This is a ballot for the 2008 APSE Executive Board Election. The Executive Board serves as the oversight body for APSE. In this election, five (5) individuals are being elected to for three-year terms. Voting instructions are below. Background information on the seven candidates running for the Board is attached.
PLEASE NOTE THE VOTING DEADLINES.
You may submit your ballot to the APSE office through one of the following methods:
- Fax your completed ballot to 804-278-9377 by May 21, 2008 or
- E-mail your completed ballot to , by May 21, 2008or
- Mail your completed ballot – postmarked no later than May 16 to ensure delivery by May 21 to:
APSE: The Network on Employment
1627 Monument Avenue, Room 301
Richmond, VA23220
Votes will be tallied at close of business on May 21 – ballots received after that will not be counted.
For control purposes, you must include your name and membership number on the Voter Identification page for the ballot to be tallied. Privacy is guaranteed by APSE staff.
APSE Voting Rights: * Individual members haveone vote per person.
* Organizational or Contributing members have one vote per organization.
- Mark your ballot for five (5) of the seven candidates listed below – no more than 5.
- Write name and APSE Membership Number on the attached Voter Identification page.
- Return your completed Ballot and Voter Identification page by fax (804-278-9377) or e-mail () by close of business May 21, 2008. Or, mail to: APSE, 1627 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA23220 (mail must be postmarked by May 16, 2008).
Jon Alexander / TJ Monroe
Betsy Barnes / Wendy Quarles
Cindy Bentley / David Taylor, Jr.
Katherine Inge
If you need assistance in voting, please call Gracie at 804-278-9187.
The new Executive Board Members will be announced on the APSEwebpage ( by May 28 and in the next issue of the Advance.
Nominees for APSE Executive Board
2008 APSE Board Election Candidates
Voters will select five individuals from the following seven candidates
1. Jon Alexander, St. Paul, Minnesota – Current Member of APSE Board of Directors
Biographical Info: I have lived in the Twin Cities area for the past 30 years. I am married with two sons. I’ve run 22 marathons in 18 states and enjoy coaching my sons in basketball and baseball.
Involvement in Supported Employment: Over the past 19 years, I have been involved in Supported Employment in nearly every possible phase. I have worked as a 1:1 behavioral specialist, as a job developer, as the manager of SE demonstration projects that looked at natural supports for individuals with significant challenges (both cognitive and mental health disabilities), and for the past 10 years as the Director of Operations at Kaposia, Inc. in St. Paul, Minnesota. During my tenure, Kaposia converted to community based services for the second time in its history, following a merger with another organization that was primarily center-based. Over the past 3 years, I have been honored to serve on the APSE Board. During that time, I have also been very active in the Employment First movement that is occurring in Minnesota.
Contributions to APSE as a Board Member: I feel that I can contribute in a number of areas. I have been a member of the Finance Committee, and have offered suggestions on how we might better understand our economic situation as compared to our budget. I have been a trainer for SE 101 at the national conferences and for the tele-training series. I have been the Chair of the Membership Committee for the past two years. I have also been a leader in the Employment First Coalition of MN, which has been working toward an employment first policy and recently hosted the inaugural Minnesota Employment Summit. I believe that I can continue to serve APSE in all of these areas. I hope to continue to be a leader within the Board itself. At times, we can get caught up in the management of the organization and become more concerned with growing APSE rather than in the growth of Supported Employment. It has always been my belief that if we focus on the growth of Supported Employment, the growth of APSE will follow.
2. Betsy Barnes, Little Rock, Arkansas
Biographical Info: Betsy Barnes, MPA, is Program Administrator for the Arkansas Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG), EmployAbility Project with DHS, Division of Aging and Adult Services. The mission of the EmployAbility Project is to enhance employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Ms. Barnes has over 17 years experience administering Supported Employment programs including Anchor Mental Health in Washington D.C. and serving as Executive Director of HIRE Inc. in Arkansas. She is currently President of the Supported Employment Network of Arkansas, a statewide organization for Supported Employment providers. She serves on numerous advisory councils and boards to advocate for individuals with disabilities and promote innovative programs and services including: Arkansas Disability Coalition Board, Workforce Investment Board, Arkansas Mental Health Planning and Advisory Council, Governor's Technology Equipment Revolving Loan Fund, ADA Advisory Council, Can Do Inc., and People First.
Involvement in Supported Employment:Betsy Barnes has been involved with Supported Employment and APSE since 1991 when she started Supported Employment programs at Anchor Mental Health in Washington, D.C. As Executive Director of HIRE, Inc., a Supported Employment agency in Arkansas, she implemented customized employment programs for adults, youth, and institutional residents so that they could transition from segregated to integrated competitive employment. She has led numerous inter-agency system change initiatives to promote integrated competitive employment for individuals with disabilities. As Program Administrator of the MIG EmployAbility Project in Arkansas, she recently coordinated a Supported Employment Initiative that resulted in an agreement that opened the door for individuals that need personal care in order to obtain and retain employment, expanded Supported Employment services statewide, and resulted in major segregated workshop providers joining the band wagon to provide Supported Employment. She is currently providing the training and technical assistance for these new providers.
Contributions to APSE as a Board Member: As an individual with a disability on the APSE Executive Board, I would continue to leave a few footprints behind so that individuals with disabilities can make their own choices, be competitively employed and live independently in their community. I will utilize my strong leadership skills to continue to elicit system change and policy development on local, state and national levels that supports integrated employment. As a MIG Program Administrator, I will continue to address the issues and barriers that impede the growth and implementation of Supported Employment. I will promote innovative programs and quality services that enhance employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. I will promote the growth of state APSE chapters, starting with Arkansas. I will continue to provide training and technical assistance for providers, employers, professionals and consumers. My staff and I will continue to develop tools and conduct an educational campaign on the value of hiring individuals with disabilities and the work incentives for consumers so that they can work and keep their benefits. As a member of the APSE Executive Board, I will commit to attending all board meetings and to serve on appointed committees.
3. Cindy Bentley, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Biographical Info: When I was five years old, I was moved to a state institution where I stayed for 26 years. I moved to a group home in Milwaukee on June 1st, 1984. I didn’t start in employment at first; I started at Goodwill Industries in the sheltered workshop. I worked there for about two years (two years too long!) and then was moved to JVS (Jewish Vocational Services now currently MCFI). I was there for about a year or two but it was not challenging enough for me. Around this time, I moved into my own apartment where I still live today. While at JVS, I met a job coach who introduced me to Supported Employment. I worked 5 different jobs in the community before getting my dream job. I now work at People First Wisconsin, as an Advocate Specialist. I have worked here for almost 10 years. I had a lot to learn, how to work in an office, how to get along with co-workers, social skills, knowing my limitations, using a computer and boundaries. Without Supported Employment I would not be as successful on the job as I am today. I didn’t know that I would last this long but I get a lot of support from my job coach and boss every day. I have more self-confidence and love coming to work.
Involvement in Supported Employment:I have been involved in Supported Employment for over 20 years. I have worked with several agencies in Milwaukee County for job development and job coaching. I currently work with a job coach that helps me keep everything on schedule and organized week to week.
Contributions to APSE as a Board Member: I would bring my expertise as a consumer who has been successful in Supported Employment for over 20 years. I would like to focus on legislation on improving workplaces and accepting people with intellectual disabilities into the workforce. I would like to educate Congress and let them know how important Supported Employment is, and how it has helped me and others. It is important to have money in the budget for this. I am honest and up-front and don’t cover-coat the issues. I am very passionate about employment issues and would like to see more of my friends with intellectual disabilities working in jobs like mine. With the right supports, I know it can happen.
4. Katherine Inge, Richmond, Virginia–Current Member of the APSE Board of Directors
Biographical Info: Dr. Katherine ("Katty") Inge, Ph.D., O.T.R. has been associated with the VCU-RRTC for over 25 years and is the Director of a number of grant funded projects including the Region III CRP-RCEP, T-TAP (Training and Technical Assistance for Providers), and START-UP / USA (Self-Employment Technical Assistance, Resources, & Training). She holds degrees in special education and occupational therapy and has managed a number of federally funded employment projects for individuals who have significant disabilities including physical and cognitive disabilities. Katty's projects also have included developing online distance education continuing education courses for Rehabilitation Professionals, and she is the Director for Instructional Technology for the RRTC on Workplace Supports. Dr. Inge is the co-author of four books including three on employment for people with significant disabilities and one on assistive technology. She is the editor and co-editor of numerous RRTC publications including research monographs and newsletters. Most recently, she has edited a series of fact sheets on customizing employment for individuals with significant disabilities. These can be viewed by visiting
Involvement in Supported Employment: I have been involved with Supported Employment since 1985 when VCU had the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Supported Employment. I have been a staff trainer, employment / demonstration project coordinator for individuals with significant disabilities, and more recently the director of a number of technical assistance centers. In these capacities, I have worked to expand the information available in the field through the development of training materials such as Supported Employment staff training manuals, newsletters, fact sheets, videos, as well as coordinating the production of online presentations that are available to individuals interested in the competitive employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities.
Contributions to APSE as a Board Member: During the past three years, I have served on the APSE Board and hope to continue my involvement. In this time period, I have served as the Treasurer as well as a member of the APSE Training Committee. I have also assisted in expanding the APSE website and provided support to the APSE staff. I would like to serve on the Board to support the training activities and the advancement of employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
5. TJ Monroe, Cincinnati, Ohio–Current Member of the APSE Board of Directors
Biographical Info: I was born in Connecticut, and lived in foster homes, from 18 months until 7 years old, then in a state institution from age 7 – 19 years old. I have lived in Tennessee, Kentucky, and now Ohio since 1995. I have been employed in several different jobs, since my emancipation from the institution where I was raised. I have worked in restaurants, bars, veterinarian offices, construction companies, and most recently, as a security officer. I have worked for the ARC, as a VISA volunteer, and for People First where I organized and opened 17 chapters of People First. I was the first person to sit on the President’s Committee on Mental Retardation to actually have a disability. I am a public speaker on Disability Rights and have presented across the country and in Japan advocating that people with disabilities speak up for themselves, become employed, and live more independently as any typical person would do.
Involvement in Supported Employment: I was raised in an institution where I had no rights whatsoever. While there, I fought for my rights and the rights of others to make our own decisions and be treated with respect. Once I moved out of the institution, I was able to get my own job, with supports, and have continued to advocate for others to do the same ever since. APSE, The Network on Employment, has the same mission that I do in advocating for others with disabilities to become employed and gain independence.
Contributions to APSE as a Board Member: Being on the APSE Board is a big pleasure for me. It allows me the opportunity to partner with others fighting for the same things for people with disabilities. I am in the unique position of having lived this struggle and accomplished the same goals that I advocate for others to obtain. People with disabilities and other professionals listen to me because I am able to tell them my story and inspire them to do the same. “If I can do it”, I tell them, “You can, too!” It makes me feel good to encourage and advocate for others to better themselves by becoming employed. APSE helps me as I am helping them by doing this on a regular basis. It is a great partnership that I would like to see continue. Also, every time I obtain a speaking engagement through an APSE Chapter, I financially give back to the organization. It is a small tangible way that we, again, help each other. I especially would like to help APSE to target more young people (students, their parents and teachers). I think it is important that students and their parents learn about employment at an earlier age. My reason for this is because, many times, it is the parents who hold back these young people from progressing. I think that if we are able to get to them before they get comfortable in a sheltered shop, they will have more success. Perhaps it would help if APSE would link arms with more educational organizations to accomplish this goal. I would like to help with these connections as we move forward. I thank the APSE Board for considering my nomination for myself!
6. Wendy Quarles, Buffalo, New York - Current Member of the APSE Board of Directors
Biographical Info: Wendy Quarles the Project Director for the NYS Supported Employment Training Initiative (SETI) has worked at the University of Buffalo since 2001, where she has also had roles as the Senior Trainer and Training and Technical Assistance Coordinator at the CRP RCEP II Program. Wendy brings 22 years of experience in vocational rehabilitation including 12 years of vocational services/supported employment program management, 4 years of direct service provision, and recently 7 years of coordinating training and technical assistance services for CRP staff in Region II. Through ownership of Strategies for Success, a training and consulting business and various leadership positions with the national and the New York State (Empire State) chapters of APSE: The Network on Employment, Wendy has gained national recognition as an expert in the field of Supported Employment. As the Associate Project Director for the NYS Supported Employment Training Initiative, Wendy manages a new VESID ( NYS Vocational Rehabilitation Agency) funded 5-year project to provide comprehensive training, staff development and technical assistance to staff for the 181 VESID funded Supported Employment providers in New York State. Additionally, she provides training workshops on a regular basis.
Involvement in Supported Employment:I have been involved with Supported Employment for 22 years. I began my involvement when I was working as a Production Trainer in a sheltered workshop in Baltimore, Maryland. Supported employment was just being “born” and several of our folks were being given the opportunity to work in the community for the first time in their life. I was bitten by the Supported Employment bug and I have been involved in many capacities since then. I have worked as a Job Coach, Job Developer, Program Director and now as a Director of Training and Staff Development for the 181 Supported Employment providers in New York State.