CONTACT: Tony Stephens, Assistant Vice-President, Communications 212.502.7627 | tstephens@afb.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 30, 2025) — The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) announced today that Dr. Bernadette Kappen and Lukas Franck will receive the Migel Medal, the highest honor in the field of blindness and low vision. AFB will also bestow a special medal, awarded posthumously this year to Louis Braille, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the development of the tactile reading method that bears his name.
“This is an extremely special year for the Migel Medal,” said Eric Bridges, AFB president and CEO. “Not only are we recognizing two amazing leaders who have dedicated their life’s work to expanding opportunity and independence for people who are blind, but we are also recognizing one of the greatest figures in the history of our movement who, as a young teen, revolutionized communications and literacy for people who are blind.”
The AFB Migel Medal was established in 1937 by the late M.C. Migel, AFB's first chairman, to honor professionals and volunteers whose dedication and achievements improve the lives of people who are blind or have low vision. This year’s honorees will be formally recognized during a special awards luncheon on November 13 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia.
About the 2025 Migel Medal Honorees
Before his retirement in 2023, Lukas Franck served over 45 years at The Seeing Eye, the nation’s oldest guide dog training school located in Morristown, New Jersey. Recognized as one of the leading guide dog trainers in the country, he advocated at every opportunity to ensure that the special partnership between handler and dog would be set up for success. This advocacy garnered significant traction on environmental access issues, particularly those related to pedestrian safety in communities nationwide. His expert consultation on these matters has led to positive steps to raise awareness and establish best practices for environmental design, thereby improving pedestrian safety and independence for blind people in communities across the country.
This past June, Dr. Bernadette Kappen retired from her post as executive director of the New York Institute for Special Education (NYISE). In her role at NYISE, Dr. Kappen led one of the nation’s leading schools for the deaf and blind located in Bronx, New York. Before taking the helm of NYISE, Dr. Kappen served as director of the Overbrook School for the Blind, located just outside Philadelphia. While in her undergraduate studies at Dominican College, she was deeply moved by a young, visually impaired student with Down syndrome. She cites that student as the compass that defined her professional career as an educator and administrator committed to expanding opportunity and independence for students with disabilities. She is recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts on the education of students who are blind. Past accolades include being named among the top 100 alumni of Dominican College, the Women of Distinction Award by the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, AFB’s Irving P. Sloss Advocacy Award, and, most recently, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the VisionServe Alliance.
It is a rare occasion when the Migel Medal Committee awards one of the Foundation’s distinguished medals posthumously. However, when the committee was approached by the French organization La Cultured Arts, which is entrusted with continuing the legacy of Louis Braille, the committee unanimously agreed that few people throughout history stand within the Pantheon of leaders for people who are blind or have low vision. Braille’s impact since developing his reading system two centuries ago has been so profound that his body literally rests within the Pantheon of Paris—a name as recognizable to the world as Helen Keller, who received her own Migel Medal posthumously in 2014. Braille stands in a class of his own.
“The American Foundation for the Blind is honored to recognize Braille’s legacy alongside our counterparts in Europe during these continued celebrations commemorating his contribution to society,” added Bridges. “Alongside the contributions of Lukas Franck and Dr. Bernadette Kappen, this is truly a special class of honorees of the Migel Medal, and we can’t wait to celebrate all their achievements this November during our awards ceremony, which is the annual highlight of the AFB Leadership Conference.
Registration is now open for those interested in attending the November 13th awards ceremony or the annual AFB Leadership Conference. Visit www.afb.org/afblc for more details on the event.
About the American Foundation for the Blind
Founded in 1921, the American Foundation for the Blind creates equal opportunities and expands possibilities for people who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision through advocacy, thought leadership, and strategic partnerships. In addition to publishing the Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness (JVIB), AFB is also the proud steward of the Helen Keller Archive, which is available on the AFB website at www.afb.org.
