Awards

Awards Nomination Form

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:

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

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

YearRecipient
2010Alessandra Broccolo
2009Malcolm 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:

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