Beyond the Award Letter: Expanding Your Advocacy to Include Economic Empowerment Through Work – 2026 Spring National Conference – Track I (Presented by National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives)

Stephanie Whelan, LISW-CP, LICSW, Director of Workforce Strategy and Operations | EmployReward Solutions (ERS)

Stephanie Whelan, LISW-CP, LICSW, is the Director of Workforce Strategy and Operations at EmployReward Solutions (ERS), a national Employment Network operating under the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work Program. She is committed to driving strategic workforce initiatives and operational excellence to empower individuals through employment opportunities, and to turning complex processes into practical, coordinated solutions that help individuals navigate multifaceted systems.

• Education & Credentials

Stephanie Whelan holds the Licensed Independent Social Worker, Certified Practitioner (LISW-CP) and Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) credentials. These clinical credentials reflect advanced training in social work practice and her commitment to bringing a person-centered, strengths-based approach to workforce strategy and disability employment services. Her licensure in two states underscores the breadth of her professional standing and the rigor of her clinical and operational background. (Specific academic credentials are not included in the provided biography.)

• Recognition & Leadership

As Director of Workforce Strategy and Operations at ERS, Stephanie holds a leadership role at the intersection of clinical social work, workforce development, and Ticket to Work program management. Her dual LISW licensure distinguishes her within the Employment Network space, where clinical expertise is a significant asset in designing and delivering services that meet the complex needs of Social Security beneficiaries pursuing employment. Her commitment to operational excellence and strategic workforce initiatives reflects a professional philosophy centered on empowering individuals with disabilities to achieve sustainable employment and greater independence.

• Professional Involvement

Stephanie’s professional involvement bridges clinical social work practice and disability employment program operations. As Director of Workforce Strategy and Operations at ERS, she leads initiatives that align the organization’s workforce programs with the needs of ticketholders and the operational requirements of a national Employment Network. Her LISW credentials bring a clinical lens to program design and service delivery, ensuring that the human dimensions of disability, employment, and benefits intersect in ways that genuinely support individuals on their path to self-sufficiency.

• Experience

Stephanie Whelan serves as Director of Workforce Strategy and Operations at EmployReward Solutions, where her work focuses on strategic workforce initiatives and operational excellence in support of individuals with disabilities pursuing employment. Her approach centers on translating complex systems and processes into practical, coordinated solutions that enable individuals to successfully navigate the supports available to them through the Ticket to Work Program.

Rob Pfaff, Chief Operating Officer | EmployReward Solutions (ERS)

Rob Pfaff is the Chief Operating Officer of EmployReward Solutions (ERS), a federally contracted National Employment Network operating under the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work program. He brings a career spanning more than two decades of progressively senior federal service at the Social Security Administration, where his work encompassed disability adjudication, policy development, research leadership, and program administration. Throughout his federal career, he held roles that shaped SSA’s disability determination processes and employment support initiatives at the national level before transitioning to his current leadership position at ERS.

• Education & Credentials

Rob Pfaff is a 1994 graduate of Towson University, where he majored in History and Social Science and minored in Secondary Education. Rob’s credentials are anchored in more than 25 years of senior federal service at the Social Security Administration. He has held roles spanning disability adjudication, vocational rehabilitation, program management, and executive leadership, including Director of SSA’s Office of Employment Support and Director in the Office of Medical and Vocational Expertise. His detail to the U.S. House of Representatives Social Security Subcommittee reflects the cross-institutional trust he earned through his federal career.

• Recognition & Leadership

Rob Pfaff’s recognition is reflected in the scope of leadership roles he held within the Social Security Administration. He served as Deputy Associate Commissioner in SSA’s Office of Research, Demonstration and Employment Support (ORDES), where beginning in 2013 he was the executive responsible for the administration of SSA’s Ticket to Work Program. Prior to that, in 2012 he was selected as the Division Director in the Case Management Office in the Office of Medical and Vocational Expertise (OMVE), where he led a unit of 45 disability adjudicators, clerical staff, and managers in the adjudication of disability claims in support of state disability agencies and federal Hearings units.

• Professional Involvement

Rob served as the SSA representative on the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), acting as the component lead on homeless initiatives during his tenure in SSA’s Office of Program Development and Research. He was also selected to serve as a Federal Official Member of the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities, a federal advisory body operating under the U.S. Department of Labor. He currently serves as Chief Operating Officer at EmployReward Solutions, a National Employment Network committed to providing individualized career counseling and support for Ticketholders enrolled in the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work Program, working hands-on with eligible ticketholders in all 50 states.

• Experience

Rob began his career in 1995 at the Maryland Disability Determination Services, where he conducted medical claims reviews and authorized determinations for individuals applying for Social Security disability benefits. In 1999, he was selected to become Unit Supervisor, managing a unit of eight disability adjudicators and two clerical staff. In 2001, he was selected by the Social Security Administration to draft disability policy and regulations, including medical Listings, vocational policy, and the conversion of disability application forms into electronic format. In 2004, he was selected by the Office of Program Development and Research to serve as a certified Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) leading disability research projects, and subsequently became the component lead on homeless initiatives by serving as the SSA representative on the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. In 2012, he was selected as Division Director in the Case Management Office within OMVE, leading a unit of 45 disability adjudicators, clerical staff, and managers. He then served as Deputy Associate Commissioner in ORDES beginning in 2013, where he was the executive responsible for the administration of SSA’s Ticket to Work Program. He subsequently joined EmployReward Solutions as Chief Operating Officer, where he applies his federal expertise to the organization’s mission of supporting SSI and SSDI beneficiaries in achieving employment and financial independence.

Tripp Carter, Vice President of Compliance & Special Projects | EmployReward Solutions (ERS)

Tripp Carter is Vice President of Compliance & Special Projects at EmployReward Solutions (ERS), a national Employment Network operating under the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work Program. Since joining ERS in 2010, he has contributed to the organization’s growth across multiple areas, leading strategic partnerships, operational improvements, and software development in addition to hands-on service delivery. With nearly 15 years of experience in the disability employment space, he is a committed advocate for disability inclusion who works to connect mission-driven services with measurable results.

• Education & Credentials

Tripp brings nearly 15 years of specialized experience in the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work Program to his role at ERS. His expertise spans program compliance, inclusive employment partnerships, technology-driven service delivery, and operational leadership within a national Employment Network a combination that reflects both practical and strategic depth in the disability employment field.

• Recognition & Leadership

Tripp’s tenure at ERS since 2010 and his advancement to Vice President of Compliance & Special Projects reflect the organization’s confidence in his expertise and leadership. Over nearly 15 years, he has contributed to ERS’s growth at every level, from direct service delivery to strategic partnership development and software innovation. His focus on connecting mission-driven services with measurable outcomes has positioned ERS as an effective and forward-looking Employment Network within the Ticket to Work ecosystem, and his advocacy for disability inclusion gives his compliance and operational work a clear sense of purpose.

• Professional Involvement

Tripp Carter has been an active contributor to EmployReward Solutions since 2010, participating in the organization’s development across service delivery, operations, and external partnerships. He specializes in program compliance, inclusive recruitment partnerships, and the application of technology to improve outcomes for both ticketholders and employer partners.

• Experience

Tripp Carter brings nearly 15 years of experience at EmployReward Solutions, where his work has spanned program compliance, strategic partnership development, operational improvements, and software development. In addition to his leadership responsibilities, he has maintained direct involvement in service delivery, supporting SSI and SSDI beneficiaries in their pursuit of employment and financial independence through the Ticket to Work Program. His focus on using technology to improve outcomes and building inclusive recruitment partnerships reflects his broader commitment to advancing disability inclusion and connecting the mission of ERS to measurable results for ticketholders and employers alike.

Lindsey Braciale, Founder & CEO | Advocations

Lindsey Braciale is a social entrepreneur and workforce innovator working at the intersection of data, legal advocacy, and human potential. As the Founder and CEO of Advocations, she has spent nearly two decades demonstrating that disability-inclusive employment is a powerful engine for economic growth. Under her leadership, Advocations has dismantled systemic barriers for over 21,000 individuals, transforming perceived risks into resilient, competitive workforces. A Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Work Incentive Practitioner, her work is deeply rooted in the practical realities of the Social Security system, and her impact spans from building programs at Fortune-ranked companies to shaping City of Charlotte policies.

• Education & Credentials

Lindsey Braciale studied Cognitive Science, with a concentration in Computer Science and Psychology, at the University of Virginia. She went on to earn a Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University. To expand her business acumen, she completed the executive education program at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. She is currently a Law and Leadership Scholar at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Professionally, she holds credentials as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Work Incentive Practitioner.

• Recognition & Leadership

Lindsey Braciale is a pitch finalist on ABC’s Shark Tank and a recipient of the Small Business Administration’s National Job Creator Award. As Founder and CEO of Advocations, she has led the organization to serve over 21,000 individuals, building programs at Fortune-ranked companies and contributing to the shaping of City of Charlotte policies.

• Professional Involvement

As a Law and Leadership Scholar at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Lindsey is currently pioneering an experiential education curriculum that bridges the gap between Social Security policy and frontline employment advocacy. Her work in this space is focused on equipping practitioners with tactical tools to disrupt what she identifies as the “SSI-to-crime pipeline,” fueled by the reality that SSI removal for transition-aged youth increases annual incarceration risks by 60% over two decades. She is advancing legal advocacy as a tool to further her mission of making disability inclusion a cornerstone of sustainable, real-world opportunity.

• Experience

Lindsey Braciale brings nearly two decades of experience in disability-inclusive workforce development as the Founder and CEO of Advocations. Her multidisciplinary background spans rehabilitation counseling, work incentive practice, cognitive science, business strategy, and legal advocacy. She has built programs at Fortune-ranked companies, influenced municipal policy in Charlotte, and developed workforce solutions that have served over 21,000 individuals. Currently pursuing legal studies at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, she is developing an experiential education curriculum designed to equip frontline practitioners with the Social Security policy knowledge needed to create sustainable employment pathways for individuals at risk of systemic failure.

Debora Wagner, Work Incentives Training & Technical Assistance Specialist | Cornell University Yang-Tan Institute

Debora Wagner is a nationally recognized specialist in Social Security work incentives and benefits law, with a career spanning legal services, law school clinical education, and policy-level training and advocacy. She spent 25 years representing individuals with disabilities in benefits cases before the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration, with a specialization in work incentives planning. Since December 2021, she has been a member of the Work Incentive Support Center at Cornell University’s Yang-Tan Institute, where she provides work incentives training and technical assistance. She serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Benefits and Work Incentives Specialists (NABWIS), on the SSA’s Standing Committee of Medical and Vocational Experts for Disability Programs, and became a member of the National Academy of Social Insurance in January 2025.

• Education & Credentials

Debora’s credentials reflect a distinguished career at the intersection of law, clinical education, and disability benefits advocacy. She has taught at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, and Saint Louis University School of Law, with a focus on clinical legal education and poverty law. She has served as Managing Attorney at both Colorado Legal Services and the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati, and holds deep specialization in Social Security work incentives, VA benefits, and post-entitlement issues.

• Recognition & Leadership

Debora serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Benefits and Work Incentives Specialists (NABWIS), a role she has held since June 2022, and on the Social Security Administration’s Standing Committee of Medical and Vocational Experts for Disability Programs — two positions that place her among the most influential voices in the work incentives and disability benefits community. In January 2025, she was welcomed into the National Academy of Social Insurance, further recognizing her expertise and contributions to the field. She is frequently invited to present on Social Security post-entitlement issues and the intersection of VA and Social Security benefits.

• Professional Involvement

Debora’s professional involvement spans direct legal representation, law school clinical teaching, statewide training network support, and national policy engagement. From 2016 to 2022, she provided training and technical assistance to Ohio’s statewide network of work incentives planners. Since joining Cornell University’s Yang-Tan Institute in December 2021, she has continued that work at a national level through the Work Incentive Support Center. Her board service at NABWIS, her committee role at SSA, and her membership in the National Academy of Social Insurance reflect a career defined by sustained engagement at every level of the disability benefits ecosystem.

• Experience

Over a 25-year career in legal services and law school clinical programs, Debora represented individuals with disabilities in benefits cases before the VA and the SSA, specializing in work incentives planning. She served as Managing Attorney at Colorado Legal Services and the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati, and taught clinical legal education and poverty law at three law schools. From 2016 to 2022, she supported Ohio’s statewide work incentives planning network before joining Cornell University’s Yang-Tan Institute in 2021. Her current work combines national training and technical assistance on work incentives with leadership roles at NABWIS and SSA’s Standing Committee of Medical and Vocational Experts — making her one of the most experienced and broadly credentialed practitioners in the country on the intersection of work, disability, and federal benefits.

Megan Jones, Managing Attorney | Disability Rights Maryland

Megan Jones is a managing attorney with Disability Rights Maryland (DRM), Maryland’s Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Agency for individuals with disabilities. Since entering the P&A system in 2015, she has built a career dedicated to advancing the rights and employment opportunities of individuals with disabilities across multiple states. Prior to joining DRM in 2019, she gained experience in the P&A system through positions in Florida and Connecticut, and she now leads two of DRM’s core program areas in Maryland.

• Education & Credentials

Megan Jones earned her law degree from Quinnipiac University School of Law and was licensed to practice law in Florida in 2015. She holds the Esquire (Esq.) designation and practices as an attorney at Disability Rights Maryland.

• Professional Involvement

Megan Jones oversees DRM’s work on the Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) project and manages DRM’s Children’s Education and Mental Health team. Her involvement in the P&A system spans work at three state-level Protection and Advocacy agencies, Disability Rights Florida, Disability Rights Connecticut, and Disability Rights Maryland, reflecting a sustained commitment to disability advocacy across jurisdictions.

• Experience

Megan Jones has been involved in work through the Protection and Advocacy system since 2015. Prior to joining Disability Rights Maryland in 2019, she worked on the PABSS project and the Client Assistance Program (CAP) on behalf of clients of Vocational Rehabilitation at both Disability Rights Florida and Disability Rights Connecticut, the respective P&A agencies for those states. Since joining DRM, she has served as a managing attorney overseeing the PABSS project and leading DRM’s Children’s Education and Mental Health team, bringing her multistate P&A experience to bear in support of individuals with disabilities in Maryland.

SESSSION 1 – Employment Networks (ENs) | 2:45pm – 3:00pm

This segment examines how Employment Networks assist disability beneficiaries pursuing sustainable employment under the Ticket to Work program. Attorneys will learn how to coordinate with Employment Networks to support clients transitioning from benefits to work while building long-term economic independence.

SESSSION 2 – State Vocational Rehabilitation | 3:00pm – 3:10pm

This segment explores how State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies help individuals with disabilities prepare for and maintain employment. Attorneys will learn how to collaborate with vocational rehabilitation counselors to align employment goals with clients’ functional abilities and long-term plans.

SESSSION 3 – Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Project (WIPA) | 3:10pm – 3:20pm

This segment focuses on how Work Incentives Planning and Assistance programs provide individualized benefits counseling for beneficiaries considering employment. Attorneys will learn how accurate benefits planning reduces overpayment risk and how to incorporate counseling into broader client advocacy strategies.

SESSSION 4 – State Workforce | 3:20pm – 3:30pm

This segment examines how state workforce systems support individuals with disabilities entering or reentering the labor market. Attorneys will learn how workforce agencies provide job training and career counseling, and how to collaborate with workforce professionals to expand employment pathways for clients.

SESSSION 5 – Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) | 3:30pm – 3:45pm

This segment explores how Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security programs provide legal advocacy for beneficiaries facing employment barriers. Attorneys will learn how these representatives address workplace discrimination and employment rights disputes that may prevent clients from pursuing independence.