COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL

Shannon Crooks

Business Development Manager – Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services

Shannon Crooks serves the Central District/Capitol Region spanning 28 counties from metro Richmond to Stafford and the Northern Neck.

Through her long tenure with the Registered Apprenticeship program, Shannon served both the Richmond metro region and statewide supporting employers directly with the development of structured training, creation of sustainable and diversified workforce pipelines and sourcing valuable partner resources.

With nearly a decade of experience in workforce development, Shannon understands the importance of state and community partner engagement and collaboration to meet the needs of both employers and career seekers. Through her work with DARS, she hopes to connect businesses with talented career seekers actively pursuing employment through staffing and recruiting, workplace accommodations, disability awareness training, incumbent worker training, and financial tax incentives.

Howard Green

Consultant, NOD Employer Services
Howard Green a nationally-recognized expert in building relationships between companies and the rehabilitation programs. Now serving NOD as a consultant, Green previously served as Deputy Director of NOD’s Employer Services. In that capacity, he assisted a number of corporations mount successful disability employment initiatives, such as Lowe’s, REI, Starbucks, Toys”R”Us, Inc. and Kroger. He is a sought-after trainer on the employment of people with disabilities and has been recognized by the National Rehabilitation Association and National Association of Rehabilitation Leaders.

He received the R.N. Anderson Award for Leadership by the Virginia Rehabilitation Association, as well as the USBLN National Partner of the Year Award in 2004. In addition, he currently serves on the advisory board for the Virginia Abilities.

He holds a Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he was also on the faculty for 20 years, and is a published author on employment for people with disabilities. He began his career as a vocational rehabilitation counselor and has managed employment programs and job coaches.

Karen Kahn

Business Relations Specialist – Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI)
Karen Kahn graduated from West Virginia University with a Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling and received a graduate certificate in Job Development and Job Placement for Individuals with Disabilities from George Washington University. Before joining DBVI, Karen worked as an Employment Resource Technician with the Dept. for Aging and Rehabilitative Services and as a Job Developer with Henrico County Dept. of Social Services. At the Dept. for the Blind and Vision Impaired, Karen serves two customers–businesses who are seeking a well-qualified and diverse workforce and career seekers who are blind, deafblind and low vision seeking employment. She received the Roy J. Ward Leadership Award presented by the Virginia State Rehabilitation Council and attained a Certified Workforce Development Professional credential (CWDP).

Betsy McElfresh

Communications Manager – Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services
Betsy became involved with us when she offered her marketing expertise for our first fundraising Gala in 2014. Her work with DARS has made her acutely aware of the opportunities that exist for individuals with disabilities. Her participation with us adds to that awareness, and she says it “motivates me to want to make a bigger difference in promoting the issues surrounding disability employment.”

Betsy also volunteers with Sportable, and has assisted wheelchair athletes in training for such events as the Richmond Marathon. She has also been active in the International Association of Business Communicators, the American Marketing Association, and Virginia Government Communications. She tries to make time in her busy schedule for her playground – the Great Outdoors. She enjoys running, biking, paddleboarding, and tennis.

Betsy received her MS in Journalism from Ohio University and her BS in Corporate Communication from Ithaca College.

Teri Morgan

Executive Director – Virginia Board for People with Disabilities
Teri has spent the past 30 years of her professional career working in the field of human services learning from and supporting individuals with disabilities.  Teri currently serves as the Executive Director of the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities (VBPD), Virginia’s Developmental Disabilities Council. The VBPD engages in advocacy, capacity building, and systems change activities that enable individuals with developmental disabilities to exercise self-determination, be independent, be productive, and be integrated and included in all facets of community life.

Holly Peele

Director – Northstar Career Center
Holly Peele has spent twenty-five years working in a variety of nonprofit organizations serving people who face barriers to realizing their basic rights to safety and self-determination. Currently she serves as the Director of Northstar Career Center, a school promoting the self-determination of young people with disabilities through career training. The best part of her work is getting to know Northstar’s incredible students and witnessing their courageous growth.

Eric Raff, MPA

Director – Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH)  
Eric has worked 20+ years in providing services to the deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing including 12 years as Director for the Washington State Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH). Eric has been with the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) since 2016. Eric strongly believes that myths, assumptions and barriers inhibit the full potential of deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people’s abilities in places of employment.

Jennifer Todd McDonough

Faculty Member – Virginia Commonwealth University
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 20 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 Director for several national research studies related to employer practices of hiring and retaining employees with disabilities.

Additionally, Ms. McDonough has been an active researcher, practitioner, and contributor to the literature and is known for her staff training and technical assistance skills. She is a national expert on Social Security Disability Benefits and Work Incentives. She also serves as the Virginia Project SEARCH Statewide Coordinator and directly oversees four Project SEARCH sites for youth with autism and/or intellectual disabilities. Throughout her career with VCU-RRTC, Ms. McDonough has worked directly with individuals with disabilities assisting them in locating employment and determining accommodation needs.