2024 TASH Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome to the official website for the 2024 TASH Conference!

Each year, the TASH Conference brings together our constituents to share resources and success stories, learn about field-driven best practices, and network within a community engaged in shared values. The Conference is attended by passionate leaders, experts, and advocates from every corner of the disability community. Conference attendees are influential in their fields and communities, and play an important role in the provision of services and supports for individuals and organizations around the world; and include professors and researchers from leading institutions; those involved in local, state, and federal governments and public policy; special and general educators, and school administrators; self-advocates, adult service providers; students, family members, and many others. This year’s conference theme is Celebrate Together: Let the Good Times Roll!

Click on the "Registration and More" tab for additional information about our Conference location, registration, reserving a guest room, sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, and more! The full Conference schedule is now available for viewing. Registered attendees will receive an invitation to log in and create a personalized schedule.

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8:45am CST

Students with ID As Business Owners: Strategies For Transition Educators

Saturday December 7, 2024 8:45am - 9:45am CST

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin A

Transition educators can be integral in supporting students with extensive support needs, including intellectual disability (ID) as they pursue meaningful post-school employment. One unique pathway to achieve employment involves creating a small business and pursuing self-employment. Self-employment occurs when an individual works for themself rather than working for an employer. Individuals with disabilities are more likely to pursue self-employment than individuals without disabilities, however, transition educators may be less familiar with self-employment and less prepared to support students with ID and their families achieve self-employment. In addition to describing five strategies that transition educators can use to increase awareness about self-employment while students are in high school, this structured discussion will also feature two parents and two self-advocates who started their businesses with the support of

Presenters

Emily Malouf

Research Scholar, Vanderbilt University

Saturday December 7, 2024 8:45am - 9:45am CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin A Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Employment
Themes of Interest Self-Employment
Key Words Self-Employment, Transition Educators, Intellectual Disability, Transition to Work
Presentation Type General

8:45am CST

Studying Customized Employment to Expand Competitive Integrated Employment

Saturday December 7, 2024 8:45am - 9:45am CST

4TH Floor - Imperial 12

This panel discussion delves into the multifaceted landscape of Customized Employment (CE), and efforts to catalog its use as a workable tool for provider transformation and expansion of Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE). The members of the panel were all participants in a Case Study through the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) investigating how Customized Employment is successfully implemented in the community, and each brings a unique perspective, shedding light on the collaborative efforts required to facilitate meaningful employment outcomes. Through shared experiences, practical strategies, and interactive dialogue, attendees will gain valuable insights into fostering a more inclusive and supportive employment environment for individuals with disabilities and learn about efforts through ODEP's CIE initiatives to better understand the successful utilization of Customized Employment implementation across the country.

Moderators

Jeffrey Carpenter

Presenters

Merry-Reid Sheffer

Lead Employment Specialist, Edge Employment

Edge Employment is the 4-person employment team within Mattingly Edge based in Louisville, KY! Our Specialists hold or are working toward certifications in Discovery, Job Development, and Systematic Instruction to provide Customized Employment through Marc Gold and Associates. Social... Read More →

Graham Maupin

Dara Patel

Rich Davis

Policy Advisor, Office of Disability Employment Policy

Saturday December 7, 2024 8:45am - 9:45am CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 12 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Employment
Themes of Interest Competitive Integrated Employment
Key Words Customized Employment, Self-Advocacy, Employment First, Competitive Integrated Employment
Presentation Type General

8:45am CST

Sub-Minimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment: How Illinois Rolls!

Saturday December 7, 2024 8:45am - 9:45am CST

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin C

This presentation will provide an overview of the Illinois Sub-Minimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment (SWTCIE) Project. SWTCIE is a project administered by the Illinois Department of Human Services/Division of Rehabilitation Services. The project will address the need to expand opportunities for Illinoisans with disabilities to obtain high-quality competitive integrated employment that leads to economic security, & assist & encourage employers to fully include individuals with disabilities into their workforce. SWTCIE aims to achieve systems change by establishing the efficacy of a replicable and scalable model that increases opportunities for individuals with disabilities to transition from subminimum wage employment to competitive integrated employment and redirect to competitive integrated employment those individuals contemplating subminimum wage employment. The project outcomes are to enhance quality of life & increase independence & inclusion among SWTCIE participants.

Moderators

James Knauf

University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana

Presenters

Sharon Bergfeld

University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana

Christina Irland

SWTCIE Illinois

Kyle Menke

University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana

Saturday December 7, 2024 8:45am - 9:45am CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin C Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Employment
Themes of Interest Employment First
Key Words Competitive Integrated Employment, High-Quality Employment
Presentation Type General

10:00am CST

Leveraging Gallup CliftonStrengths For Disabled Employees in Inclusive Workplaces

Saturday December 7, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CST

2ND Floor - Foster 2

Over 30 million people worldwide have taken the Gallup CliftonStrengths assessment and have learned the critical link between talent and strengths, as well as the wisdom in leveraging strengths instead of trying to â€œfixâ€ weaknesses. In the disability community, starting with strengths and leveraging abilities is the foundation for Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs) at school, and Individual Plans for Employment (IPEs) at work. This session will describe how to leverage the CliftonStrengths assessment and coaching approach in the workplace. CliftonStrengths provides a common language for disabled and nondisabled employees and their managers to work together and provide an optimal and inclusive environment for all employees.

Presenters

Jennifer Camota Luebke

President & CEO, Relay Resources

Dr. Jennifer Camota Luebke is a visionary and strategic President and CEO of Relay Resources, a leading social enterprise in the Pacific Northwest that cultivates meaningful employment for people with disabilities. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the national United... Read More →

Saturday December 7, 2024 10:00am - 11:00am CST
2ND Floor - Foster 2 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Employment
Themes of Interest Competitive Integrated Employment
Key Words Employment, CliftonStrengths, Leveraging Strengths, Disability Inclusion, Disability Inclusive Employment
Presentation Type General

3:00pm CST

Supporting Employment Through Technology: QR Codes and More

Saturday December 7, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CST

3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin B

This will be the presentation of the findings of a study about the use of technology (specifically QR codes) by individuals with ID in the workplace. The participants in the study were post secondary aged students who were enrolled in an inclusive post secondary program. The students were working at inclusive on-campus jobs, supported by job coaches. The students all had access to, and were proficient in the use of, cell phones. QR codes were used to link students to individualized supports (e.g. videos, or task checklists) to reinforce skill development and increase independence in the workplace. The QR codes were easily be embedded at the worksites, limiting the need for hard copy lists or charts for students or coaches to manage. Pre and post intervention data will be presented and will include student and job coach feedback and task completion data.

Presenters

Mollie Sheppard

Associate Professor, Saint Joseph's University

Sara Corley

Saint Joseph's University

Saturday December 7, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CST
3RD Floor - Ballroom: Celestin B Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Employment
Themes of Interest Competitive Integrated Employment
Key Words Technology in Employment, Post Secondary Employment Training
Presentation Type Research

3:00pm CST

Transition Away From Sheltered Employment: What We Know and What We Can Do

Saturday December 7, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CST

4TH Floor - Imperial 9

This session offers the latest research relevant to the barriers and facilitators of transition from sheltered 14c employment to competitive, integrated employment via the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA, 2014). Given Indiana's clear movement towards investment in Employment First philosophy, this session is relevant for service providers, families, and people with disabilities considering transition. This session features research highlighting commonly reported concerns and fears around transition, as well as potential strategies to remediate these common challenges. This session will also review interviews of people with disabilities in Indiana who have successfully moved to competitive integrated employment (CIE), are in the process of transitioning from sheltered employment to CIE, and the staff who are assisting in these transitions.

Presenters

Mary Pearson

Indiana University

Saturday December 7, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 9 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Employment
Themes of Interest Competitive Integrated Employment
Key Words Transition from Sheltered Work, Competitive Integrated Employment, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Interviews with People with Disabilities
Presentation Type Research

4:15pm CST

Work-Based Learning: Practical Strategies For Job Development and Establishing Community Worksites For Transition Aged Youth

Saturday December 7, 2024 4:15pm - 5:15pm CST

4TH Floor - Imperial 11

Developing worksites for students with disabilities in the community is not an easy feat. You'll leave this workshop with strategies on how to develop job opportunities and explore potential worksites in your community. The session will address practical strategies for identifying job sites, connecting with businesses, evaluating the appropriateness of a potential worksite, and securing school-business partnerships.

Presenters

Melanie Phelan

Training Specialist, Illinois Center for Transition and Work - UIUC

I am a training specialist for the Illinois Center for Transition and Work at the University of Illinois. My background is mostly in transition to work for people with significant disabilities. I am passionate about finding paid employment for youth with disabilities where they can... Read More →

Jessica Sipovic

Training Specialist, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Jessica Sipovic is a training specialist for the Illinois Center for Transition and Work through the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). She has over 15 years of experience working with children and adults with diverse needs in school, home, and community settings. Most... Read More →

Saturday December 7, 2024 4:15pm - 5:15pm CST
4TH Floor - Imperial 11 Hyatt Regency, 601 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

Breakout Sessions

Primary Topic Transition
Themes of Interest Transition to Employment
Key Words Transition, Transition to Employment, Work-Based Learning Experiences, Employment
Presentation Type General