Amy Scott, MA, CESP, has over 23 years of experience managing and directing programs that provide vocational coordination, social work, Supported Employment, residential and day habilitation services to individuals with a wide range of support needs. Additionally, she has worked with families and detention facilities providing vocational instruction to at-risk students in preparation for school to work. As a Certified Benefits Advisor, Amy worked for 5 years as an Employment Specialist for New York Works a Social Security pilot project. Throughout her career and during employment with the Technical Assistance and Continuing Education Center at the University of Buffalo, Amy has developed and delivered numerous Supported Employment curricula, professional presentations, and has ongoing involvement in national rehabilitation communities of practice surrounding program evaluation/quality assurance and supported employment.

Education

• M.A. 2007 Medaille College, Mental Health Counseling
• B.A. 1986 State University of New York at Fredonia, Psychology

Jeffrey Tamburo, LMSW, CESP, previously worked for the Center for Eleversity, a division of Heritage Christian Services, as a Training and Organizational Development Specialist. Since 2013, Jeffrey has served as a trainer for NYS CASE. His employment also includes work as a training specialist for the Northeast ADA Center, where he provides training on the Americans with Disabilities Act to individuals and organizations in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Jeffrey also works on Diversity Partners, a national initiative focused upon strengthening relationships between job placement professionals and employers through the development of web-based tools designed to improve placement provider skills and behaviors that lead to enhanced employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Since 2006, he has been actively involved in providing training in the field of supported employment and disability services. His training experience includes work as a training consultant for University of Buffalo’s Regional Rehabilitation Continuing Education Program, where he provided job coach training throughout New York State. Subsequently, Jeffrey served as Project Administrator for the New York State Institute for Health Transition Training, where he played a key role in the dissemination of the Healthy Transitions initiative across New York State. During his time with the Institute, Jeffrey conducted training forums for hundreds of parents, youth, educators, service providers, and health care practitioners both statewide and nationally.

Education

• M.S.W. 1997 Syracuse University
• B.A. 1989 Villanova University

Kim joined the Yang-Tan Institute as an Extension Associate in October 2017. In her position, Kim supports the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Youth Technical Assistance Center (Y-TAC) as a Technical Assistance Liaison. In this role, Kim supports state VR agencies as they engage and serve opportunity youth with disabilities (e.g., youth in foster care or juvenile justice systems, youth experiencing homelessness, and youth who have dropped out) who are working toward competitive integrated employment. Kim has extensive experience in working with youth with disabilities--first as a special education teacher for ten years, then as an Associate State Director of Special Education Services at the Oklahoma State Department of Education, and finally as the Statewide Transition Coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services. Kim Chairs the Oklahoma Transition Council, is Secretary for Oklahoma’s Chapter of the Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT), and is Chair of the CEC-DCDT Policy and Advocacy Committee.

Education

• Master of Education 1998 – University of Oklahoma, Norman – Educational Administration
• Master of Education 1994 – University of Florida, Gainesville – Special Education
• B.A. 1993 – University of Florida, Gainesville – Special Education
• A.A.S. 1990 – Broward Community College – Business Administration

Lizzie Juaniza-Saso joined the Yang Tan Institute on Employment and Disability as an Extension Associate in August 2019. Her work on the YTI Team includes providing technical assistance and training to the NY State Office of Special Education’s Technical Assistance Partnership for Transition (TAP for Transition). She also works as a trainer for the New York State Consortium for Advancing and Supporting Employment (NYS CASE), which is funded by ACCES-VR. Lizzie comes with experience from the state of Oregon, where she was part of a statewide co-funded Department of Education and Vocational Rehabilitation technical assistance team. In her role, she focused on building strong transition services and practices throughout the state to improve outcomes for youth with disabilities. She developed her skill in providing support to schools and community agencies and was actively involved in Employment First teams. She believes that everyone can work and strong, sustainable systems of community support with a person-centered lens is key. She is trained in facilitative practices, Planning Alternative Tomorrow’s with Hope (PATH) plans and Person-Centered Planning. She has served as an Oregon APSE (Association of People Supporting Employment First) board member and has taught as a special educator at both the high school and 18 – 21 year old transition program level.

Education

• M.S. 2012 – Portland State University, Special Education
• 2003 – Illinois State University, Political Science

Gina brings over 20 years of experience across employment, vocational rehabilitation, and professional development design and implementation to the K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability. Her career has included experience at the local, state and national level through the direct provision of vocational rehabilitation services, professional development of preservice and current practitioners across the country, and leadership at the national level in rehabilitation organizations.

Her key areas of interest and research focus on universal design, best practices in employment services, transition-aged youth services, assistive technology, inclusive STEM education and makerspaces for all, caregiver supports, and health and wellness

At the Yang-Tan Institute, Gina is currently a Senior Extension Associate providing training and content for the New York State Vocational Rehabilitation – Training, Education, and Development (VR-TED) project and NYS Consortium for Advancing and Supporting Employment (CASE) project and the Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation Learning Collaborative.

Prior to coming to YTI, Gina held faculty positions at the University of Maine at Farmington, Wright State University, and Maryville University of St. Louis. She also worked as a state vocational rehabilitation counselor, campus-based transition-aged youth program coordinator, job developer and job coach. Her experience spans multiple states, diverse geographic and demographic regions, and unique populations. She is a certified rehabilitation counselor.

Education

• PhD 2010- Kent State University, Special Education with an emphasis in rehabilitation and transition
• MEd 2002, Kent State University, Rehabilitation Counseling
• BA 2000, Kent State University, History (Psychology, 2001)

Tiffany joined the K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University in 2023. She is an extension associate supporting the Vocational Rehabilitation - Training, Education, and Development (VR-TED) project and NYS Consortium for Advancing and Supporting Employment (CASE) project.

Prior to coming to YTI, Tiffany worked in state VR supporting transition aged youth and adults with IDD and autism in their transition or introduction to competitive integrated employment. She spent time in and outside of sheltered workshops introducing competitive employment to populations who were previously not receiving VR services. Tiffany also worked for a non-profit agency supporting veterans, military spouses/partners, and military-connected individuals in their job search.

Education

• MEd 2016- The Pennsylvania State University, Counselor Education with Dual Emphases in Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling
• BS 2014-The Pennsylvania State University, Rehabilitation and Human Services, Disability Studies (minor), Psychology (minor)

Adene Karhan, LCSW, is a mental health clinician and extension associate at the Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, where her focus is on infusing mental health and trauma-informed best practices into workforce systems and other systems serving individuals with disabilities. Adene has twenty-five years of experience working with individuals and families with histories of chronic stress and trauma, and for the past decade has specialized in providing technical assistance, training, and clinical consultation to professionals on topics related to the intersection of co-occurring factors impacting access to employment (disability, mental health, trauma, substance use, poverty, racial/ethnic status, etc.). Adene is passionate about reducing stigma and increasing awareness of factors which have historically served as barriers to work and assisting workforce and other systems with creating and sustaining trauma-informed, culturally responsive practices that meet the diverse and interrelated needs of the whole person.

Education

• New York State Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
• 2013 MSW, SUNY Albany School of Social Work
• 1997 B.A., Family Studies from Messiah College, Grantham, PA

Jacqueline Stanton, PhD, CRC, LPCC-S has over 32 years of experience in rehabilitation counseling. Prior to earning her doctorate from Kent State University in 2006, Dr. Stanton served as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor supporting individuals with acquired disabilities, intellectual disabilities, mental health conditions, and various other health conditions impacting the ability to obtain or sustain employment. She has additional experience as an adjunct faculty member at Kent State University and John Carroll University, is a member of the National Rehabilitation Association, the Ohio Rehabilitation Association, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Brain Injury Association of Ohio.

Education

• 1991 – 2006 Kent State, University Kent, Ohio Doctorate of Philosophy Counseling & Human Development Services
• 1987 - 1990 Ohio University, Athens, Ohio Master of Education Rehabilitation Counseling
• 1983 - 1987 Ohio University, Athens, Ohio Bachelor of Arts Social Work