GVEST History

In 2000, the Georgia Department of Education introduced a new conference and called it Georgia Vision Educators Statewide Training, or GVEST. Now, GVEST continues as multiple agencies dedicated to serving students with sensory impairments collaborate to offer professional development training focused on the needs of this population. GVEST provides an opportunity for Georgia's educators who serve individuals with visual impairments to have specialized training and to share effective practices and strategies specific to the needs of students and clients with visual impairments. The annual GVEST conference typically takes place in Macon Georgia each October and provides workshops led by experts in the field of blindness.

GVEST Conference Planning Committee

GVEST would like to gratefully acknowledge the members of the conference planning committee along with Smokey Powell staff for their support and assistance in the planning and implementation of the 20th Annual GVEST program.

Tara Bowie

GVEST Committee Chair, ​Outreach Education Program Specialist
Smokey Powell Center
Georgia Academy for the Blind

Heather Boyle

Heather Boyle
Education Specialist, Georgia Sensory Assistance Project

Sarah Bussey

Southeast Region Vision/O&M Services Coordinator
M.S.Ed Special Education
TBVI, COMS, CVRT
Allied Instructional Service; GaAER President Elect

Dawn Day

Curriculum Director, Georgia Academy for the Blind

Heidi Evans

Director, Georgia PINES
Georgia Parent Infant Network for Educational Services
Georgia Department of Education

Stephanie Hardwick

TVI with Forsyth County Schools; Georgia Chapter of AER Secretary

Sharon Lyttle

Outreach Education Program Specialist.
Smokey Powell Center 
Georgia Academy for the Blind

Chris Maniscalco

TVI Coordinator Gilmer County

Zel Murray

Education Program Coordinator/
GaDOE Statewide Vision Coordinator
Smokey Powell Center
Georgia Academy for the Blind

Shirley Robinson

Assistant Director for Blind Services Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Center

Christine Spratling

Coordinator, INSITE/VIISA, ​Georgia PINES

Martha Veto

Education Specialist, Georgia Sensory Assistance Project

Taylor Worland

Lead EIS, INSITE/VISSA, ​Georgia PINES

Carmen Willings

TVI with Forsyth County Schools; Georgia Chapter of AER President, Owner & Developer of Teaching Students with Visual Impairments