In-Person Agenda 2025

2025 Symposium

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In-Person Agenda

CRCs: Attendees (in-person and virtual) can earn a total of 11 CRC CEUs, of which 5 will qualify for ethics credits.

May 21 and May 22 will include:
A light continental breakfast, a full lunch, and light snacks with refreshments in the afternoon.

Recorded versions of the live streamed sessions will be available by October 2025. These will be available for viewing and sharing as individual training modules, and provide CRC credit (including ethics credit, if designated).

= Session offers Ethics Credit

= Handouts are available for registered attendees who are logged in

= Roundtable Discussions. These are highlighted and overlap with Concurrent Sessions.

Wednesday, May 21


8:00 AM CDT
Room: Main Lounge (2nd Floor)

Registration - A free, light continental breakfast will be served.

8:30 - 8:50 AM CDT
Room: Great Hall (4th Floor)

Welcome

9:00 - 11:15 AM CDT
Room: Profile Room (2nd Floor)

Roundtable Discussion: Impact of Tribal Culture on Employment
Wayne Dagel, American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Training and Technical Assistance Center - Institute for Human Development; Elizabeth Boland, TVR Institute, Northwest Indian College
Slides: Impact Tribal Culture (pdf)

9:00 - 10:00 AM CDT
Concurrent Sessions 1
10:00 - 10:15 AM CDT
Break
10:15 - 11:15 AM CDT
Concurrent Sessions 2
11:15 - 11:30 AM CDT
Break

11:30 - 12:00 PM CDT
Room: Great Hall (4th Floor)

Keynote: Navigating The Storm: Setting a Course For the Future of Vocational Rehabilitation
Timothy Tansey, University of Wisconsin-Madison

12:00 - 12:15 PM CDT
Break
12:15 - 1:15 PM CDT
Lunch Break and Sessions - Lunch provided.
1:15 - 1:30 PM CDT
Break

1:30 - 3:30 PM CDT
Room: Profile Room (2nd Floor)

Roundtable Discussion: The "Discovery" Process for Clients with Intellectual Disabilities: Walking the Rope between Customization and Standardization
Virakti Shah, Nicole Ditchman, Illinois Institute of Technology
Slides: Discovery Process Customization Standardization (pdf)
Handout: Discover Customization vs Standardization (word)
Handout: Discovery Presentation References (pdf)

1:30 - 2:30 PM CDT
Concurrent Sessions 3
2:30 - 2:45 PM CDT
Break
2:45 - 3:45 PM CDT
Concurrent Sessions 4
3:45 - 4:00 PM CDT
Break

4:00 - 6:00 PM CDT
Room: Profile Room (2nd Floor)

Roundtable Discussion: Disability Underrepresentation in Apprenticeships: Can We Fix This? Implementing an Apprenticeship Toolkit
Stuart Rumrill, Bryan Austin, Jim Knauf, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

4:00 - 5:00 PM CDT
Concurrent Sessions 5

5:00 - 6:00 PM CDT
Room: Old Madison (3rd Floor East)

Master's student forum

5:00 - 6:00 PM CDT
Room: Beefeaters (3rd Floor East)

Doctoral student forum

= Session offers Ethics Credit

= Roundtable Discussions. These are highlighted and overlap with Concurrent Sessions.

Thursday, May 22


8:30 - 9:00 AM CDT
Registration - A free, light continental breakfast will be served.

8:30 - 10:00 AM CDT
Room: Main Lounge (2nd Floor)

Poster Sessions

10:00 - 12:15 PM CDT
Room: Profile Room (2nd Floor)

Roundtable Discussion: Program Evaluation With a Capital E! Exploring the Importance and Best Practices
Stuart Rumrill, Bryan Austin, John Kosciulek, Chun-Lung Lee, David G. Strauser, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

10:00 - 11:00 AM CDT
Concurrent Sessions 6
11:00 - 11:15 AM CDT
Break
11:15 - 12:15 PM CDT
Concurrent Sessions 7
12:15 - 12:30 PM CDT
Break
12:30 - 1:30 PM CDT
Lunch Break and Sessions - Lunch provided.
1:30 - 1:45 PM CDT
Break

1:45 PM - 3:45 PM CDT
Room: Profile Room (2nd Floor)

Roundtable Discussion: Challenges and Innovations: Exploring the Ethical Use of Generative AI in Vocational Rehabilitation
Nicole Ditchman, Virakti Shah, Amanda Boyd, Georgianna Garrels-Rogers, Illinois Institute of Technology
Slides: Challenges and Innovations (pdf)

1:45 - 2:45 PM CDT
Concurrent Sessions 8
2:45 - 3:00 PM CDT
Break
3:00 - 4:00 PM CDT
Concurrent Sessions 9
4:00 - 4:10 PM CDT
Break

4:10 - 4:30 PM CDT
Room: Great Hall (4th floor)

Closing Remarks

Poster Sessions

Main Lounge (2nd Floor)

Using Work to Intervene on Youth Mental Health Disparities
Emily Brinck, University of Wisconsin - Madison; ShaRhonda C. Stevenson Idaho State University; Sarah Ascienzo North Carolina State University

Psychometric Validation of the Digital Competence Profiler in a Sample of Rehabilitation Counselors
Kanako Iwanaga, Virginia Commonwealth University; Jia Wu, Northeastern Illinois University; Dewi Qisti, Fong Chan,  Timothy Tansey, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Psychometric Validation of the Technology Adoption Propensity Index in a Sample of State Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors
Kanako Iwanaga, Virginia Commonwealth University; Jia Wu, Northeastern Illinois University; Dewi Qisti, Fong Chan,  Timothy Tansey, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Psychometric Validation of the Motivation to Use Digital Tools at Work Scale in a Sample of State Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors
Jia Rung Wu, Northeastern Illinois University; Kanako Iwanaga, Virginia Commonwealth University; Fong Chan, Dewi A. Qisti, Timothy N. Tansey, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Impact of Sense of Community and Workplace Microaggressions on Well-Being of Adults with SCI
Xinyi Zhang, Vanalyn Quichocho, Nicole Ditchman, Eun-Jeong Lee, Illinois Institute of Technology

Medicaid Coverage for Individuals Re-entering Society After Incarceration
Patrina Wong, Marcus Weather, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Supporting Vocational Wellness of Older Adults with Mental Health Conditions
Molly Tschopp, Ball State University

Strengths and Challenges of the Discovery Process: Perspectives of Employment Specialists
Virakti Shah, Nicole Ditchman, Illinois Institute of Technology

Collaboration Between Postsecondary Education and Vocational Rehabilitation Agency: Seamless Support for Students with Disabilities
Azusa Ohba, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Do Vocational Rehab Programs Boost Job Outcomes for People with Disabilities? A Case Study on Vocational Counselors
Racheal Inegbedion, University of Massachusetts, Boston

InVEST in CIE: Overview of Early Successes and Opportunities In the PA OVR SWTCIE Model Demonstration Project to Improve Employment Outcomes Through Person Centered Planning, Family Engagement, Embedded Supports, and Cross System Collaboration
Kathleen Locmelis, InVEST Project Manager/PA SWTCIE Grant; Dana Barone, OVR PA, SWTCIE Director

Disability and Dating: An Evaluation of Online Dating Accessibility
Julia Beckwith, Brynn Teeling, Jessica Heckman, Taylor Crnkovich, Chloe Schmitz, Leah Severtson, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Person-Centered Survey Development Using Cognitive Interviewing: A Literature Review
Abbas Quamar, California State University San Bernardino; Elizabeth Boland, Western Washington University

Bias and Fairness in Assessment with Individuals with Disabilities
Muharrem Koc, Aylin Celik-Zencir, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Awareness of Counseling Access and Barriers for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals
Samantha Foster, Brigette Young, Jason Lee, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Nicholas Green, Unity Point Health - Meriter

Quality Employment Outcomes from an Internship Program for College Students with Physical Disabilities
David R. Parker, Ph.D., Carlos Taylor, The Gregory S. Fehribach Center at Eskenazi Health

Exploring Demand-Side Perspectives in Hiring People with Psychiatric Disabilities
Sang Qin, Deyu Pan, Rouyi (Zoey) Chen, Eunjeong Ko, Muharrem Koc, Yongsu Song, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Career Adaptability of Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Muharrem Koc, University of Wisconsin-Madison

California Assembly Bill 734 and the Ethics of Youth Tackle Football: A Four-Frame Examination
Charles Degeneffe, Kimberly Ann Magat, San Diego State University

Workplace Accommodations for Older Adults - Current Trends and Attitudes
Patrina Wong, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Quality Employment Outcomes from an Internship Program for College Students with Physical Disabilities
David R. Parker, Ph.D., Larry Markle, Carlos Taylor, The Gregory S. Fehribach Center at Eskenazi Health; Allison Fleming, Ph.D., Penn State University

Good or Bad: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Employment
Aylin Celik Zencir, Tolga Zencir, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Student and Faculty Needs for Disability Accommodations Post-Covid
Elizabeth Boland, Western Washington University; Abbas Quamar, California State University San Bernardino

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors’ Perceived Competence on Working with Transition-age Hispanic Youth and Delivering Pre-ETS
Yazmin Castruita Rios, Michigan State University; Veronica Estala-Gutierrez; The University of Texas at El Paso

Experiences in Rehabilitation Counseling Programs for Disabled Students During COVID-19
Toni Saia, Charles Degeneffe, Mark Tucker, Mari Guillermo, San Diego State University

Countering Turnover Intent: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Identify the Strengths of State VR
Melanie Poe, Marissa Hernandez, Trenton Landon, Brian Phillips, Utah State University;

Tailoring Success: Evidence-Based Practices for Employment of Persons with Different Abilities
Lisa Toth, Rise Staffing; Laurie Winiecke, Employee & Self Advocate

Facilitating Adjustment to Physical Disabilities through Gestalt Therapy in Rehabilitation Counseling
Gabriela Rangel, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Perceptions of Impression Management: Lessons From a Reentry Community Sample
Samantha Foster, Chelsea Brehmer, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Visual Impairment and the Experience of Stigma in Vietnam: A Narrative Psychological Inquiry
Yen Dong, Fulbright University Vietnam; Dr. Emily A. Brinck, LPC-IT, CRC, CVE is a researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER) department serving on the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality Employment (VRTAC-QE) and the Wisconsin Career Advancement grant; Dr. Matthew Mcdonald, lecturer in Psychology at Fulbright University Vietnam

Supporting Successful Education and Employment for Individuals Experiencing Incarceration Through Rehabilitation Counseling Services
Lindsey Fullmer, Michael Accordino, Springfield College

Self-Compassion: Buffering the Impact of Disability
Alexandra Kriofske Mainella, Marquette University

The Work-Specific Correlates of Employment Status of Informal Cancer Caregivers: A Bayesian Analysis
Hannah Fry, Kristin Litzelman, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Community-Based Participatory Research in Action: Empowering Mental Health Disclosure in Employment Settings
Sang Qin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Yahara House Representative; Azusa Ohba, Rouyi (Zoey) Chen, Seth Dubinskin, Eunjeong Ko, Stephanie Burnham, University of Wisconsin-Madison

A Study of State Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors’ Perceived Importance and Competence in Providing Career Counseling
Bryan Austin, Chun-Lung Lee, University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign; Allison Fleming, Pennsylvania State University; Brian Phillips, Utah State University

Impact of First Episode Psychosis on Transition-age Youth in the Career Path
Eunjeong Ko, University of Wisconsin-Madison

New Directions in Multiple Sclerosis Research
Phillip Rumrill, Ph.D., CRC, University of Kentucky; Malachy Bishop, Ph.D., CRC, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Why Do We Need to Expand Our Focus? Stigma: Structural Barrier to Employment
Aylin Celik Zencir, Gizem Tekinarslan, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Deaf or Hard of Hearing Youths’ Career Related Self-Determination: Scoping Review 
Yukiko Goto