Callie Brusegaard, Director
As the Director of the Northeast Resource Centre for Vision Education at the University of Massachusetts Boston, Callie Brusegaard, Ph.D in Global Inclusion and Social Development, is a researcher and advocate of inclusive education for children with visual impairments internationally for over 10 years. Impassioned in nature, Dr Brusegaard’s commitment to improving education quality for children has enabled her to extend her influence through inclusion in international conferences such as the United Nations Convention of the State Parties, The World Bank and Getting in Touch with Literacy, with research topics covering working with cultural diverse students and families, foreign aid and the inclusion of disabilities, and the “No One Left Behind” movement.
As a Principal Investigator and Grant Writer, Dr Brusegaard has also successfully attained and assessed over $1.3 million in contributions to support children with disabilities. This was achieved through various grants such as Light for the World: Leaving No One Behind when Learning Starts, Gibney Foundation: State of the States for Teaching Students who are Visually Impaired and Interdisciplinary Personnel Preparation Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments.
Dr Brusegaard’s most notable literary contributions include being a co-author of a chapter in Foundations of Education, Volume II Instructional Strategies for Teaching Children and Youths with Visual Impairments, and various refereed journal articles including Personnel preparation in visual impairments: a responsive, individualized model and No one left behind: a review of disability inclusive development efforts at the World Bank. Her research currently focuses on improving the evaluations for students with visual impairments, whilst also teaching as an adjunct instructor at the UMass Boston and Florida State University.
Bob McCulley, Founding Director
Mr. McCulley has a total of 40 years of experience in vision services with 28 of those years based at the University of Massachusetts Boston. As founding Director of the Northeast Resource Center for Vision Education, Mr. McCulley established the initial regional model serving as the foundation of the current multi-state national and international resource center. Through his demonstrated leadership in support of community partnerships and distance education, the University has received multiple federal, state and private foundation grants and contracts that continue to expand and increase the capacity of the Vision Studies program through expanding community partnerships. He continues to serve on the management team of the Northeast Resource Center for Vision Education and is active in the regional sectors of the professional organization, the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AERBVI). In recognition of his leadership, the Board of Directors of the Northeast AER established the Robert McCulley Rising Star Leadership award in his name. Mr. McCulley completed his graduate work in Special Education and Orientation and Mobility at Boston College in 1980. In addition to his continued support of NERCVE, Mr. McCulley works part-time as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist supporting individuals who are blind or visually impaired for the Carroll Center across his home community of Cape Cod Massachusetts.