Manager Minute-brought to you by the VR Technical Assistance Center

What if VR looked beyond traditional employment pathways? In this episode of Manager Minute , Carol Pankow sits down with Kristy Schenderlein, Vice President of Operations at the Blind Institute of Technology (BIT), to discuss how an RSA Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) demonstration grant is redefining career opportunities for people with disabilities. Learn how BIT combines accessible technical...

This episode features a conversation with Dacia VanAlstine, Project Director of the Evolve Employment Model demonstration project at Minnesota Blind. What began as a brainstorming conversation at a national conference evolved into an innovative Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) project focused on improving employment outcomes, retention, and participant engagement for individuals who are blind, low...

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere—but where does it actually fit in vocational rehabilitation? In this episode, Carol Pankow sits down with Dr. Robert Froehlich to cut through the noise and get real about AI in VR practice. This isn't hype—and it's not fear. It's practical, grounded guidance. 🔹 What AI should be doing (and what it absolutely shouldn't) 🔹 The ethical guardrails every VR profe...

In the latest episode of Manager Minute, host Carol Pankow sits down with Michael Mackillop, Executive Director of the Washington State Department of Services for the Blind, to explore how one agency is rethinking how VR services are delivered—and the powerful results that follow. From dramatically shortening the time to services to introducing milestone planning that keeps customers moving forwar...

VR burnout isn't about caring too little. It's about caring so much… while buried in documentation. In this episode of Manager Minute , VR counselor Stephanie Nelson shares how she built VocRehabTools.com — a free collection of smart, practical tools (both AI-powered and non-AI) designed to give counselors their time back. 📝 Faster case notes 📊 Smarter assessments 🎯 Clearer job alignment 💬 Cus...

What happens when workforce innovation stops focusing on individuals alone—and starts supporting entire families? In this episode of Manager Minute , Carol Pankow sits down with Lucas Halverson and Kathy Davis of ServiceSource to explore Families Achieving Self-Sufficiency Together (FASST) —a Disability Innovation Fund initiative that's connecting VR, TANF, employers, and community partners in a p...

What happens when a VR agency stops leading with compliance—and starts leading with trust? In this episode of Manager Minute , Carol Pankow sits down with Lea Dias , Director of the Hawaii Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, to talk about rebuilding an agency from the inside out. Facing high vacancies, low morale, and years of monitoring pressure, Lea chose a different path—one grounded in list...

In this powerful new episode of  Manager Minute , host Carol Pankow sits down with renowned researcher and educator Dr. Jim Herbert to unpack one of the most urgent challenges in vocational rehabilitation today: counselor turnover and retention . Drawing from his brand-new national study on RSA-funded personnel, Jim breaks down the real factors that influence whether VR counselors intend to stay —...

In this episode of Manager Minute, host Carol Pankow welcomes Dr. Chaz Compton and Dr. Meera Adya, co-directors of the new National Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center (NVRTAC). They discuss how the Center builds on decades of innovation in vocational rehabilitation (VR) to unify training, evaluation, and technology that strengthen state VR agencies across the nation. Partnering...

In the final episode of Manager Minute , host Carol Pankow closes out the series with a powerful conversation featuring Chanda Hermanson, Director of Montana Combined Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). Chanda's lifelong passion for the field—shaped by family connections and early volunteering—has guided Montana's innovative approach to serving people with disabilities across a vast and rural state. T...

Finance doesn't have to be scary. In this episode of VRTAC-QM's Manager Minute , Kat Martin, Finance Director at the Oregon Commission for the Blind, joins Carol Pankow to break down the complexities of government finance in vocational rehabilitation. Kat shares her journey from the private sector into VR, the lessons she's learned managing federal and state dollars, and the difference between bud...

Get ready to be inspired by Project AccessTECH , a bold, nationwide initiative that's breaking down barriers and reshaping the future of tech employment for people with disabilities. In this episode, Carol Pankow welcomes Dr. Ayse Torres , Associate Professor in the College of Education, and Dr. Javad Hashemi , Professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Florida Atlantic Univer...

In this episode of Manager Minute, host Carol Pankow sits down with Cora McNabb, Executive Director of Kentucky Combined, for an honest, in-depth conversation about how her agency is responding to the rising fiscal pressures in vocational rehabilitation. Facing skyrocketing service costs in the wake of the pandemic, McNabb shares how Kentucky made the tough but necessary decision to implement an O...

We're celebrating a major milestone with the return of our very first guests:  Kristen Mackey , Director of Arizona Combined, and  Natasha Jerde , Director of Minnesota Blind. As Vocational Rehabilitation leaders navigate rising demands, shifting funding, and major structural change, Kristen and Natasha join us again to reflect on the post-pandemic landscape—and how it's testing directors like nev...

Nebraska VR is on a mission to elevate careers and empower businesses through its innovative Disability Innovation Fund Career Pathways Advancement Project (CPAP 2.0). In this episode, Carol Pankow sits down with Cathy Callaway, Nebraska VR's Assistant Director, to discuss how the program helps individuals with disabilities advance in high-demand fields like STEM and skilled trades. With over 130...

Join host  Carol Pankow  as she dives into the complexities of  Order of Selection (OOS)  in vocational rehabilitation with two expert guests:  Theresa Kolezar , Director of Indiana Combined, and  Chris Pope , Director of the State Monitoring and Program Improvement Division at RSA. In this episode, they break down: ·      Why agencies implement OOS due to financial and staffing constraints ·     ...

This Manager Minute episode spotlights how the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind and MassAbility are leveraging AI to improve service delivery. Host Carol Pankow discusses innovative AI applications with guests Lola Akinlapa, Nathan Skrocki, and John Oliveira. They explore an AI-assisted intake platform designed to streamline processes, enhance multilingual support, and enable faster access t...

Join host Carol Pankow in this thought-provoking episode of  Manager Minute  as she sits down with VR fiscal powerhouses Katie Marchesano, Chris Merritt, Allison Flanagan, and Sarah Clardy. Together, they unpack the pressing fiscal issues shaping the vocational rehabilitation (VR) landscape, including: ·  Navigating fiscal forecasting challenges · Addressing technology gaps · Strengthening collabo...

Join us for this enlightening episode of VRTAC-QM Manager Minute , where we explore the transformative power of Value-Based Purchasing (VBP), also known as Performance-Based Payment (PBP). In the studio, we have Chip Kenney, Co-Project Director of the VRTAC-QM, and Lisa Mills, a consultant and subject matter expert in VBP, sharing their expertise. VBP is more than just a financial model—it's a str...

Join us for the latest episode of the  Manager Minute  podcast, where host Carol Pankow sits down with the incredible Serina Gilbert, Cheryl Carver, and Peter Pike from Colorado's Pathways to Partnership DIF Grant! In this episode, they dive into their groundbreaking Pathways to Partnership project, a collaborative initiative designed to enhance outcomes for children and youth with disabilities. D...

The RISE-UP project is a transformative initiative to revolutionize rehabilitation services for underserved populations, focusing on racial and ethnic minorities. Dr. Mari Guillermo and Dr. Mark Tucker, Project Directors at San Diego State University's Interwork Institute, highlight how this project seeks to drive systemic change through state agency partnerships and tools like QA Advisor Plus. RI...

Get ready to dive deep into the future of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) with Dr. Joe Ashley and Dr. Bob Schmidt in our latest episode! Joe, the dynamic Project Director of the VR-ROI initiative at George Washington University, teams up with Bob, one of the leading economists and the Project Research Coordinator, to bring you insider knowledge on revamping return on investment models for VR progra...

Go behind the curtain at the National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials (NCRTM) with Heather Servais, Project Manager. Join us as we delve into the vast resources available to vocational rehabilitation counselors, supervisors, and VR professionals. From employment navigation to disability-specific resources and cutting-edge training, Heather reveals how the revamped NCRTM website...

Join us for an insightful episode of the VRTAC-QM Manager Minute as Brittny MacIver and Sarah Clardy from the VRTAC-QM team share their expertise on case management systems. Brittny, an expert in Program and Performance within our Quality Management team, and Sarah, the Program Director for Fiscal and Resource Management, delve into best practices and the growing trend of states seeking to upgrade...

Join us in the studio with Tyler Sadek, Go MN! Project Manager, and Amanda Jensen-Stahl, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Minnesota General, as we explore the transformative efforts of Minnesota's DIF Grant Go MN! This episode delves into innovative strategies designed to transition individuals with disabilities from subminimum wage to competitive, integrated employment.   Listen Here   Full T...