Ken Fernald

President/CEO

Ken Fernald has been with AVRE since 1990. He began his tenure with the agency on the manufacturing floor, later overseeing Quality Assurance and then Manufacturing Operations. Prior to his current position, Ken was the Vice President of Operations.

Ken represents AVRE within the industry at the state and national levels, serving on the Boards of the New York Vision Rehabilitation Association (NYVRA), the Empire State Employment Resources for the Blind (ESERB), and the National Association for the Employment of People who are Blind (NAEPB). Within the local community, he serves on the UHS Foundation Board.

Ken holds a degree in Business Administration from SUNY- Broome and through NIB’s Business Management Training program he earned a certificate in Business Management from the University of Virginia's Darden School of Graduate Business Administration. Ken has Juvenile Macular Degeneration and has been legally blind since he was a young child.

Jennifer King

Vice President of Business Strategies

Jennifer King joined the AVRE team in September 2022. Jennifer has over 20 years working within the AbilityOne Program at National Industries for the Blind. Jennifer brings a wealth of knowledge of the program, processes, the regulatory environment, federal procurement, and acquisition expertise. Prior to joining NIB, Jennifer was a US Army officer serving in the logistics field and a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom alongside her husband.
 
Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point. She earned a Masters of Business Administration concentration in Strategic Studies from George Washington University. An avid learner, she also earned executive certificates in Facilitation and Strategic Management from Georgetown University.  She was born and raised in New York calling northern Virginia her home with her husband and three children. When not supporting the AVRE mission, Jenn enjoys spending time with her family, coaching and swimming. 
 

Marissa Robbins

Chief Financial Officer

Marissa joined the AVRE team in July 2020. She holds a Bachelors' of Science degree from the University at Buffalo in Business Administration with Concentrations in Accounting and Finance. She also holds a Masters' of Science degree in Accountancy from the College at Brockport.

Marissa is from Binghamton and began her accounting career working at a Binghamton CPA firm for over nine years. During that time, she specialized in auditing not-for-profit organizations and preparation of not-for-profit informational tax returns. Marissa serves on the UHS Home Care board of directors. She previously served on the leadership board of the United Way of Broome County’s Emerging Leaders Society (ELS) and continues to engage with its volunteer committee. Marissa was formerly a board member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) NextGen (Young CPAs) from June 2016 through May 2020.

Cassie Burgess

Director of Operations

Cassie has been with AVRE since February 2015. For six years, she managed the organization’s communication and marketing efforts before transitioning into business development. In May 2024, she assumed the role of Director of Operations where she oversees AVRE’s business division and customer service.
 
Cassie holds a Bachelors’ of Science degree from Ithaca College and completed the Operations Management certificate program from Cornell University in 2023.
 
As a leader, her primary goal is increasing awareness around the AbilityOne program and developing more jobs for people who are blind or visually impaired.

Amanda Elam

Director of Business Development

Amanda has been with AVRE since 2014. Amanda started in the industry with AVRE’s New York State central non-profit association, Industries for the Blind of New York State (IBNYS), back in 2000. She stayed there through its transition to become the New York State Preferred Source Program for People who are Blind (NYSPSP) in 2012. When she came to AVRE, she brought a wealth of experience to bring products and services to government customers while finding opportunities to employ more people who are blind and visually impaired.
 
In her role as Director of Business Development, Amanda manages AVRE’s new business development efforts at the Federal, State, and commercial levels. She also oversees the management of our existing lines of business to ensure we are improving, expanding, and staying competitive.
 
Amanda is a native of New York State, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from SUNY Albany. She moved to North Carolina with her husband Wendell in 2015. There, she continues to work for AVRE remotely.

Mallory Evans

Director of Development

Mallory joined AVRE in June 2022. She comes to the organization with over ten years of experience in fundraising and development work for non-profits. She has worked with various local and national non-profit organizations like the American Cancer Society, the Scleroderma Foundation and most recently, The Discovery Center of the Southern Tier. Mallory holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History and Anthropology from Mansfield University.  
 
Mallory lives in Apalachin with her husband and two kids and in her spare time is a musician performing locally with various acts. She also serves on the boards for New Vine Records and The Discovery Center Foundation.

Charles Gardner

Director - Manufacturing

Charles Gardner has been with AVRE since 1991. He started with the organization as the maintenance supervisor, working his way up to his current position in 2015. Charles oversees the day to day manufacturing and production operations, including shipping/receiving, and facilities maintenance. He is also responsible for managing capital improvements and new equipment installations. Charles holds numerous industry certifications offered through New York State and various private accrediting bodies. Charles is a certified Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma through Binghamton University.