Awards

DbI has four categories of awards:

At each World Conference, a Lifetime Achievement Award will be made to an Individual/Individuals who has/have made a distinguished contribution to services for people who are deafblind on a national and international level. This award is recommended to be given towards the end of one’s working life and will be given only occasionally and when deemed necessary. A statuette and certificate will be presented. The decisions will be made by the Management Committee. DbI Lifetime Achievement Award Eligibility Requirements The Lifetime Achievement Award will be made to an individual who has made a distinguished contribution to services for people who are deafblind on a national and international level. This award is recommended to be given towards the end of one’s working life. Distinguished contributions could be in the area of: publications, research, development of new techniques or procedures, practical application of teaching techniques, training staff and parents, advocacy; and dynamic leadership. DbI Lifetime Achievement award winners:

Year
Recipient
2023
Marleen Janssen
2023
Bernadette Kappen
2023
Anne Nafstad
2023
Marianne Riggio
2018
Barbara Mason
2018
Pilar Gomez
2017
EvaBritt Andreassen
2017
Dorte Schultz Nielsen
2015 Cristiana Salomi
2014 Joseph Morrisey
2013 David Brown
2011 Mari Saetre
2009 Inger Rodbroe
2008 Mike Collins
2007 Norman Brown
2003 Peggy Freeman

This award will be given more frequently than the Lifetime Achievement Award. It will be presented to people who have significantly contributed to the deafblind field, or DbI, Internationally. These awards will be presented at any Regional or World Conference. DbI Distinguished Service Award Nominee Eligibility Requirements This award recognizes a DbI member who has significantly contributed to the deafblind field or DbI, internationally. Examples of work in the deafblind field or within DbI. Examples of contributions when thinking about a possible nominee for the Distinguished Services Award: 1) overall professional experiences; 2) innovative practices; 3) unique or extraordinary contributions to DbI; 4) professional publications, research and/or staff training activities; 5) leadership on the international level which has promoted or improved services to deafblind individuals and their families. DbI Distinguished Service Award winners:

Year Recipient
2023 Astrid Borck
2023 Saskia Damen
2023 Carmen Lucia Guerrero
2023 Karen Keyes
2023 Jude Nicholas
2022 Mary Maragia
2022 Roxanna Spruyt
2022 Dr. Meredith Prain
2018 Maria Bove
2015 Ricard Lopez
2014 Ruth Zacharias
2013 Marlene Daelman
2013 Dominique Spriet
2011 Bernadette Kappen
2011 Lex Grandia
2011 Shirley Rodriguez Maia
2009 Rossano Bartoli
2009 Ton Visser
2009 Eileen Boothroyd
2009 Hanne Pittroff
2007 Penny May Kamau
2007 Barbara Miles
2007 Graciela Ferioli
2005 Janka Sarisska
2005 Isabel Amaral
2005 Anna Nafstad
2003 Mary Guest
2003 Inger Rodbroe
2003 Stan Munroe
2001 Dietrich Bunck
2001 Marjaana Suosalmi
2000 Beroz Vacha
2000 Sadako Imamura
1999 Norman Brown
1999 Dr. Anthony Best
1999 William Green
1999 Mike Collins
1999 Jacques Souriau
1997 Sonja Jarl
1995 Dr. Jan van Dijk
1995 John McInnes
1995 Jacquie McInnes
1995 Rodney Clark
1991 Dr. Edward Waterhouse
1987 Joan Shields

This award will be presented to anyone who has served DbI, or the international field of deafblindness, well in any capacity. It can be issued at any time on the recommendation of a DbI Council member to the Management Committee. DbI Certificate of Appreciation recipients:

Year Recipient
2010 Alessandra Broccolo
2009 Malcolm Matthews
Judith Varsavsky
Neoklis Sarris
Maria Tsani
George Drakos

Throughout the world organizations are having a discussion about succession planning; DbI is no exception.  Many of the professionals started working with individuals who are deafblind during the Rubella Epidemic years of the 1960’s.  These professionals are looking forward to retirement over the next few years.  DbI decided that it was important to promote the work of younger professionals and created the DbI Young Professional Leadership Award.  This award was presented for the first time in Bucharest to three outstanding women. DbI Youth Professional Leadership recipients:

Year
Recipient
2023
Asako Kawahara
2022
Claire Fraser
2015
Kitty Bloeming
Sonja van de Molengraft
Andrea Wanka