Cory obtained her undergraduate psychology degree followed by a Master’s Degree in Counseling. She has many years of experience counseling injured workers to provide vocational rehabilitation services to those referred by the WA State Department of Labor & Industries, self insurers, as well as private employers, explaining and following through with services available to each client under the governing laws. She has helped employers and injured workers navigate through a claim to ensure positive outcomes are a win/win for all parties whenever possible.Other proven skills include performing job analyses, worksite evaluations, ergonomic evaluations, coordination of services and return to work plans, as well as working with employers to consider adopting return to work programs to have in place for when an injury occurs; training and supervising interns and other staff; providing expert testimony and forensic opinion in matters related to employment issues; collecting, compiling, organizing, and analyzing recommendations and information through records, tests, interviews, and professional resources; community networking and outreach; and administering vocational evaluations.
Curriculum Vitae Highlights
- Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (2003- present)
- Registered Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Washington State (1996 – present)
- Certified Ergonomic Assessment Specialist (CEAS)
- Methods of Assessing Quality Team, WA Dept. of Labor & Industries (2007-2008)
- Vocational Improvement Project Advisory Group – WA State Labor & Industries (2007-2008)
- International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP) Member (2003- present)
- WA Chapter Board Member 2003-2008
- WA Chapter President Elect/President 2004 –2006
- Vocational Technical Stakeholders Group (2005- 2015)
- At-large member 2006 – 2015
- IARP Representative 2005-2006
- Washington State Self-Insurers Association (June 2010 –Present)
- WSIA Board of Directors Vocational Representative 2010-2012 & 2017-present
- Associate Committee 2012-2013
- Vocational Recovery Project Advisory Committee/Vocational Recovery Advisory Committee, WA Dept. of Labor & Industries (2017-present)
- Industrial Insurance University Board of Regents Faculty for WWCP (2020-Present)
- WCAC Vocational Subcommittee (October 2024-present)
- PRESENTATIONS (last 15 years):
- WA State Department of Labor & Industries Conference (June 2010) “Quality Assurance in Vocational Firms”
- WA Self Insurers Association University (April 2011) “The Vocational Improvement Project – Vocational and Legal Challenges from Assessment to the Board”
- WA Self Insurers Association Winter West Conference (January 2012) “Vocational Rehabilitation Updates”
- WA Self Insurers Association-Spokane Regional Meeting (February 2012) “Ethics-What Claims Managers and Employers Should Know”
- WA Self Insurers Association – Annual Conference (May 2013) “The Illegal Harvest: Immigration and Undocumented Worker Issues”
- WA State Labor & Industries – Self Insured Colloquium (June 2014) “Best Practices for Effective Collaboration on Challenging Claims”
- Oregon Association of Rehabilitation Professionals – Annual Conference (April 2017) “Current Topics in Vocational Rehabilitation: Staying Ethically Grounded in a Sea of Change”
- WA Self Insurers Association – RTW Summit (July 2017) “Successful Vocational Outcomes: Understanding the Difference Between State-Fund and Self Insurance”
- WA State Department of Labor & Industries – Spring Vocational Conference (June 2018) “Tying Professional Standards of Practice to Vocational Recovery in WA Workers’ Compensation”
- WA Self Insurers Association – RTW Summit (July 2018) “The VRP: What do the Changes Mean for Vocational Professionals?”
- WA State Department of Labor & Industries – Fall Conference (November 2018) “Vocational Recovery Pilot Panel Discussion”
- WA State Department of Labor & Industries Vocational Recovery Pilot Workshop (October 2019) “Attending Provider Collaboration”
- WA State Labor & Industries – Self Insured Colloquium (November 2019) “Integrating Our Systems: Health Care Innovation-Vocational Recovery.”
- WA Self Insurers Association – RTW Summit (August 2020) –“Vocational Recovery Project Committee Actions and Updates”
- SBH Legal Annual Washington Workshop (April 2021)-
“Tips & Tricks for Difficult Vocational Issues” - WA Self Insurers Association – RTW Summit (July 2021)-
“The New Life of a Vocational Counselor” - WA Self Insurers Association – Washington Workers Compensation Professional Designation (2020-2024) – “Managing RTW and Vocational Recovery Outcomes”
- WA Self Insurers Association Annual Conference (May 2024) – “Vocational Round Table”
- WA Self Insurers Association – RTW Summit (July 2024) – “Employer of Injury Not an Option? What Next and How Can We Keep the Focus on RTW?