Faculty and Staff
Dr. Paul Wehman, Ph.D. , Principal Investigator
Dr. Wehman speaks about the employment of people with physical and intellectual disabilities
Paul Wehman, Ph.D. is the Principal Investigator. Dr. Wehman has been a Professor of Physical Medicine with joint appointments in the Departments of Rehabilitation Counseling and Special Education / Disability Policy at VCU for over 30 years. He serves as Chairman for the Division of Rehabilitation Research in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and has managed NIDILRR funded RRTCs and DRRPs. He was one of the pioneers in the development of supported employment in the early 1980s and has published over 200 articles and authored/edited 40 books and has served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation,(JVR) since 1991. Dr. Wehman has three adult children with disabilities to include congenital heart disease, severe rheumatoid arthritis and ADHD/LD and brings a strong parental perspective to the project. He has been recognized as one of the 50 most influential people in special education for the millennium and on a daily basis works with PWD, communicates regularly with VA DARS and other VR Directors, policy makers, and professionals related to disability and diversity. Dr. Wehman is active in teaching and mentoring undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students.
Jennifer McDonough, M.S.
, Senior Research Associate
jltodd@vcu.edu
Jennifer Todd McDonough has been a faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and working in the field of employment for people with disabilities for over 10 years. She earned her M.S. from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University in Rehabilitation Counseling. Ms. McDonough is the Associate Director of Training at VCU-RRTC. She is also the Project Coordinator for the Vocational Rehabilitation Service Models for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders DRRP. Additionally, Ms. McDonough provides technical assistance and disseminates resources nationally to individuals interested in pursuing self-employment. Ms. McDonough is a national expert on Social Security Disability Benefits and Work Incentives. Throughout her career with VCU-RRTC, Ms. McDonough has worked directly with individuals with disabilities assisting them in locating employment and determining accommodation needs.
Dr. Katherine Inge, Ph.D., OT.R., Director of Training
kinge@vcu.edu | Curriculum Vitae
Katherine Inge, Ph.D., OT.R., is the Director of the RRTC. Dr. Inge has been with VCU-RRTC since 1982 and holds degrees in occupational therapy, and special education. She has co-authored books, book chapters, journal articles, newsletters, and produced numerous other training materials on employment for individuals with disabilities. She has been the Director of Instructional Technology at VCU for over 15 years and has served as PI or Project Director for projects on employment including START-UP-USA, DOL ODEP; the Region III Community Rehabilitation Providers continuing education program (CRP-RCEP), RSA; Training And Technical Assistance For Providers (T-TAP), DOL ODEP; TechLink, an online project offering course work on transition and employment US Dept of Education; Project Access for people with physical disabilities, RSA; and other transition-age youth demonstration projects.
Alissa Brooke, M.S., Research Associate
admolinelli@vcu.edu
Alissa has been with VCU-RRTC since 2008. Alissa earned her ACRE certification for community rehabilitation and began working as an Employment Specialist. She earned her MS in Rehabilitation Counseling from VCU in 2012 and became a CRC, and also completed training to become a Positive Behavior Support Facilitator. In 2013 she began to serve as the Center’s Transition Coordinator. Alissa has experience working with individuals across disabilities and in the last four years has provided leadership for our Project SEARCH site at St Mary’s Hospital, working exclusively with youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders. She is focused on supporting choice, customized employment, job retention, and using assistive technology and positive behavioral supports.
Whitney Ham, M.S., Research Associate
hamwa@vcu.edu
Whitney graduated from the University of Virginia in 2008 with a B.A. in Psychology. She has been with the VCU- RRTC since 2010. She began as an intern for her graduate school program supporting individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders at the St. Mary’s Project SEARCH site. She earned her M.S in Rehabilitation Counseling from VCU in 2011 and became a CRC. Whitney has worked with individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders for the past three years and in 2012 began to serve as the Autism Coordinator for the Project SEARCH St. Mary’s site. Whitney focuses on providing customized employment and behavioral supports to the individuals that she serves as well as focusing on increased community integration and education on working and supporting individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders.