Sara is the Director of WorkLink, TransCen’s San Francisco-based employment program for job seekers with disabilities. Sara is also a key contributor to the training and technical team where she works with employers, school districts, parent groups, and service providers. She also provides field support for many of TransCen’s federal and state initiatives. Currently, she is a subject matter expert for ODEP’s Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program, where she provides technical assistance and consultation to state agencies and providers in capacity building in effective practice, system/provider transformation, school-to-work transition and employer engagement. For the past 30 years, Sara’s focus has been on school-to-work transition and employment for individuals with disabilities. She has extensive experience in direct service, policy and program development, and system transformation.

When asked what her passion is and what she can’t stop talking about, Sara will respond: “My work. My work. My work.” She also loves music, traveling to exotic locales, cooking/baking, taking her dog to the beach, and reading the New York Times on Sunday mornings.

Professor Keith McVilly talks about the application of Positive Behaviour Support principles to Customised Employment and how by bringing behaviour support principles to the employment process and post placement support we can enhance employment and career longevity. This is about adopting clinical principles to the job development process and adding a new skill set to the employment consultant armoury of skills.  

David Petherick is the highly regarded Deputy CEO of Valid, the Victorian based advocacy group with a long history of championing the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disability. David talks about Valid's work and provides valuable insights into advocacy, employment, the NDIS and all things empowerment.

In this podcast we are joined by Mike Callahan, President of Marc Gold & Associates to talk about Systematic Instruction, Natural Supports and the legacy of Marc Gold. An inspiring conversation that gives us something to pause and think about. June Alexander will join us to discuss her thoughts and practices in SI, Families and mentoring.

Jeannie Hodges - Director Economic Outcomes discusses employment supports within the context of the 20/21 NDIS Supports funding and the future of disability employment. Time to innovate and think differently. The discussion is general in nature and not specific to any one person and participants should consider their own circumstances and seek advice. 

Evan Dean, Investigator - Beach Center and Assistant Professor University of Kansas talks about self-determination and employment. Career Design and transition, along with how we work to promote choice and control.

Professor Emeritus Trevor Parmenter offers his thoughts on transitions, some history on the process and reflections on where we need to go. Valuable insights from a career passionately pursuing transitions for people with intellectual and developmental disability.

David Michael Mank, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus at Indiana University. He is formerly the Director of the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community at Indiana University, Indiana’s University Center for Excellence on Disabilities.

In this podcast, Tristan Claridge, the founder of Social Capital Research and Training, Dunedin New Zealand shares insights gained from over two decades of research into social capital and its application to employment and business. 

Michelle is the National Manager for Ticket To Work. The program supports transition to work through school based work experiences that lead to post school employment for people with disabilities. Michelle discusses the program, enablers, outcomes and the path forward.