpose of the organization is to create a climate of opportunity for blind children in home, school and society; to provide information and support to parents of blind children; to facilitate the sharing of experiences and concerns among parents of blind children; to develop and expand resources available to parents and their blind children; to help parents of blind children gain understanding and perspective through partnership and contact with blind adults; and to function as an integral part of the National Federation of the Blind and the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children in their ongoing efforts to eliminate discrimination and prejudice against the blind and to achieve for the blind security, equality and opportunity.

The membership is open to parents of blind children, educators of blind children and others interested in promoting the purposes of this organization.

We are a division of the National Federation of the Blind which is the largest organization of the blind in the country. Refer to: http://www.nfb.org/

Utah Parents of Blind Children is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization

Wendy Bybee

Wendy has been a member of the Utah Parents of Blind Children since it started in the 1990s. In fact she was its first president. Wendy has been employed for the past ten years as a Teacher Assistant with the Utah School for the Blind. She also tutors children in Braille in the evenings and was honored as the 2004 Educator of the Year. Wendy is a visually impaired mother of two sons, Drew and James, who are also visually impaired. All three have Congenital Cataracts. Wendy is currently our B.E.L.L (Braille Enrichment Literacy and Learning) program coordinator.

Denise Colton

Dr. Denise Colton, PhD is a licensed psychologist who specializes in the psychoeducational evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents. She currently maintains a private practice with the Park City Learning & Behavior Clinic. Denise also serves as a board member of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. She and her husband Rick have resided in Park City, Utah for nineteen years and have two daughters, Katie and Kristie who have a progressive visual impairment called Stargardt disease.

Marla Palmer

Marla is the former President of the Utah Parents of Blind Children. She is currently serving as program director of NFB of Utah Project STRIVE, a transition program designed to help visually impaired youth move towards independence. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelors in Therapeutic Recreation. Over the past 10 years, she has been actively involved in advocating for the needs of blind and visually impaired children in Utah and throughout the nation. She currently serves on the advisory council for the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind. She lives in North Salt Lake with her supportive husband Mike and three beautiful children Megan and Adam and Lauren. Megan and Adam have Albinism.