Webinar Series for Business

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Presenter

Kathy West-Evans, M.P.A, C.R.C.
Director of Business Relations,
Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation
– National Employment Team (CSAVR-NET)

Kathy West-Evans is from the State of Washington. Kathy has her MPA from Seattle University and her undergraduate degree in Audiology from the University of Washington. She is a CRC who is fluent in American Sign Language. She joined the staff of CSAVR (Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation) as the Director of Business Relations in August of 2005. Kathy is in a lead role in the development of the National Employment Team or The NET. The NET is a national “one company” approach that the 80 VR agencies have developed to support business customers at the national, multi-state, state and local levels. Through The NET businesses have a connection to a large talent pool of qualified applicants with disabilities and a variety of VR support services.

Kathy has been in the field of rehabilitation since 1978 where she started her professional career working as a vocational consultant and manager of the Projects with Industry program at the Hearing, Speech and Deafness Center in Seattle. She moved into the Washington State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) in 1983 as a VR counselor for individuals who are deaf, deaf-blind or hard of hearing. Kathy held a number of positions within DVR during her 14-year tenure with the state agency. In addition to her time as a VR counselor, she worked as an assistant regional administrator, a regional business relations specialist, and the Statewide Manager for Business Relations and Marketing. In 1985, Kathy worked in a leadership role to develop the statewide business relations program in DVR, this included the development of Employment and Resource Network (EARN) centers, employment centers based in VR offices. The EARN Center model received national recognition from the American Public Welfare Association. In 1988, Kathy joined a group of 12 other VR business specialists from across the country to begin the process of developing a national approach to connecting VR programs and business.

Kathy moved to the federal level with the Region X office of Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) in 1997 where she worked until July 2005. Kathy was employed as a Regional VR Program Specialist, serving as the State representative to Oregon and Alaska as well as the regional specialist in the areas of employment and business development, the ADA, training, the CSPD, PWIs, and services to individuals who are deaf, deaf-blind or hard of hearing. She was an integral part of the planning committee for the RSA – CSAVR National Employment Conferences in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004. Since 1994, Kathy has also coordinated ACCESS - an annual conference, job fair, technology and resource expo for business and people with disabilities held in the Seattle area.