North Dakota Vocational Rehabilitation 2023 Conference

Presenter: Alan Edwards

Bio: Alan Edwards is a Senior Public Affairs Specialist with the Communications Division of the Social Security Administration (SSA). With more than 25 years working as a bilingual Claims Representative and Information Officer, Alan has extensive experience with SSA's many programs and conducts educational seminars and trainings throughout the country.

Presenter: Amy Bergan 

Bio: Amy Bergan joined Rehab Services, Inc. in August of 2013 as a benefits planner. She provides in-depth benefits counseling to social security disability beneficiaries across North Dakota, helping them to understand their benefits and the impact that employment may have on those benefits. Amy received full community work incentives coordinator certification through Virginia Commonwealth University. She is a member of the National Association of Benefits and Work Incentives Specialists as well as the Rehabilitation Organization of North Dakota. Amy is a Minot native who attended both Minot State University and North Dakota State University.

Presenter: Amy Osvold

Bio: Amy Osvold is a vision rehabilitation specialist with North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind. She has been employed with the agency since 2007.  Prior to working at NDVS/SB, she worked as the staff trainer/HR at REM, ND Inc., a eligibility worker for the State of Washington and a vision rehabilitation specialist for Vocational Rehabilitation in the Jamestown and Minot/Williston regions. Amy completed a bachelor’s degree in social work from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, MN in 2000. She completed the Education of the Blind and Visually Impaired program at the University of North Dakota in 2002. Amy is happily married to fellow social worker, Brian Osvold.

Presenter: Bob Wells and Dave Johnson

Bio: Bob Wells is founder and artistic director of the World Humor Organization (WHO, Inc.) in Denver. He is a theatrical director, actor and teacher (high school & university) and works with Denver’s major performing arts organizations – the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Central City Opera and the Colorado Children’s Chorale. 

In the 80’s, Bob began using his training and techniques to teach innovation, communication, and customer service to a local bank. That led him to develop new programs for national and international audiences, sharing techniques that are highly interactive and that focus on laughter for learning. 

Bio: Dave Johnson is a writer, musician, performer, presenter and administrator for the World Humor Organization, a.k.a. “Chicken Lips.” He began the job in 1993 (the inaugural year of the Colorado Rockies!). He has written hundreds of customized comedy presentations including training scripts, sketches, song parodies, awards programs, full musicals and more for many on-the-job audiences. 

These days he's a big fan of Major League Baseball. Dave also works for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Denver. (For more information, visit olli.du.edu.)

Bob and Dave have been creating / performing / presenting and teaching together for more than 30 years on stages, in meeting rooms and on the radio (KHOW Radio, Denver). Together, they bring a unique and entertaining style to their programs to audiences across the country and internationally. Their client list includes government agencies at all levels, businesses, associations, schools, healthcare organizations, and others.
 

Presenter: Courtney Ness Fuchs

Bio: Courtney Ness Fuchs has over 10 years of experience providing direct assistive technology (AT) service to individuals with disabilities across the age and disability spectrum. She is a RESNA-certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) and is currently the AT Training Specialist with North Dakota Assistive, the state’s Assistive Technology Act Program, where she teaches monthly webinars and creates short, sometimes quirky, instructional videos on an array of assistive technologies and adaptive devices. Courtney continues to provide direct AT services to individuals across North Dakota. A late-diagnosed ADHDer, Courtney is a passionate proclaimer of the benefits of AT and hopes that her work helps others find the tools they need to thrive.

Presenter: Dan Meers, Mascot

Bio: Dan Meers is a motivational speaker, author, and family man. Dan has been KC Wolf, the mascot of the Kansas City Chiefs, for more than 30 years. In 2006, he was selected a the first NFL mascot inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame. Dan travels throughout the United States and the world entertaining thousands of people both in and out of costume. He has performed in over 40 states and 12 different countries. He is in high demand not only as a mascot but also as a humorous and motivational speaker to audiences of all ages. His enthusiasm, optimism and love for life are contagious and make Dan an inspiration to all those he meets. Be it young or old, executive or blue collar, his audiences walk away with a smile and a renewed spirit to live life to the fullest. Whether you are a Kansas City Chiefs fan or not, you will enjoy him as he shares his unique wit and wisdom about life.

Presenter: Dave Krabbenhoft

Bio: Dave Krabbenhoft was appointed to director of the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation on March 29, 2021. Krabbenhoft had served as the agency's director of administration and as interim director since August 1, 2020.

Krabbenhoft has served with DOCR since May 2002. As director of administration, he had been highly involved in the state’s criminal justice reforms and was responsible for business office operations, budgeting, information technology, plant services and medical services for all DOCR adult and juvenile services. He has served state government since 1985, including with the State Auditor’s Office, Department of Public Instruction and the Office of Management and Budget.

Presenter: Dave Sisson

Bio: Dave Sisson has been incarcerated since January 5, 1996. He was seventeen years old when he was arrested.

Prior to his incarceration, Sisson primarily lived and grew up in southern California, also spending some of his childhood and teenage years in Tacoma, Washington and Minot, North Dakota. In 1995 he moved back to Minot, North Dakota where his mother lived.

David Sisson has been a resident employee with Rough Rider Industries since 2007. He is self-taught in AutoCAD, computer programming and how to troubleshoot computer and software issues. Sisson earned his G.E.D. while in county jail in 1996, has taken a correspondence course in writing in 2002 and has taken other informal academic courses in mathematics throughout his incarceration.

Presenter: David Becker

Bio: David Becker is the Department Compliance Officer, serves as the Records Coordinator for Health and Human Services, and SharePoint Document Migration Administrator for the department. David oversees the records management program to ensure proper records control, creation, use, and disposal for proper life cycle document management. 

David also provides guidance and training on all aspects of SharePoint setup, use, and migration of records from network drives and other storage locations to SharePoint.

Presenter: Jana Hennix

Bio: Jana Hennix has over 13 years of experience working with at-risk youth and people with disabilities. Jana is currently working at Rehab Services, Inc. as a benefits planner. She is working on her certification of being a community work incentives coordinator through Virginia Commonwealth University to promote employment and enhance financial stability for disability beneficiaries across North Dakota. Jana was born and raised in Minot and attended Minot State University.

Presenter: Kate Bischoff

Bio: Kate Bischoff is an experienced human resources professional, employment/labor law attorney, and technology aficionado determined to make companies better. She brings her extensive domestic and international experience to Minnesota, aiming to help organizations create, revamp and implement effective human resources policies and practices to drive innovation and business. Her expertise includes diagnosing and remedying weaknesses in HR practices and policies through compliance audits, analyzing the use of technology in the workplace, training employees and managers, creating functional policies and practices, handling investigations into employee grievances, and litigating employment cases. Bischoff is committed to uniting and transforming Minnesota through her work, and looks forward to helping employers create a safe and equitable workplace.

Presenter: Kevin Matze

Bio: Kevin Matze is currently a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in Region Four and lives in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Pervious to his employment with VR, Kevin ran the employment division of a North Dakota-based CRP. He also has experience in the academic and private business sectors. On a good day you’d find him exploring back country roads and tracks on his motorcycle and on a good night in a karaoke bar trying to be a star. He also has the best cat in the world, Squeakers. 

Presenter: Kyle J. Walker

Bio: Kyle J. Walker is the Executive Director of University of Wisconsin-Stout, Vocational Rehabilitation Institute. He is a Certified Rehabilitation Leader and a Certified Public Manager. Kyle served in multiple capacities for over 15 years in the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation and as the director of the Consumer Services Division at the South Carolina Commission for the Blind for over four years. Kyle is currently working on completing his Doctor of Education degree at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Kyle also serves as the Co-Director of the national Center for Transformational Rehabilitation Leadership and is the Board President for the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification until his term expires in 2025.

Presenter: Mark Heinert

Bio: Mark Heinert is the Assistant Executive Director at Youthworks. He has been a Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW) for 32 years. He has 27 years of experience as a case manager and administrator with homeless youth in North Dakota. Mark has served as chair in both state and local homeless coalitions and other groups related to youth, poverty, or homelessness. He also taught a social welfare policy course required for social workers a Bismarck State College for seven years.

Presenter: Porter Knight

Bio: Porter Knight is a dynamic and popular presenter, life-changing consultant, and author of the book: Organized to Last: 5 Simple Steps to Staying Organized. A nationally recognized industry leader, she was one of the first of the nation to achieve the credential of Certified Professional Organizer, and developed the industry's flagship education courses, "Introduction to Professional Organizing" and "Starting an Organizing Business."

Presenter: Reg Gibbs

Bio: Reg Gibbs, MS is the founder and President of Rocky Mountain Rehab, P.C. of Billings, Montana. He earned a BS in Psychology in 1992 from Eastern Montana College and a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling in 1994 from Montana State University-Billings. A Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Mr. Gibbs is also a Certified Life Care Planner and a Fellow of the International Academy of Life Care Planners. Additionally, he is an instructor with the Institute of Rehabilitation Education and Training in Newberry, Florida. He was an adjunct professor of rehabilitation counseling at Montana State University-Billings for fourteen years and an expert witness for the Social Security Administration for seven years.

Mr. Gibbs has nearly four years of experience in public-sector vocational rehabilitation and for two years he was Outpatient Case Manager of the Headway brain injury program at St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings. The past twenty-three years he has provided vocational rehabilitation, case management, and life care planning services to both the government and private sectors, and he is also a consultant on disability issues.

In 1988 Mr. Gibbs founded Brightsun Technologies, Inc., a business that develops software platforms and develops a variety of different inventions. In June 2023 he co-founded an artificial intelligence company, Rair Technologies, which develops human resource platforms for businesses and job seekers.  

Presenter: Rick Gardner

Bio: Rick Gardner has been with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and has served as Director of Roughrider Industries since September 2011. 

Prior to entering state government, Gardner owned and operated Sunrise Home Delivery, Inc. from October 1999 through September 2011. From October 1991 through 1999, Gardner served as the Western Divisional Manager for Cass Clay Creamery. From July 1988 until October 1991, Gardner was in management with the Kmart Corporation.

Gardner earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Commercial Economics from South Dakota State University. 

Presenter: Rikki Trageton

Bio: Rikki Trageton is the Employment Services Director at Community Living Services in Fargo ND. Rikki has a Master’s Degree in Child Development and Family Science from North Dakota State University. Rikki has spent her entire career advocating for people. Rikki believes employment should be accessible to all people and is passionate about engaging the community to remove barriers, eliminate stereotypes, and create new opportunities for people. 

Presenter: Robert Snizek

Bio: Robert Snizek graduated from MSU-Billings with a master's in rehabilitation counseling in 2000 and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). His passion and expertise are in the fields of customized job creation, job retention, and self-employment.  During his career, he has helped and supported numerous persons with disabilities in finding and keeping employment with several of them becoming successfully self-employed throughout Montana. Prior to launching Montana Employment Consultants, LLC in 2017, he was the medical care manager of the Headway Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program at St. Vincent Healthcare for 13 years. Before that, he was the director of MontanaWorks, a job placement agency he started in affiliation with the University of Montana in Missoula for people with disabilities. Robert has served as a board member of the Montana Brain Injury Alliance and as a board member and President of the Montana Association of Rehabilitation (MAR). Robert has spoken at numerous conferences on the subject of brain injury and employment facilitation for people with disabilities including the National APSE Conference in Washington D.C. and in Las Vegas, NV; and the Dallas Lone Star chapter of APSE. He has also presented at the Family and Professional’s Conference sponsored by the Brain Injury Association of Utah; the Montana Association of Rehabilitation; and Annual Native American Traumatic Brain Injury conferences.  

Presenter: Scott Burlingame

Bio: Scott Burlingame has been the Executive Director of Independence Inc., a Resource Center for Independent Living in Minot, North Dakota for 10 years and he has worked in the Disability Rights movement for over 20 years. Scott has been appointed by the Governor to serve on the State Independent Living Council, the state Olmstead Commission, and the State Rehabilitation Council. He has served on many local and statewide councils and boards, focusing on issues related to disability, addiction, housing, nonprofits, and community development. Scott has developed a system of service delivery that encourages community participation, leadership development, and personal empowerment to create systems change.

Presenter: Terry Peterson

Bio: Terry Peterson graduated from Minot State University in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and minor in philosophy. Terry has continued his education through Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Missouri Commonwealth.  Terry worked with youth as a counselor in a residential treatment facility addressing behavioral, addiction and sexual deviance issues before being hired in 2005 by Rehab Services, Inc. (RSI) of Minot. He’s a certified community work incentives coordinator and oversees the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance program in North Dakota. In 2010, Terry was recognized by Minot State University with the “Outstanding Community Engagement in Sociology” award. In 2012, Terry received Association for People in Supported Employment’s “Pat Knudson Outstanding Professional Award” for his work providing social security benefits planning to North Dakotans with disabilities. Terry is now assistant director at RSI, remains active in many boards and committees within the field, and is committed to progressive services, policies and laws within our state that will benefit people with disabilities for years to come.

Presenter: Ryan Fugere

Bio: Ryan has been HIT, Inc. for nine years. He started out as a direct service professional (DSP) and have worked many roles. Ryan has been in his current position for about four years. HIT, Inc. serves around 100 people at various businesses in Bismarck/Mandan and Dickinson. He has a team of four employment specialists providing services.