Our Team

Trish Maunder

Creative Director and Founder

Trish co-founded Philly Touch Tours in 2015. With close personal ties to the blind and low vision community it became evident that people were constrained in their enjoyment of cultural inclusion by limited access and lack of understanding and misconceptions by others.

Trish is dedicated to breaking down barriers for and with individuals with vision loss, ensuring that they have equitable access to the world of arts and culture.

Trish and the PTT team work closely with staff from museum and cultural institutions to dispel myths, offer detailed trainings in disability sensitivity and design touch tours and handling workshops for the blind and low vision community.

Katherine Allen

Program Director

Diagnosed with macular degeneration in early adulthood, Katherine joined Philly Touch Tours as its Program Director shortly after its inception.

Katherine previously worked as Creative Director with the Nielsen Company's Publication Division for several years leading teams in corporate projects and marketing. She was also a founding team leader in accessibility skills and awareness training at Apple and also served as a consultant on the Council for Accessibility at the Langone Medical Center at NYU.

Katherine and the PTT team are devoted to increasing awareness about vision loss and the creation of cultural access.

PTT Vision Council: With the philosophy, "Nothing About Us Without Us," Philly Touch Tours engages members of the Blind and Low Vision community to co-present disability sensitivity trainings, as well as advise and co design tours and workshops. Members of the Vision Council are active advocates and leaders in national and local organizations working to share information, create awareness and defend the rights of others in the Blind and Low Vision community.

Denice Brown

Denice holds a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Temple University and taught within the Philadelphia School District for more than twenty years. After losing her sight due to a degenerative eye condition, she emerged as a powerful advocate and inspiring leader within the blind and low vision community.

Denice served as President of the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind for many years. She continues to be a fully engaged with the Chapter and is deeply committed to advancing accessibility, opportunity, and independence for blind individuals. Each year, she participates in the organization’s Washington Seminar, meeting with members of Congress and their staff to advocate for services, legislation, and accommodations that support the blind community nationwide.

Her leadership and dedication to the philosophy of the NFB have led to numerous national roles, including service on the Scholarship, Membership, and Ambassadors Committees. She also serves as Treasurer of the National Organization of Blind Black Leaders, a division of the NFB.

As a longtime board member, chapter president, educator, and accessibility consultant, Denice’s impact extends far beyond Pennsylvania.

As a key member of Philly Touch Tours’ Vision and Advisory Council, Denice brings invaluable lived experience and professional expertise to the development of inclusive trainings, museum programs, and multisensory cultural tours.

Simon Bonenfant

Simon graduated Summa Cum Laude from Chestnut Hill College in Pennsylvania. Blind from birth due to retinopathy of prematurity, Simon has only light perception, yet he has always approached the world with a strong sense of possibility, independence, and purpose.

An accomplished pianist, singer, actor, and interviewer, Simon serves as a lead interviewer for the Blind Abilities podcast and is deeply committed to promoting a positive and informed philosophy of blindness to the sighted public.

An active member of the National Federation of the Blind, Simon serves on the board of Philadelphia’s Keystone Chapter. He also works as a consultant for Access Now Inc. and leads Philadelphia’s Accessibility Cohort, a collaborative initiative that brings together theater professionals and volunteers to advocate for and support accessible performances for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

As Accessibility Outreach Coordinator for Philly Touch Tours and a member of the organization’s Vision Council, Simon collaborates in the design and development of accessible tours and programs for museums, theaters, and cultural institutions. His insight, advocacy, and dynamic leadership continue to make him an innovative force in the field of accessibility and inclusion.