Research and Training Center on Community Living StaffBrian Abery, Ph.D.Project Director; Data Analyst Brian is a Research Associate and adjunct faculty member in the School Psychology Program and the Institute of Child Development. He has been a Principal Investigator and Director of numerous federal projects funded through OSERS, NIDRR, and private foundations to promote self-determination, social inclusion, and person-centered planning for persons with disabilities as well as better understand the impact of care coordination on the health and quality of life. Brian has published journal articles, technical reports, and products on self-determination, person-centered planning, and residential services, as well as presented at numerous national and international conferences. He is co-author of the book Self-determination: Theory, research, and practice (2003) and lead author of several curricula to support the self-determination and social inclusion of children, youth, and adults with ID/DD. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (abery001@umn.edu)  Research Associate Angela Novak Amado works to support communities to be fully inclusive of all people. She has conducted training about friendships between people with developmental disabilities and ordinary community members in more than 30 states, Canada, Netherlands, and Israel. She also conducts training in person-centered planning and person-centered agency and system design. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (amado003@umn.edu) Sarah Berlin Graduate Research Assistant Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (berli048@umn.edu) Connie Burkhart Graphic Designer Connie is an award winning graphic designer that is responsible for creating and maintaining the visual identities for several activities at ICI in various media. She has worked in higher education settings since 1987 and has been at ICI since 1997. During her time at ICI, Connie has been honored with several awards from the U of M Communicators Forum: 2002 for poster design; 2003, for e-newsletters and Web design; 2004 for poster design; 2007 for best in multi-media. Prior to coming to the University of Minnesota, she worked for North Dakota State University Extension Communication in Fargo, North Dakota as a graphic designer and photographer. She has a B.S. from North Dakota State University, Fargo in interior design. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (burkh021@tc.umn.edu) Jenna M Conley Prin Ofc and Admin Specialist Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (conle088@umn.edu)  Media Director Kristin first started working in the field of developmental disabilities during graduate school while working on her M.S. in Therapeutic Recreation. After graduating, she continued to work with people with disabilities of all types in the role of Recreation Therapist in inpatient settings, partial hospitalization programs, residential settings, and outdoor therapeutic recreation centers. After completing training in website design, Kristin came to work at the University of Minnesota as an Information Technology Professional. In this position, she had the opportunity to combine her love of technology and working with people with disabilities. For the past seven years, she has worked primarily on the College of Direct Support and the College of Frontline Supervision developing multi-media interactive content for over two-dozen courses. Recently, she began producing podcasts and coordinating a blog focused on the direct support workforce. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (deanx032@umn.edu) Megan L DeGrande Research Assistant Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (degr0076@umn.edu)  Community Program Specialist Ms. Ely is Community Program Specialist, working on both projects and committees, including the College of Direct Support, Quality Mall, and ICI's Community Advisory Council. As a self advocate, Ms. Ely reviews content for online classes delivered via the College of Direct Support to see that course writers are using language that is respectful, person-centered, and accessible for the diverse students in the direct support profession; and sharing respectful, person-centered resources. For the Quality Mall, she helps manage content for the online resource directory focusing on person-centered supports for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Ms Ely created and manages the "Grief, Loss, and End of Life" Department on the Quality Mall. Ms. Ely also assists with coordinating meeting topics for the Community Advisory Council, comprised of leaders in the community who provide input on the Institute's activities. Ms Ely also provides support for a Self Advocate on the Council. Ms. Ely has a Bachelors of Science Degree from the University of Minnesota. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (elyxx021@umn.edu)  LEND Program Coordinator Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (fond0030@umn.edu) Matthew S Hall Research Assistant Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (hall1108@umn.edu)  Research Assistant, PhD Candidate Jennifer is a Research Assistant at the Research and Training Center at Institute of Community Integration (ICI). She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education and her Master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota. She has more than 10 years of experience working with people with disabilities and their families. Her primary job duties at the Institute of Community Integration consist of writing course material for the College of Direct Support and the College of Frontline Supervision. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (hall0440@umn.edu)  Senior Research Associate, Director, Research & Training Center on Community Living, Training Director, Minnesota LEND Ms. Hewitt has an extensive background and work history in the field of developmental disabilities and has worked in various positions over the past 25 years including as a residential program director and director of training. She is currently a Senior Research Associate and director of the Research and Training Center at the University of Minnesota, Institute on Community Integration where she directs several federal and state research, evaluation and demonstration projects in the area of direct support professional workforce development and community services for people with disabilities. Ms. Hewitt is also the training director for the Minnesota LEND, an interdisciplinary training program on autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. She is a national leader in the area of workforce development and community supports to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Ms. Hewitt was a founder of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals and has been instrumental in the development of the NADSP national credentialing and accreditation programs. She leads the U of M team in developing the College of Direct Support, a national curriculum used by 180,000 direct support professionals each day. Ms. Hewitt has conducted research and written extensively on the use of consumer directed supports. She has authored and co-authored many curriculum, journal articles, and technical reports, and co-authored a book entitled, Staff Recruitment, Retention and Training published by Brookes publishing. Ms. Hewitt is a managing editor of Frontline Initiative a national newsletter for DSPs; a contributing editor for LINKS a newsletter of ANCOR and guest editor of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities a journal of the AAIDD. She is currently the Secretary for the Arc Hennepin-Carver Board of Directors. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (hewit005@umn.edu)  Senior Research Associate, Director, Residential Information Systems Project, Supporting Individuals and Families Information Systems project, Research Director, RTC on Community Living Sheryl A. Larson, PhD, began providing services to persons with disabilities in 1981. She has been a residential counselor, behavior analyst, program evaluator, consultant, personal advocate and researcher. Dr. Larson earned a B.A. in Psychology and Elementary Education from Bethel University in St. Paul, MN, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota. She is the Research Director at the Research and Training Center on Community Living (U of M) where she has worked since 1988 directing projects involving evaluation, survey and intervention research, secondary analysis of large data sets and research synthesis on access to health care, disability statistics, and disability services. Dr. Larson has authored or coauthored more than 100 publications on those topics. She is an American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) Fellow and a consulting editor of Mental Retardation and Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability. Dr. Larson received a Presidential Award from AAIDD for workforce research. She serves on the Minnesota DHS Stakeholders Advisory Committee on Managed Care and completed a five year term on the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities in 2009. She served on The Arc of Minnesota Board of Directors from 2007 to 2010. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (larso072@umn.edu)  Web UI Developer Shawn designs and develops standards compliant and accessible interfaces for Web pages and applications. He is an experienced practitioner of the skills he uses to build interactive Web content; XHTML, CSS, Flash and Actionscript, Javascript, and graphic design. His current work includes a learning center, web-site builder, and social network called Self-Advocacy Online for the Research and Training Center on Community Living (RTC), and developing interactive content for a web-based training application at the College of Direct Support (CDS). Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (lawl0035@umn.edu) Nancy McCulloh Coordinator Nancy earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education and a Master of Science degree in Information Media - Human Resource Development and Training at St. Cloud State University. She has over thirty years of experience providing quality services to people with disabilities in both community residential and vocational settings, this includes over twenty years developing skills in business management, personnel supervision, and human resource training and development. She is member of ARRM, ASTD, ISPI, NADSP and shares her talents as a board member for Friendship Ventures, an organization devoted to meeting recreational and leisure needs for individuals with disabilities through camping and travel experiences. She is a parent and strong advocate of a son with developmental disabilities. As a Project Coordinator for the Institute on Community Integration's Research and Training Center for Community Living she is responsible for developing curriculum for computer and web based training projects. She is responsible for editing the National Alliance of Direct Support Professional's (NADSP) publication, Frontline Initiative. Other project activities include providing technical assistance and training on topics such as: Direct Support Professional (DSP) and Frontline Supervisor (FLS) Workforce Development, Building Working Partnerships with the families of individuals with disabilities, and Using Technology as an effective training tool for DSPs and FLS. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (mccul037@umn.edu) Brooke E Nelson Office Support Assistant Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (nels5149@umn.edu)  Research Associate Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (nord0364@umn.edu)  Coordinator, MSW, LGSW Kelly Nye-Lengerman is a Training Coordinator at the University of Minnesota's Institute on Community Integration where her primary projects include the MN LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) Program and the College of Direct Support. Prior to her work at the University she worked for community rehabilitation providers in SE Minnesota. Kelly has spent over 13 years working with individuals and families affected by disability. She has experience in program development and human service management. Her interests include inclusive employment, employment first initiatives, and workforce development. She is also Board member for MN APSE and involved with the MN Employment First Coalition. Kelly is an instructor at St. Mary's University in the Graduate School of Health and Human Service Administration. Kelly received her MSW degree from the University of Minnesota, and currently pursuing a PhD in Social Work. She is also a licensed graduate social worker (LGSW) in Minnesota. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (knye@umn.edu)  Coordinator Mark received a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education with a minor in music from the University of Minnesota, Morris. He currently holds the position of Project Coordinator at the Institute on Community Integration where he writes curriculum and provides training to people who provide direct support. Throughout his career he has provided service to people with disabilities in recreation and inclusion, residential and daily living skills, vocational skills and advocacy. In addition he has worked in frontline management in the non-profit industry. His key policy interests include health care, disability, education, workforce recognition and development, civic engagement, human rights and the environment. He is currently Chair of the Minnesota State Advocacy Committee for the American Heart Association. He is immediate past president of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals. Over the past 15 years much of his energy has been directed at making sure the frontline direct support professional has the tools needed to make the greatest impact on the lives of the people they support. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (olso4541@umn.edu)  Coordinator Susan O’Nell has 27 years of experience in services to people with developmental disabilities. She has worked as a direct support professional, foster care provider, trainer, curriculum development specialist, multimedia developer, writer, quality analyst, and consultant. Susan has worked at the Institute on Community Integration since 1995 on several projects related to the recruitment, retention, and training of direct support professionals and quality service outcomes for people with developmental and related disabilities. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (onell001@umn.edu)  Research Fellow Bjorn Pederson is currently a Research Fellow through the Institute for Community Integration. He is also a Doctoral Candidate in Learning Technologies through the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. His background in Music Therapy and in teaching Special Education at the Junior High level has influenced his work on the emotional response and connection needed for a meaningful learning experience to occur. His research interests include reflection and the use of technology as a social medium to enhance reflective practice. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (peder534@umn.edu)  Information Technology Specialist Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (perry211@umn.edu) Cliff Poetz Project Advisor Cliff has 30 years of experience in the self-advocacy movement and is nationally regarded for his commitment and experience. Cliff is a self-advocate who co-founded People First – Minnesota. He has served on the Governor’s Council on Disability and as member of the Board of Directors of Arc-Hennepin/Carver, Arc Minnesota and currently the Arc of the U.S. He is Co-Chair of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals. The AAMR Minnesota award for self-advocacy is named for Cliff. Cliff was recipient of the Kennedy International Award for Self-Empowerment. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (poetz001@umn.edu)  Community Program Specialist Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (rutze007@umn.edu) Amanda Ryan Coordinator Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (webs0078@umn.edu)  Research Associate Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (salm0054@umn.edu)  Director of Outreach and Training Lori Sedlezky is the Director of Outreach and Training at the Research and Training Center on Community Living, Institute on Community Integration. Her work focuses on the workforce development strategies of recruitment, selection, training and retention of direct support professionals. Lori provides technical assistance to numerous states and regional entities on the training, development and promotion of the direct support profession, as well as the analysis and application of core competencies across human service sector. Lori has developed numerous training and curricula, including publications to address cultural competency of direct support professionals, organizational strategies for supporting the immigrant workforce, and frontline supervisor competencies. Lori is part of the curriculum development team of on-line training for the College of Direct Support. She has served as lead author, reviewer, and coordinator of development on numerous courses. Lori has an extensive background in the field of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. She has worked in leadership positions in both residential and vocational services, and specializes in the area of supports and services to older adults. During her tenure at Arc Greater Twin Cities, Lori developed and implemented the Lifetime Assistance Program, an innovative model of support to families and aging caregivers. Lori has co-authored numerous papers and book chapters as well presented on various topics related to intellectual and developmental disabilities and workforce development at national and state conferences. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (sedl0003@umn.edu)  Media Producer/Director Jerry Smith is a filmmaker and media director specializing in documentary and educational programs supporting people with developmental and other disabilities. At the Institute on Community Integration Jerry has directed dozens of award-winning films for broadcast, DVD, and web delivery. He also manages a number of web-based multimedia projects, including Self-Advocacy Online, a web portal for self-advocates funded by the MacArthur Foundation that provides accessible, media-rich content and social networking features, and Leadership in the History of the Developmental Disabilities Movement, a wiki-based, multi-media site delivering presentations on key leaders and collecting and sharing historical content from site visitors. Through RTC Media Productions within the Institute, Jerry develops earned-income media projects in partnership with advocacy and support organizations across the country Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (smith495@umn.edu)  Coordinator John is a Project Coordinator and researcher for RTC/CL. He has a strong professional and personal interest in programs and initiatives directed to the development of the capacities related to self-determination and self-advocacy among persons with disabilities, and also the social inclusion of persons with disabilities. Among his responsibilities is providing TA and support to People First of Minnesota, a state-wide self-advocacy network developed and coordinated by persons who have ID/DD. John has also managed several research and program evaluation projects related to the development of self-determination and self-advocacy. John is currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program with an emphasis in Evaluation Studies. John is has long been active in a wide variety of community organizations and activities, including as a Board Member for the Minnesota Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, a course instructor for Minneapolis Community Education, and a trip leader for Wilderness Inquiry, Inc. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (smith144@umn.edu)  Associate Professor Roger Stancliffe is a researcher in the intellectual disability field with a special interest in community living. Previously, he was a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Developmental Disability Studies (1997-2007) in Sydney, Australia, and a Research Associate at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, USA. His research interests include choice, self-determination, community living, retirement and community participation, Active Support, physical activity, individual planning, deinstitutionalisation, and cost effectiveness of services. His teaching interests involve topics related to people with intellectual disability, such as community living and Active Support. He has published over 80 research articles and chapters. His most recent book is "Costs and Outcomes of Community Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities" (2005). He was Editor of the "Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability" from 2003 to 2008 and is a Consulting Editor to six international research journals on intellectual disability. He is a regular presenter at national and international conferences on intellectual disability. In 2002 he was appointed as a Fellow of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) and in 2008 he was elected as a Fellow of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disability (IASSID). In 2010, with colleagues from the University of Minnesota, he was awarded the awarded the NARRTC (formerly National Association of Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers) Best Paper Award for the most outstanding research paper published in 2009 by researchers from the 38 RRTCs in universities across the United States. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (roger.stancliffe@sydney.edu.au )  Research Fellow Pam Stenhjem has a Masters of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. She has worked as a researcher at the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota since 1993. Pam has directed and implemented a broad array of federal and state grant projects; has authored and co-authored a number of journal articles, book chapters, and other publications; and has provided consultation and training at local, state, and national levels regarding issues affecting individuals with disabilities. She has worked directly with young adults and families, educators, community service providers, business partners, and others involved in collaborative initiatives to produce systemic change. Pam's passions include justice, equality, and The Food Network! She lives in Apple Valley, Minnesota with Rand, her partner in crime for the past 13 years, and their extremely bright, generous, adorable (and very funny) nine year old son Ethan. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (huntx010@umn.edu)  Research Associate Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (tich0018@umn.edu) Emily A Wesely Graduate Research Assistant Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (wese0047@umn.edu) John Westerman Web Developer John is a web developer/computer professional who develops, maintains and supports a number of web-based projects for the RTC/CL. He has worked as a computer consultant and also as a Program Manager for a social service agency. He began his association with the RTC/CL as a member of the Metro Area Training Consortium, which designed and delivered the Direct Support Professional Training Program. Organization: Research and Training Center on Community Living E-mail: (weste050@umn.edu) National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS) Staff Associate Executive Director Charles Moseley is the Associate Executive Director of the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services. In this role he manages national projects and research, performs state and federal policy analysis, and provides technical assistance to states on Medicaid, self-determination, systems change, individual budgeting and a variety of other areas. Before coming to the Association, Dr. Moseley was the Co-Director of the National Program Office on Self-Determination, a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation at the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability. Prior to that position, he was the Director of Vermont’s Division of Developmental Services where he led the initiative to close the state’s institution, transition all services to individualized community-based alternatives and restructure service delivery to incorporate principles of self-directed services. He holds a doctorate in mental retardation policy from Syracuse University. Organization: National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS) E-mail: (cmoseley@nasddds.org)  Executive Director Nancy Thaler is the Executive Director of the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services. The Association provides member state agencies with analyses of federal statutory and regulatory policies that affect people with disabilities; disseminates information on state-of-the-art programs and service delivery practices; provides technical assistance and support to member states; and offers a forum for the development of state and national policy initiatives. Ms. Thaler served as Pennsylvania’s Deputy Secretary for Mental Retardation from 1993-2003 managing a system that served over 80,000 children and adults. Ms. Thaler also worked for the Federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from 2003-2006 and was responsible for the quality improvement strategy for the Federal Medicaid Home and Community-Based Waiver Program. Ms Thaler a Master of Human Organization Science with a specialty in public administration from Villanova University. Ms. Thaler is the parent of an adult son with cognitive disabilities. Organization: National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS) E-mail: (nthaler@nasddds.org) Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) Staff President of the Human Services Research Institute Ms. Bradley has been the President of the Human Services Research Institute since its inception in 1976. She has a Master’s Degree from the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. Ms. Bradley has directed numerous state and federal level policy evaluations that have contributed to the expansion, enhancement and responsiveness of services and supports to people with disabilities and their families. She helped to design skills standards for human services workers, conducted a study to translate the experience with decentralization in Scandinavia to an American context, is the project director of a national evaluation of self-determination, helped to design and launch National Core Indicators, and, for the past seven years, has provided technical assistance to states regarding quality management and Home and Community Based waivers. She has edited two books on quality assurance and recently finished a third with Robert Shalock and Jim Gardner, Quality Enhancement in Developmental Disabilities (American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Press). Ms. Bradley is the recent past Chair of the President’s Committee on Intellectual Disabilities. She is also a recent President of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) formerly the American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR). Organization: Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) E-mail: (vbradley@hsri.org) Joshua Engler Research Associate Joshua Engler is a Policy Analyst who primarily works with the National Core Indicators (NCI) program. Josh’s main role is helping to coordinate the NCI program, which includes: writing a bi-weekly e-bulletin, maintaining the NCI website, data analysis, and being the main contact for NCI states. Prior to HSRI, he worked as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for 8 years in the public and private sectors. He holds a Masters degree in Evidence-Based Social Work from Oxford University, as well as a Masters degree in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Texas at Austin. Organization: Human Services Research Institute (HSRI)  Senior Policy Specialist Sarah Taub is a Senior Policy Specialist for the Human Services Research Institute, where she has worked since 1996. Ms. Taub is primarily responsible for managing the National Core Indicators (NCI), an effort to develop indicators and benchmarks of performance across state developmental disabilities service systems. Ms. Taub has worked on the NCI program since it began in 1997 and now oversees the participation of 30 states. Ms. Taub also works on various other projects related to quality management system development, resource allocation methods, and program evaluation. Prior to joining HSRI, Ms. Taub provided direct support to adults with developmental disabilities. She holds a Master’s degree in Management of Human Services from the Heller School at Brandeis University. Organization: Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) E-mail: (staub@hsri.org) Institute for Community Inclusion StaffJohn Butterworth, Ph.D.Research Coordinator John Butterworth, Ph.D., has over 25 years of experience as a teacher, manager of community-based day and employment services, trainer, and researcher. He has directed projects on school-to-career transition, employment support, and disability policy. Dr. Butterworth currently directs a longitudinal national data collection project on day and employment services for persons with developmental disabilities, and a project that addresses the use of personal networking in career development and the job search in diverse communities. He is the Research Director for the Center on State Systems and Employment (RRTC). His interests include facilitating natural supports in the workplace, person-centered planning as a strategy for expanding options and providing more control to individuals, and the design and management of employment services. Organization: Institute for Community Inclusion E-mail: (john.butterworth@umb.edu) William Kiernan, Ph.D. Director William Kiernan is the director of the Institute for Community Inclusion and a research professor in the Graduate College of Education and the McCormack School of Policy Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Dr. Kiernan has served in a variety of capacities at ICI for 30 years at Children's Hospital Boston, and has been a university faculty member for over two decades. Dr. Kiernan has broad experience developing and implementing training and model demonstration projects in integrated employment, inclusive education, recreation, transition, and systems change. He has worked extensively with the public and private employment and training systems at the state and national levels. Dr. Kiernan has served as an international consultant in seven countries and provided training and technical assistance in more than 45 states. Dr. Kiernan holds several national offices in professional and advocacy groups, including current president of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and past president of the American Association on Mental Retardation (now the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities). He is the author of six books and more than 125 articles and reports, emphasizing employment and public policy development in adult services, and is considered a national expert on the subject. Organization: Institute for Community Inclusion E-mail: (william.kiernan@umb.edu) Alberto Migliore, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow Alberto Migliore joined ICI as a postdoctoral research fellow in September 2006. He develops research and analyzes data for several ongoing projects at ICI, including working on the RSA-911 database of individuals with developmental disabilities served by Vocational Rehabilitation. Along with his academic work, Alberto has several years of experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. In Italy, he helped found a social co-operative where he worked for about ten years involving individuals with intellectual disabilities in community work activities. Before moving from Italy to the U.S., he was a regional government official for workplace health and safety. Organization: Institute for Community Inclusion E-mail: (alberto.migliore@umb.edu) Elena Varney, M.S. Training Associate Elena Varney, M.S., CRC, participates in both research and training activities with the National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult. She earned a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling from Boston University and is a certified rehabilitation counselor with experience assisting people with disabilities to obtain and maintain employment in the community. Elena has provided training and technical assistance on employment issues ranging from workforce development to Social Security disability benefits. Additional professional activities include supporting schools to incorporate career and benefits planning into the curriculum, and assisting school staff to prepare students with disabilities for employment. Organization: Institute for Community Inclusion E-mail: (elena.varney@umb.edu) Syracuse University; Center on Human Policy StaffSteven J. Taylor, Ph.D.Subcontract and Project Director Steve is Centennial Professor of Disability Studies and Director of the Center on Human Policy. He has been the Principal Investigator of numerous federal, state and foundation grants and contracts totaling over $15M. His research interests include social policy, qualitative research methods, sociology of disability, advocacy, and community integration. He is the author of numerous published articles and books, including Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods, The Social Meaning of Mental Retardation, Life in the Community, Community Integration for People with Severe Disabilities, and In Search of the Promised Land: The Collected Papers of Burton Blatt. He is currently Editor of the journal Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. He was the recipient of the 1997 Research Award from the American Association of Mental Retardation and the 2008 Senior Scholar Award from the Society for Disability Studies. Organization: Syracuse University; Center on Human Policy E-mail: (staylo01@syr.edu) Pamela Walker, Ph.D. Project Director Pam Walker has been associated with the Center on Human Policy since 1985, and is involved with research and information preparation and dissemination activities. She is the co-editor of the book, Make the Day Matter: Promoting Typical Lifestyles for Adults with Significant Disabilities. In addition, she has authored numerous research reports, articles, and book chapters on community inclusion and innovative organizational strategies that promote inclusion in the community. She received an award from the American Camping Association for one of her papers, and was the recipient of the Thomas G. Haring Award for Research from TASH in 1999 for an article in JASH based on her dissertation focused on community participation and social networks. Organization: Syracuse University; Center on Human Policy E-mail: (pmwalker@syr.edu) |
