U.S. Representative Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio) presents a Congressional Recognition to Kevin Miller, Director of Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, at the Columbus Job Fair.
In recognition of October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) is hosting job fairs across the state to connect OOD job seekers with employers, as well as recognize businesses who are committed to an inclusive and diverse workforce.
The second job fair took place at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center in Columbus on October 9. The event included 66 employers and 160 job seekers. OOD staff were joined by 37 job developers from 14 agencies to support job seekers.
U.S. Representative Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio) was on hand for the event. As she entered the job fair and saw the many endless booths, she told OOD Director Kevin Miller, “This is amazing - I love opportunity.” Congresswoman Beatty greeted and encouraged job seekers, asking questions and offering practical advice.
During one of her conversations with employers, Congresswoman Beatty said, “Diversity isn’t just race. Diversity also includes people with disabilities. It’s important we talk about this.”
Congresswoman Beatty presented a Congressional Recognition to OOD for recognizing National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The recognition states, “OOD is embodying its mission of serving individuals with disabilities through employment, disability determinations, and independence by hosting five job fairs across the state.”
Kristen Ballinger (left), Deputy Director of OOD Employer and Innovation Services; Congresswoman Beatty; and OOD Director Kevin Miller.
Ashley Fordham-Harper was the first job seeker to arrive at the event, and she was more than two hours early. She shared that she was eager to interact with employers because she felt prepared. Amber Freeman, job developer with Capabilities, explained that she and Ashley prepared for the job fair by working on interaction and interviewing skills. Pictured above is Fordham-Harper (left) and Freeman.
A dedicated interview room provided a space for 39 interviews to take place. At least 17 individuals are moving forward to the next step in the interview process.
Several state agency recruiters participated, including the Departments of Administrative Services, Agriculture, Commerce, Insurance, Medicaid, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Natural Resources, Rehabilitation and Correction, Transportation, and Youth Services. Recruiters from the Board of Pharmacy, Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, Development Services Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, and Office of Budget and Management were also present. Representatives from the Ohio Treasurer of State and the Ohio Secretary of State provided information about STABLE Accounts and voter registration.
Several state agency directors attended, including Jeff Davis, Director of the Department of Developmental Disabilities; Kimberly Murnieks, Director of the Office of Budget and Management; and Major General (Ret.) Deborah Ashenhurst, Director of the Department of Veterans Services. General Ashenhurst commented on the “tremendous opportunity” provided by the job fair and said, “It is so important that we help people take advantage of these opportunities.”
Two members of the OOD Council were on hand to talk with job seekers and employers. Karis Spence, Vice President, Enterprise Talent Advocate at Huntington Bank and OOD Council Member, was part of the event. She was joined by Jeremy Morris, Executive Director of the Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council and OOD Council member at the job fair.
OOD Assistant Director Erik Williamson (left) with Jeremy Morris, Executive Director of the Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council and OOD Council member.
State Representative Allison Russo (24th District); Phil Greenberg, Director of Government Affairs for JobsOhio; and Jed Morison, Superintendent of the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities, also attended.
Employer Partners of Inclusion Awards were presented to FedEx Ground, OhioHealth, The Ohio State University and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Levy Restaurants, and Teleperformance USA.
OOD Director Kevin Miller (left) presents award to Jennifer Pagnanelli, Senior Human Resources Business Partner for FedEx Ground.
OOD Director Kevin Miller (left) presents award to Lynnise Smith, Supplier Diversity Manager, OhioHealth.
OOD Director Kevin Miller (center) presents award to Kim Lambert (left), Recruitment Manager, The Ohio State University and Karen Bryer (right), Director of Talent Acquisition, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
“Receiving this award shows us the partnership is working. We have our own Talent Sourcing Coordinator, Hayley Lightner, embedded at OSU, and she has helped us find so many qualified candidates. We are honored to be a part of this. Hiring folks with disabilities is very important to OSU,” said Kim Lambert, Recruiting Manager, The Ohio State University.
OOD Director Kevin Miller (left) presents award to Jeana Pierson, Human Resources Manager, and James Dillon, Human Resources Manager, both with Levy Restaurants.
OOD Director Kevin Miller (left) presents award to Chad Burroughs, Lead Talent Acquisition for Teleperformance USA.
Marla Owens (pictured right) is a Process Administrator with Huntington Bank. Owens, who is deaf, was hired in 2016 by Karis Spence (pictured left), Vice President and Enterprise Talent Advocate at Huntington). Upon meeting Owens, Spence reports she was impressed and knew Owens had skills.
Huntington, a diversity and inclusion leader, ensures that Owens has what she needs to be able to perform her job. This includes a sign language interpreter for meetings, or “instant messenger” apps to follow along during a conference call or small group meeting.
Prior to working at Huntington, Owens held part-time jobs. Now she works for Huntington full-time.
“I work in the imaging and file room where I file paid-off mortgages, as well as other titles and commercial documents that are sensitive,” said Owens. “I also do trainings as part of my job, to ensure people work with the team leader and follow special processes that are in place.”
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The 2019 Columbus Job Fair is the second job fair Owens has attended to recruit job seekers with disabilities to be a part of the Huntington team. “The job fair is a chance to show that there is no difference between us. Job seekers with disabilities have the skills and the knowledge and should be given a chance to connect regardless of their disability,” said Owens.
“The people at Huntington treat me like everyone else. Working for Huntington has given me confidence. I have good ideas, and I have the ability to make continuous improvements. I am glad to be here to encourage others that they can do the same,” added Owens.
A team from the Division of Disability Determination at OOD was on hand to support the Columbus Job Fair. Pictured above, from left to right: Thomas Melfo, Assistant Deputy Director; Rhonda Tanner, Deputy Director; Erik Reurink, Senior Disability Claims Adjudicator; Jonathan Clancy, Senior Disability Claims Adjudicator; Kimberlyn Price, Disability Claims Manager; Darin McCoy, Assistant Deputy Director; and Orlando Rodriguez, Disability Claims Manager.
Rhonda Tanner, Deputy Director of the Division of Disability Determination (DDD) brought members of her leadership team and two members of the Director’s Advisory Group to the Columbus Job Fair.
"This is a good opportunity to see how people can get into the workforce," said Tanner. "The job fair shows that we are a bridge for people when they need to find meaningful employment. Some people start with us in DDD and later are served by the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation when they are ready to work. This is what we do. It is a transformative process."
“The job fair is a wonderful initiative. It is great to see the collaboration that is taking place and how participants are being exposed to so many employers. The job fair shows us a different side of OOD,” said Erik Reurink, Senior Disability Claims Adjudicator.
“It also shows us that people have lives. So often, we only see the medical information on paper. This opportunity for employment can change lives for the better,” said Jonathan Clancy, Senior Disability Claims Adjudicator.
David Ellsworth, Health Services Policy Specialist, Ohio Disability and Health Program, Ohio Department of Health and The Ohio State University Nisonger Center, and Susan Pugh, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation at the Columbus Job Fair.
Students statewide have had the opportunity to explore careers and gain valuable work skills in a variety of local industries through the OOD Summer Youth Work Experience. Max’s experience took him to the Ronald McDonald House with Functional Training Services. Watch a video to learn about his experience and hear what his parents had to say.
If you have a student who is 14 years of age or older with a disability, reach out to OOD for more information on how we can help your child with career exploration, skill development, and strategies to get a job after graduation. Vocational rehabilitation counselors are talking with students and their parents about next summer’s opportunities. To find out more, go to https://www.ood.ohio.gov/transition-students.
OOD Director Kevin Miller sat down with Jeff Davis, Director of the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) for the DODD Ohio Podcast. The directors discussed National Disability Employment Awareness Month, initiatives supported by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s budget, and ideas on building the skills of Ohio’s disability workforce.
Find the episode now wherever you listen to podcasts by searching "DODD Ohio." The episode can also be livestreamed.
October 13-19, 2019 is Invisible Disabilities Week, which brings attention to those disabilities that are not readily apparent based on appearance. These could be physical, mental, or neurological conditions that limit a person’s abilities. Examples of invisible disabilities include developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder. Visual, hearing, and mental health disabilities are often invisible.
Symptoms of invisible disabilities can often lead to misunderstandings, false perceptions and judgments. The Invisible Disabilities Association works to encourage, educate, and connect people touched by invisible disabilities. During this special week, the association encourages wearing blue and using the hashtags #IamInvisibleNoMore and #InvisibleDisabilitiesWeek on social media in support of people with invisible disabilities.
When you see Mark Simon in a room, you see a sharp-dressed, dynamic young professional with a serious demeanor. His experience includes senior positions with Gap, Inc., GE Global Operations, Omnicare, Inc., and KPMG LLP. However, what you do not see is his mental health disability that began when he was 13 years old.
Simon was prescribed medications to treat his mental health condition. Although he sometimes struggled to maintain good grades in high school, he was accepted at the University of Cincinnati (UC) to study biomedical engineering.
Simon saw college as a fresh start. However, due to unmanaged mental health symptoms, he fell into depression, followed by manic episodes. During his sophomore year, he hit rock bottom, failing out of the College of Engineering and seeking treatment at a psychiatric hospital. Fortunately, he finally got the help he needed. He enrolled in a peer-to-peer program sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on how to live successfully with a mental health disability. It was the turning point of his life.
When Simon returned to UC, he was introduced to the disability services office that provided him with academic accommodations. He was connected with OOD’s Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR), which provided tuition assistance and job coaching. Simon was accepted into the College of Business and changed his major to accounting, where he maintained perfect grades. Simon led several student organizations and participated in a prestigious internship program, which paved the way to graduation and a job at an accounting firm.
According to Dr. Matthew Sauer, Simon’s Accommodations Coordinator at UC and an OOD Council Member, “Mark did not let his mental health disability deter his determination to reach his goals. He reached out to our office, at the time disability services, to build a team for his success. Mark was able to use these resources not only to reach his academic and employment goals, but also to help others. His ability to follow a plan, be flexible, and forward thinking is a great asset and one that he has shared successfully with others. He has helped others see a pathway for their own success.”
Early in his career, Simon hid his disability because of the stigma attached to having a mental health disability. He stuffed his emotions while at work and “crashed” once home. In 2017, his employer was looking for a way to raise awareness on mental health in the workplace. Simon took this opportunity to share his story in an article and video with the company’s divisional CEO, which were shared with 300,000 worldwide employees.
“Being open with my employers has done wonders for my career,” said Simon. “I’m now able to bring my full authentic self to work each day, which has increased my productivity as well as my sense of pride.”
Simon’s current employer offers a flexible schedule that allows him to work from home if needed, and attend appointments to take care of himself.
“I think it’s important for companies to create a culture where people can talk about mental health openly, which can help employees think about mental illness as they would any other disease,” said Simon.
If you have a mental health disability and want to work, visit https://oodworks.com/.
Any person may need help in coping with a stressful situation. The Crisis Text Line provides free support at your fingertips, 24/7. The confidential service is available via text on mobile devices, thanks to an agreement between the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the national Crisis Text Line.
An individual may text the keyword “4HOPE” to 741741 and expect a reply from a trained crisis counselor within five minutes. The message is confidential, anonymous, and secure. Crisis Text Line does not charge for these texts if your cell phone plan is with AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, or Verizon, and nothing will appear on a phone bill. If your plan is with another carrier, standard messaging rates apply, and the short code 741741 will appear on your billing statement.
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