Vocational Rehabilitation Annual Conference 2024

Presenter: Lonnie Bedwell

Bio: Blind extreme-sports athlete Lonnie Bedwell is a National Geographic 2015 Adventurer of the Year. He has kayaked some of the most challenging whitewater in the world and is responsible for the first blind descents of Africa’s fabled Zambezi River’s Batoka Gorge and West Virginia’s world-renowned Gauley River. Prior to May 2023, Bedwell was best known for the first blind descent of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon — an effort successfully completed in 2013 as part of a team assembled by Team River Runner. A command performance in the Grand Canyon in 2014 resulted in the Adventurer of the Year nomination.

A former Navy Petty Officer, Bedwell was critically injured in 1997 in a hunting accident that instantly took his sight. Nevertheless, he raised three daughters as a single father, teaching them all to hunt and fish — and, against all odds, to drive. Once the girls graduated from high school, Bedwell continued to challenge himself, ultimately becoming a renowned extreme sports athlete. 

Presenter: Ryan Berg

Bio: Ryan is a SCORE volunteer that focuses on helping local ND and MN businesses take advantage of new generative AI capabilities.  With over 15 yrs of technology experience, Ryan is currently also a Principal Solution Engineer at Salesforce, where he works with generative and predictive AI capabilities.

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: Allie Chenoweth

Bio: Allie has been an employment advisor at the Bismarck Workforce Center since 2022. She is a case manager for the PRIDE and JP3 programs, specializing in helping job seekers find and maintain meaningful employment and attain self-sufficiency. She leads Career Readiness classes at Heart River Correctional Center. 

Presenter: Scott Hatfield

 Bio: Scott has been an employment advisor at the Bismarck Workforce Center since 2018. He assists individuals with navigating reemployment in the Resource Room and provides job seeker outreach to the community, regularly leading Career Readiness classes at the North Dakota State Penitentiary.

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: Heidi Johnson

Bio: Heidi has over 30 years working in the business world ranging from big corporate, small start-up and entrepreneurship. For the past 13 years she has been a partner with school administrators and teachers in the provision of transition programming and assessments such as PAES© lab, Project Discovery, Achieve Life Skills, and avail, by Central Reach. This partnership goes long past the point of sale with a continuation of customer and implementation support. Heidi’s business experience makes her a great partner for educators who are focusing on the transition of their students to the world of work.

Presenter: Marcie Lang

Bio: Marcia "Marcie" Lang, holds a doctoral degree in Addiction Psychology, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and is a Certified Employee Assistance Professional. Her clinical mental health career spans over 30 years, specializing in workplace consultations, including workplace behavioral and performance issues.  She is the author of the book Hidden Disabilities in the Workplace, which delivers a straightforward, non-nonsense approach to accommodating employees with non-obvious disabilities in the workplace. She is currently employed as an Executive Coach for the federal government. 

Presenter: Aimee Maxon

 Bio: Aimee has been with Job Service since 2020. She began with Unemployment Insurance in the Claims Center, moving to Employment Advisor of the BEST program, working with individuals on SNAP benefits. She is currently the JP3 Employment Advisor, case managing justice-involved individuals reentering the workforce from ND DOCR facilities. She provides regular outreach to the community, including weekly Career Readiness Classes at Missouri River Correctional Center. 

Presenter: Jennifer Olson

Bio: Jennifer Olson has been the Employment Services Team Member for Mind Shift in Fargo since December of last year. With over 20 years of experience as an administrator, she has found her strength is serving in “bridge roles”. She enjoys bringing people together to reach their goals. While she has worked in a variety of industries from Aerospace Engineering to Landscaping and IT, she is very happy to be back in non-profit helping to bridge the gap to employment for individuals on the Autism Spectrum.

As an Employment Services Team Member, Jennifer is part of the Mind Shift employment experience from Application to Direct Hire. She meets with Mind Shift Specialists and Business Partners regularly. Her goal is to foster excellent communication and a good relationship between Mind Shift Specialists and their Supervisors. As with many non-profit roles, Jennifer wears many hats. She is also the Fargo contact for businesses that are interested in partnering with Mind Shift and provides Autism in the Workplace Training to Mind Shift Business Partners.

Jennifer currently works part time for Mind Shift. She spends her other time building her own business, Resonance Sound Healing. She also enjoys knitting, hiking, and is always ready for the next travel adventures.

Presenter: Mike Orris

Bio: Mike Orris is a graduate of Michigan State University, he showcased his leadership skills as captain of the MSU swim team in the competitive Big 10 conference. Currently residing in Plymouth, Michigan, Mike is happily married and a proud father of three children. For over two decades, Mike has excelled as a business development executive, specializing in the automotive industry. His expertise and dedication have contributed to his success in this dynamic field.

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: Corban Remund

Bio: Corban Remund is a project coordinator at the Institute for Disability Research, Policy and Practice at Utah State University. Corban specializes in supported employment and pre-employment transition services for people with disabilities and has trained over one thousand individuals in community services. For the past ten years, Corban has provided employment and social and emotional training in high schools, juvenile detention centers, and various community programs. Corban has also presented on community employment and inclusion throughout the United States and internationally. In addition to research and conference presentations Corban has been the lead trainer for the Utah State University Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE) approved curriculum. Corban previously served on the National ACRE board and currently serves on the Association for People Supporting Employment First (APSE) Utah Chapter board.

Presenter: Osten Richter

Bio: Osten is the Director of Return-to-Work Services, WSI. He has more than 13 years of experience in workers’ compensation and is a Certified Workers’ Compensation Professional.  He describes his path into the industry as a happy accident following more than 12 years in the US Army.  He has a passion for problem solving and helping people.  He has earned an MBA and is presently pursuing a doctoral degree in leadership from the University of Mary.

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: Kostas Voutsas

Bio: Kostas Voutsas has been teaching Management and Human Resource courses for over 25 years. He is a Professor of Business at Arizona State University. Kostas served as a professor of Business for 18 years at Dickinson State University. He is also an author, a corporate trainer/strategic consultant, and motivational speaker.

Presenter: Margie Webb

Bio:  Margie Webb, MS, CRC, Customized Employment Specialist for the State of MN, Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS).  Margie has over 35 years’ experience providing employment services to people with disabilities both in the private sector for 17 years and 18 years within VRS. 

She has worked as a Program Director for a nonprofit Community Rehabilitation Program supervising as well as providing direct services in employment and independent living in southern MN as well as Dakota County. Margie developed work experience options for students at the Academy for the Blind in Faribault for seven years. She has worked as a transition counselor with VRS for nine years. She spent two years working on a pilot project in Dakota County, Way to Work learning and practicing customized employment assisting individuals earning sub minimum wages obtain community, integrated employment. 

The last six years she has assisted adults and students in transition with significant impacts of disability to obtain competitive, integrated employment. In 2018, Margie completed certification in Discovery and Systematic Instruction through Marc Gold & Associates with an emphasis on Customized Employment. She has extensive training in the use of Person-Centered practices, Customized Employment, and Charting the LifeCourse tools. She is currently a member of ACRE-Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators. Margie participated in the curriculum development of MN Customized Employment model and currently teach, train, and mentor Customized Employment training in MN. Margie also provides Discovery services in her local area and provides consultation statewide facilitating a MN Customized Employment Community of Practice.

Presenter: Steve Wooderson

Bio: Steve Wooderson was selected as the CEO of CSAVR on November 1, 2010. Prior to joining CSAVR, Steve was the administrator of Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services. He oversaw the state VR and independent living programs, as well as the disability determination services bureau. 

His experience in VR spans over 35 years of service in the vocational rehabilitation program. Steve started as a VR counselor in south-central Missouri in January of 1981 and he enjoyed a 20-year career with the Missouri VR agency. In March of 2000, Steve moved to Iowa to become the rehabilitation services chief and then was appointed agency administrator in December of 2002. He has served at all professional levels in the public vocational rehabilitation program; which gives him a unique perspective of the local, state, and national implications of VR service delivery. During Steve's tenure in Iowa, he also was adjunct faculty in the Drake University rehabilitation counseling program.

​Since his tenure with CSAVR, he has also led the way to an international partnership with allied vocational rehabilitation service providers in Western Europe and been a featured trainer and speaker with the European Platform for Rehabilitation headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Steve also has represented CSAVR and the US public VR program by presenting and meeting with members of the Vietnamese Ministry of Labor, social services providers, and higher education officials in Hanoi, Vietnam.

​He is a certified Dale Carnegie trainer and a retired Army Reserves Lieutenant Colonel.