Three new staff member joined the ranks of employees at the Iowa Department for the Blind (IDB) during May.

Kathy Kroon

Kathy Kroon joined the IDB staff on May 11 as a Rehabilitation Teacher and will be based in Johnson County. 

Kathy earned her graduate degree in Rehabilitation Teaching from Northern Illinois University in 1997 and she obtained a BS degree in Music Therapy from Nazareth College in 1990.

Kathy has been employed as a Rehabilitation Teacher in Silver Spring Maryland since 2013, where she has been facilitating support groups, and providing instruction in braille, access technology, and a variety of IL areas.

Kathy was employed as a Music Teacher for the Missouri School for the Blind from 2009 to 2013 and she worked as a Rehabilitation Teacher with Missouri Rehabilitation Services for the Blind from 1998 to 2005.

Kathy has an excellent skill set and is extremely committed to providing the highest quality of service delivery to blind clients.

Ashley West

Ashley West began work on May 28 as our new Employment Specialist serving eastern Iowa.  Ashley recently earned her M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling from Drake University. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Iowa. Ashley has been completing her graduate school internship with IDB as a member of our Vocational Rehabilitation team. Prior to her internship with IDB, she gained experience through IowaWorks as part of the Disability Resource Team where she provided direct services to job seekers.

Ashley brings with her a belief that all people, regardless of disability, can lead full and productive lives when given the opportunity for training and access to job opportunities. Ashley looks forward to continue using those skills she has gained through her internship and work experiences to assist IDB in strengthening our employer relationships.

Terri Griffon

Terri Griffon joined the team at IDB on May 29 as the braille instructor for the Orientation Center. She and her husband moved here from Michigan.  

Terri has coordinated braille summer programs that have improved literacy and braille reading speeds. She is eager to teach Code Master and help clients transition to Unified English Braille. She holds the National Certification in Literary Braille and reads at 300 words per minute. Terri has a Master’s degree and experience in teaching. In her spare time, in addition to reading, she enjoys swimming and riding roller coasters at amusement parks.

Please join us in welcoming Kathy, Ashley, and Terri to our team!