Speakers and panelists:

  • Allan Bergman

    Allan Bergman is the President & CEO of HIGH IMPACT, a national consulting and training firm he established in 2010. Prior to beginning HIGH IMPACT, Allan served as the President & CEO of Anixter Center in Chicago, a community agency supporting more than 5,000 individuals living with disabilities and employing over 400 staff. His earlier positions in Washington, DC included President & CEO of the Brain Injury Association of America, and leadership roles with United Cerebral Palsy Associations.

    Subject Matter Expert, Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program

  • David Mitchell

    David Mitchell is the Administrator of Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services, and serves as the Core State Lead for Iowa's Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program. Prior to serving as Administrator, he served with the agency as an Assistant Bureau Chief, Administrative Consultant, and Supervisor. David has worked in rehabilitation services in Central Iowa for more than thirty years in both the public and private sectors serving as a community services administrator, rehabilitation consultant, branch manager and vocational rehabilitation counselor.

    Administrator, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services

  • Kari Kingsolver

    Kari Kingsolver has been a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for over 5 years, and she is the lead counselor for two Southern Oregon branch offices. Her general client caseload allows her to work very closely with their youth transition program, mental health providers, County I/DD case management services, and their Onestop Center. Prior to Vocational Rehabilitation, Kari worked as a crisis specialist and a licensed school counselor.

    Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Grants Pass, Oregon

  • Keith Ozols

    Keith Ozols is the Workforce and Youth Manager for Oregon VR. In this role, Keith manages programs relating to Workforce engagement and programs for youth and students including Pre-Employment Transition Services. Before joining the State, Keith was the Executive Director of Incight, a nonprofit based in Portland that provides an array of educational and employment services for individuals with disabilities. Keith also managed a Title 1b college and career access program for at-risk youth and English language learners at the Oregon Council for Hispanic Advancement.

    Workforce and Youth Manager, Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation

  • Josh Barbour

    Josh Barbour is a Transition Network Facilitator who serves 30 school districts in four counties in Oregon. Josh provides technical assistance and curricular supports, and establishes relationships with school district and community partners. Prior to his role as a Transition Network Facilitator, Josh was a transition teacher for 11 years, working with 18-21 year old students who graduated high school with Modified Diplomas. For 10 years, Josh worked with middle schools students identified with emotional disturbance in Oregon and Pennsylvania.

    Transition Network Facilitator, Linn Benton Lincoln Education Service District, Oregon

Customized Employment: A Universal Strategy to Meet Employer Needs

  • Marie Parker

    Marie Parker is the Program Director and County Liaison for the Montgomery County Customized Employment Public Intern Project, in partnership with the local American Job Center and Montgomery County Maryland Government. As the County Liaison, Marie identifies and creates part-time positions in County government offices based on a department's need. She then recruits qualified individuals with significant disabilities for the position, based on their interests, skills and competencies, ensuring that any necessary supports are in place.

    Program Director, Montgomery County Customized Employment Public Intern Project

  • Brian Salewski

    Brian Salewski is an office assistant for the Finance Department at Montgomery County Health and Human Services. He is a participant in the Montgomery County CE Public Intern Project. Brian also volunteers at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, where he does data entry for the cafeteria, and other duties as assigned. Previously, Brian volunteered at Brooke Grove Retirement Community. Brian has an active lifestyle; he takes guitar lessons, loves amusement parks, the beach, movies, and going to Nationals baseball games.

    Office Assistant, Montgomery County Department of Finance

  • Rebecca Salon

    Rebecca Salon is the LEAD Center Project Director at the National Disability Institute, or NDI. The LEAD Center is the technical assistance center for ODEP's Workforce Systems Policy Team. She also serves as the Core State Lead for the Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program for the District of Columbia, working with the State Office of Policy, Planning and Innovation at the DC Department on Disability Services or DDS. Prior to NDI and DDS, Rebecca was Executive Director of the Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Institute in Washington, DC.

    Program Specialist, District of Columbia, Department on Disability Services

  • Dale Verstegen

    Dale Verstegen is a Senior Research Associate at TransCen. He provides consultation and training in the areas of provider transformation, employer engagement and job development. Dale has developed curricula and provided training on Customized Employment for universities and state agencies. He has focused his research, writing, and training on the provision of employment services to the employer community and has conducted employer focus groups that discussed the benefits of CE. He is an SME for EFSLMP and is currently the President of the Board of Directors of the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators.

    Employment First Manager, Illinois Department of Human Services