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 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 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 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.

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.