Pulse Data Solutes Achiever

Jonathan Mosen, Pulse Data’s BrailleNote Product Marketing Manager was awarded the Association of Blind Citizens of New Zealand’s most prestigious award, the Beamish Memorial medal, at last weekend’s annual conference in Wellington.

Founded in 1945, the Association of Blind Citizens of New Zealand (ABC NZ), now the oldest advocacy organization in the disability sector, was set up to ensure that blind and vision-impaired citizens, speak for themselves with Government, service providers, and the community in general. 

ABC NZ applauded Jonathan Mosen’s achievements describing him ‘by world standards as an extremely talented person who has voluntarily chosen to share his talents in the cause of civil and political rights for blind New Zealanders.” They went on to say, “Jonathan has changed what it means to be blind in New Zealand.”

Since joining the NZ Association of the Blind and Partially Blind at age 16 Jonathan has held numerous leadership positions within the organization .

He attended his first Association conference in 1986, and came up with the organization ’s new name, Association of Blind Citizens of New Zealand. He was also instrumental in moving the Association's National Office to the Capital, nearer Parliament.

Jonathan was elected twice as the Association's National President, serving from 1997 to 2001, and is the youngest person to have been elected to this position. He is also the first person to have led both the Association and the Foundation for the Blind, a position to which he was elected after attending just two Board meetings.

Jonathan triggered the world-leading transition of the Foundation to an organization of, rather than for, the blind, meaning that blind people can now elect the Board of the organization that provides the majority of blindness services in New Zealand.

As the Foundation’s Manager Government Relations, he achieved many important legislative changes for blind people, including world-leading changes to the Copyright Act, which have been emulated in the USA and other countries; securing the right of blind people to serve on a jury; recognition of the needs of blind people during the reviews of various benefits; and saving the free postage of Braille and talking books.

“This is a huge honour for me,” Jonathan said “to be recognised by one’s peers in this way is a humbling, unforgettable experience, and one I am grateful to the Association for awarding me. The work goes on and I look forward to continuing to be a part of it.”

For further information contact:

Carolyn Weston
President
Association of Blind Citizens of New Zealand
Phone: (03) 216-4616.

Jonathan Mosen
Pulse Data International 
Phone: (03) 373-6192
Email: jonathanm@pulsedata.com