Training Innovation Project

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  • HDI grant to advance employer engagement strategies in vocational rehabilitation | UKNow

    HDI grant to advance employer engagement strategies in vocational rehabilitation | UKNow

    LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 2, 2025) — The University of Kentucky’s Human Development Institute (HDI) received $3.2 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Education to support a nationwide effort to engage employers and improve job opportunities for people with disabilities.  

    The “Training Innovation Project (TIP): Demand-Side Employer Engagement Strategies in Vocational Rehabilitation” focuses on building the skills and capacity of rehabilitation professionals, employers and future practitioners through evidence-based and accessible training. The project addresses a significant national need of connecting businesses with a talented workforce that includes people with disabilities, while supporting vocational rehabilitation (VR) professionals who serve as the bridge between job seekers and employers.

    “We are thrilled to support new learning and AI opportunities for rehabilitation staff to strengthen relationships with employers,” said Kathy Sheppard-Jones, Ph.D., HDI researcher and TIP project director. “This funding will enable us to develop responsive and cutting-edge trainings that build on strong partnerships we have with workforce, health care and education. We will share strategies for working with businesses that can be replicated throughout the country. Ultimately, this will lead to improved employment outcomes for a largely overlooked segment of the talent pool — people with disabilities.”

    The TIP project will include a range of training and enrichment activities to help strengthen disability hiring and retention. These include hands-on learning experiences that bring the experience of employer engagement to the VR professional through virtual reality. Video self-modeling will let learners view themselves successfully connecting and communicating with business contacts. A Disability Hiring and Retention Academy will bring employers and workforce together to develop strategies that lead to more applicants and hires who happen to have disabilities. A new credential for professionals who work directly with employers will also be available through the TIP online learning hub.

    Grant partners include the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board, Kentucky Hospital Association, Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation, Jobs for America’s Graduates Kentucky, Kentucky Nurses Association and CareerViewXR. 

    This project is supported by the U.S. Department of Education as part of an award H263G250007 totaling $3,200,000 with 100% funded by the Department of Education. 

    As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It’s all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.

    Link to the original UKNow article here.

  • Kathy Sheppard-Jones, Ph.D., CRC

    Portrait of Principal Investigator and Project Director, Kathy Sheppard-Jones, Ph.D., CRC.

    Role:

    Principal Investigator and Project Director  

    E-Mail:

    kjone@uky.edu 

    Kathy Sheppard-Jones earned her doctorate in Educational Psychology and a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Kentucky. She is a certified rehabilitation counselor. She led the development of Kentucky’s Return to Work model demonstration project, RETAIN Kentucky, which helped define many elements of TIP. Her interests include knowledge translation, leadership, universal design, technology, community education, and pre-service training. She is the Principal Investigator for this project and provides oversight across all TIP objectives.

  • Johnny Collett

    Portrait of Co-Principal Investigator Johnny Collett.

    Role:

    Co-Principal Investigator 

    E-Mail:

    Johnny.Collett@uky.edu 

    Johnny W. Collett is deputy executive director for external affairs at the University of Kentucky’s Human Development Institute (HDI). Before joining HDI, Collett served as Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Prior to that, he was program director for special education outcomes at the Council of Chief State School Officers. He has also served in senior leadership roles at the Kentucky Department of Education and as a high school special education teacher.  

    From the classroom to state leadership to the nation’s highest-ranking role for special education and rehabilitative services, Collett has focused on raising expectations and improving outcomes for people with disabilities. Throughout his career, he has worked collaboratively with students, families, educators, employers, disability advocates, state and federal policymakers, and other stakeholders to advance meaningful systems change.  

    His experience leading the implementation of state and federal laws, policies, and cross-sector initiatives provides a unique perspective on improving educational, employment, community, and other life outcomes for people with disabilities.

  • Beth Potter

    Portrait of Co-Principal Investigator Beth Potter.

    Role:

    Co-Principal Investigator 

    E-Mail:

    beth.potter@uky.edu  

    Beth Potter serves as Deputy Executive Director for Administration at the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (HDI), where she is a member of the Executive Leadership Team and provides strategic leadership for an institute of more than 250 staff and approximately 50 projects. Her work focuses on organizational strategy, workforce development, operational effectiveness, and building partnerships that strengthen systems and improve outcomes for people with disabilities.

    Potter is a Co-Investigator with the Training Innovation Project (TIP), a U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration-funded initiative designed to strengthen the capacity of vocational rehabilitation professionals and their partners to advance competitive integrated employment. Through TIP, she helps develop professional learning opportunities focused on employer engagement, workforce partnerships, leadership, and translating evidence and emerging practices into practical strategies for the field.

    She has extensive experience working across disability, workforce, education, government, and community systems and has represented HDI in statewide workforce and employment initiatives. Her work emphasizes connecting people, organizations, and resources to address workforce challenges, strengthen employer partnerships, and create more inclusive employment opportunities.

    Beth previously served as Acting Executive Director of HDI and brings an executive-level perspective to the intersection of organizational leadership, workforce development, and systems change.

  • Christina Espinosa

    Portrait of Content Specialist Christina Espinosa.

    Role:

    Content Specialist 

    E-Mail:

    ctespinosa@uky.edu 

    Christina Espinosa is the Division Director of Community Education at the Human Development Institute at the University of Kentucky. She has developed collaborations across campus, Kentucky, and the nation. I have been a Principal Investigator of contracts with the state Office for Vocational Rehabilitation, Office for the Blind, Protection & Advocacy, the Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities, NIH, and the Rehabilitation Services Administration. I have served with the University of Kentucky (UK) Unconscious Bias Committee, the UK University Equal Opportunity Committee, UK Living Home Workgroup, Access Lexington Mayor’s Commission, AUCD National Project Advisory Committee, the KY Center for Independent Living, the Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research, and the Kentucky Housing Corporation. I conduct trainings and webinars for state and national governmental agencies, campus partners, and for the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Centers.

  • Carter Fifield

    Portrait of Developer Carter Fifield.

    Role:

    Developer  

    E-Mail:

    Carter.Fifield@uky.edu  

    Carter is an experienced technology leader with over ten years in higher education, specializing in strategic IT planning, system development, and project management. He currently serves as Director of Technology, where he leads innovations to enhance customer experience, strengthen security, and drive departmental transformation. He is skilled in cross-functional leadership, accessibility standards, and continuous quality improvement, with technical expertise in web development, data systems design, artificial intelligence, and virtual experiences. Carter is passionate about using technology to deliver high-impact solutions that support institutional goals and create meaningful user experiences.

  • Christina Forster

    Portrait of Evalution, Christina Forster

    Role:

    Evaluation  

    E-Mail: christina.forster@uky.edu 

    Christina L. Forster is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) with more than 20 years of experience navigating complex employment and disability-related services and conducting program evaluation. She joined the Human Development Institute (HDI) Evaluation Unit in 2024 and supports multiple grant-funded projects focused on improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities. Her work on the Training Innovation Project (TIP) centers on evaluating and analyzing data, including key informant interview analysis, training evaluations, and other project assessment activities. This work builds on her prior experience with the National MS Society, where she led national employment, benefits, and health insurance initiatives, and with Virginia Vocational Rehabilitation, where she served as a vocational rehabilitation counselor helping people with disabilities achieve successful and sustainable employment outcomes.

  • Skyler Hill

    Portrait of Developer Skyler Hill.

    Role:

    Developer 

    E-Mail:

    Quinton.Hill@uky.edu 

    Skyler is a Computer Support Specialist II at the Human Development Institute at the University of Kentucky, where he focuses on hardware troubleshooting, inventory management, and technology deployment. He enjoys solving complex technical issues and ensuring systems and equipment are reliable and efficiently managed.

    Beyond his professional work, Skyler is passionate about both music and technology, especially where the two intersect. He is always looking for ways to grow personally and professionally through those interests.

  • Mykal Leslie, Ph.D., CRC

    Portrait of Evaluation and Continuous Quality Improvement Mykal Leslie.

    Role:

    Executive Director  

    E-Mail:

    mykal.leslie@uky.edu  

    Mykal Leslie, PhD, LPCC-S, CRC, the Executive Director for HDI, has been the PI for 19 federal and state contracts. An accomplished researcher, he has authored or co-authored over 30 refereed journal articles on mental health, vocational evaluation, neurological disabilities, workplace accommodations, substance use disorders, and workplace discrimination. Dr. Leslie trained rehabilitation counselors to work in the state-federal VR system for six years at Kent State University, where he served as an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator. A former state VR counselor in West Virginia, he has also provided therapy services for adolescents and adults with mental health and substance use conditions. He serves on the board for Disability Rights Ohio, advocating for disability inclusion and policy reform in education, employment, access to healthcare, and community participation.

  • Deborah Minton

    Portrait of Deborah Minton

    Role:

    Project Manager  

    E-Mail:

    deborah.minton@uky.edu  

    Deborah Minton, M.Ed., CRC, is the Program Manager for the Training Innovation Project at the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute. She has more than 20 years of experience in rehabilitation counseling, providing services such as case management, job development, disability management, and undergraduate instruction. Ms. Minton has published and presented widely on employment-related topics for people with disabilities, including cognitive support technology, vocational rehabilitation, and traumatic brain injury, and services for students with disabilities in higher education.