Ms. Courtney is WRI’s project coordinator. One of her duties is coordination
of WRI’s 2009 contract with the Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities
(APD). Contract responsibilities are related to the implementation of
Florida’s federal Medicaid Infrastructure Grant. Ms. Courtney markets and
organizes Supported Employment Train-the-Trainer sessions, along with
advanced trainings, Working with Employers…Best Practices of the Most
Successful Employment Specialists and Leadership and Management Training for
Employment Service Providers.
Through WRI’s 2008 and 2009 contracts with CESSI, a contractor of the Social Security Administration (SSA), WRI is promoting the SSA’s “New” Ticket to Work Program (TTW). WRI is tasked with educating and recruiting employers and service providers to participate in the TTW program by becoming Employment Networks (EN). Ms. Courtney organizes various training sessions to employers and services providers throughout Florida on the advantages of becoming an EN using WRI’s recently developed Employment Network Handbook for Employers: Turning Diversity into Dollars. WRI is currently developing an Employment Network Handbook for Employment Service Providers.
Ms. Courtney is currently providing staff support to Florida's local Business Leadership Network chapters located in the Big Bend (Tallahassee), Polk County, First Coast (Greater Jacksonville), Tampa Bay Metro, Greater Orlando, and Miami-Dade County areas. Ms. Courtney coordinates and prepares meeting materials for all BLNs. Ms. Courtney assisted in the development of an Employer Resource Guide, which is used by BLN employer members in the hiring of persons with disabilities and as a means of recruiting new members.
As project coordinator for the Florida 2005 Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Working Group conference, Ms. Courtney was responsible for conference arrangements. Nearly 350 individuals attended the August 29-31, 2005 conference in Orlando, FL.
Ms. Courtney assisted in the preparation of the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council's report, "Survey of the Employment Needs and Goals of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities." More than 500 Floridians with disabilities were surveyed to determine hurdles to employment they have encountered as well as recommendations which would have a major impact on employment services and increase the number of people with developmental disabilities who wish to achieve their dream of working in a paid community job.
For several years Ms. Courtney provided staff support to the Southern Movement for Independence Board of Directors. The Southern Movement for Independence is Florida's first statewide self-determination organization run by and for individuals with developmental disabilities and is funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Developmental Disabilities and the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc. Ms. Courtney assisted SMI with staff support in their numerous activities and accomplishments. Ms. Courtney worked closely with members of the 14 local self-determination chapters throughout the state and was editor of SMI's monthly newsletter. Ms. Courtney assisted in the coordination of SMI's quarterly board meetings and arranged all travel and hotel accommodations. Ms. Courtney assisted SMI members in the coordination of Florida's Second Self-Determination Conference held August 22-24, 2003 in Tampa, FL.
Ms. Courtney assisted Wilson Resources, Inc. in the development and production of six teleconferences on Florida’s Supported Employment Services. The teleconferences were funded by the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council. Attendance reached a total of over 1,000 persons at downlink sites located throughout the state. Ms. Courtney produced the extensive workbooks distributed to all conference attendees. She also was responsible for the layout and design of all materials distributed at the teleconferences on Social Security Work Incentives and at Florida’s First Self-Determination Conference. Ms. Courtney handled the conference logistics.
Prior to her work with WRI, Ms. Courtney was an employee of Leadership Florida, an organization devoted to the training and development of Florida leaders. For several years, she worked at the Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc. and was responsible for organizing board meetings and other events. Ms. Courtney has experience in advertising and marketing.
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