Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae
Jeffrey T. Kiel, Ph.D.

Board Certified Vocational Expert
Certified Rehabilitation Counselor
Certified Life Care Planner

210-852-5837
vocexpertkiel@vocsolutions.net

San Antonio, Texas

 

CERTIFICATIONS/CREDENTIALS
CRC, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification, Certification: #00055591, current.
ABVE/D, Diplomate, American Board of Vocational Experts, Board Certified Vocational Expert: #00270, current.

CVE, Certified Vocational Evaluator, Commission on Vocational Evaluators, and Work Adjustment Counselors. Currently under CRCC oversight, current.
CCM, Certified Case Manager, Commission on Certified Case Managers: #55591, current.
CEAS, Certified Ergonomic Assessment Specialist, Back School of Atlanta, current.
CLCP, Certified Life Care Planner, International Commission on Healthcare Certification: #1274, current.

FVE, Registered Forensic Vocational Expert, current

CRP, Community Rehabilitation Provider, University of North Texas, current.

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor/Executive Director - Vocational Expert, Vocational Rehabilitation Expert 2005-Present; Life Care Planning Expert, 2015 to present.

Vocational Solutions, LLC, San Antonio, TX

• Evaluate the vocational potential, employability, and earning capacity of able-bodied and persons with disabilities through interviewing, record reviews, medical/psychological records reviews, job analysis, and vocational testing (if appropriate) to determine the individual’s ability to perform competitive employment. Calculate pre-injury and post-injury current and future earnings.
• Conduct vocational evaluations that include diagnostic vocational interviews, achievement, abilities, intelligence, work samples, and career interest and values assessments. Completed over 1,000 career vocational evaluations.
• Utilize Transferability Skills Analysis (TSA) to determine injured persons’ skills and conduct Labor Market Research Studies (LMS) to determine job availability.
• Served as an approved vendor to the Texas Work Force division Vocational Rehabilitation Division (formerly DARS) to evaluate and assist individuals with disabilities in overcoming barriers and viable job positions placement. Conducted vocational rehabilitation counseling and vocational evaluations. The job base included and is not limited to clerical, managerial, light industrial, and oil and gas industry.
• As an approved vendor and owner for a period of 5 years (2005-2010), I recruited, hired, selected employees, trained, and managed up to 4 employees involved in administrative and vocational rehabilitation for individuals with disabilities. I provided background checks, ensured that employees complied with the state of Texas standards, and, completed performance appraisals of my staff.
• Vocational Rehabilitation testimony in the Americans Disability Act, Personal Injury, spousal earnings capacities, Employment Law, ERISA, Long Shoreman, Medical Malpractice, Premise Liability, Worker’s Compensation, Long-Term Disability, and Social Security Disability.
• Life Care Planning testimony in Worker’s Compensation and Personal Injury cases.
• Contracted with the U.S. Attorney's Office of the United States as a Vocational Rehabilitation Expert and provided testimony.
• Review, analyze, develop, and complete Life Care Plans for litigated and non-litigated cases.
• Deposition and trial testimony for Life Care Planning (Medical Cost Projections) in civil litigation.
• Complete vendor surveys for life care plan pricing, review medical records, and consult with medical providers to identify necessary supply costs when appropriate.
• Written and/or verbal testimony accepted in state and district courts in California, Colorado, Georgia, Ohio, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and across Texas. Deposed over fifty times.
• Testimony accepted in Federal court as a vocational rehabilitation expert.
• Testified in trials regarding plaintiff and defense cases.
• Provided opinions in written testimony and depositions for loss of household services.
• Completed a Care Plan for a non-litigated paraplegia case.
• Evaluate Veterans independently for TDIU (Total Disability Individual Unemployability), and for the United States Department of Labor Office of Workers’ Compensation Program (OWCP) injured workers referrals for vocational evaluations.
• Completed vocational evaluations and testimony in a variety of complex disabilities including but not limited to upper and lower limb partial and complete amputations, autism, blind, cerebral palsy, chemical dependency, deaf, hearing loss, learning disabilities, mental illness, mobility disabilities, orthopedic injuries, visual impairments, Traumatic Brain Injuries, paraplegic, quadriplegic, and psychiatric.
• Testimony provided on pediatric cases evaluating future wage loss.
• Reviewed or completed Life Care Plans for injuries or illness resulting in amputation, orthopedic, and-or traumatic brain injury.
• Conduct peer-reviewed article research for complex litigated and non-litigated cases.

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor – Vocational Expert 2005-Present

Office of Disability Adjudication and Review, Texas, and multi-state testimony.

• Evaluate the vocational potential and employability of able-bodied individuals with disabilities seeking Social Security Disability cases using TSA and LMS. Testimony is based on Department of Labor (DOT) characteristics and hypothetical physical and non-exertion limitations. Maintain Federal security clearance.
• Currently, testify and have testified in over 7,000 Social Security Disability cases. My work included an examination of the work history of 2 NFL players.

 

 Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor 2002, Vocational Expert 2003-2005

Genex Services (Unum Provident), San Antonio, TX, and Parman Group, Columbus, OH

• Interviewed, and conducted record reviews, vocational testing, and Transferability Skills Analysis (TSA) to determine the individual’s ability to perform competitive employment.
• Provided vocational rehabilitation counseling services such as case management, job analysis, and job placement services to injured workers and veterans. Specialized in evaluating oil and gas workers. Prepared vocational analysis and forensic analysis reports for long-term disability cases.
• Conducted job analysis to mitigate worker injuries as a certified ergonomist.
• Conducted employee task analysis to assist with writing bona fide job descriptions.
• Facilitated job club for Veteran with disabilities in the community.
• Coordinated, designed, and implemented patient medical treatment and care plans.
• Consulted with employers, physicians, and therapists as an injured worker case manager.
• Provided vocational testimony in Texas Worker's Compensation Cases and defense.

Human Resources Staffing Recruiter 1999-2000

Phoenix Services, Toledo, OH and Ann Arbor, MI

• Recruited, interviewed, performed background checks, and selected candidates for light industrial and clerical positions. Assisted in executive search for technical and engineering positions.

 

Residential Specialist and Direct Care Worker 1997-1998 and 2001

Catholic Charities, Cleveland, OH, and Sunshine Children’s Home, Toledo, OH

• Responsible for community residential rehabilitation for individuals with disabilities that included developmental disability and psychiatric diagnoses. The population served included adolescents and young adults. Coordinated community integration activities, engaged in behavioral modification programs, and certified to pass medications at Sunshine Children’s Home.

 

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Doctor of Philosophy in General Psychology with an emphasis in Industrial & Organizational Psychology, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix Arizona. [Regionally Accredited Christian University]  2017 to March 2022.

• Doctoral-level courses emphasized: Behaviorism (individual, group, and organizational), Doctoral Statistics, Employee Training & Development, Ethics, Human Resources and Personnel Management, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Job Analysis, Leadership (Executive Coaching), Performance Appraisals (human productivity & performance), Quantitative and Qualitative Research, Task Analysis, Testing and Assessment in the Workplace (Psychometric Assessment) and, Psychopathology.
• Industrial- Organizational Psychology courses emphasized quantitative analysis of jobs, psychometric assessments, and employment.
• Completed CITI, Collaborative Institute Training Initiative Certification on human subject research.
• Quantitative Dissertation in Industrial-Organizational Psychology.
• Proficient in SPSS, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.

M.Ed., Masters of Education, Human Resource Development (including training and development, organizational development, and career development), Educational Technology University of Toledo, 2000.

B.A.,  Bachelors of Arts in Psychology/Minor Business Administration, University of Toledo, 1998.

Post-Graduate - (completed) C.O.R.E. accredited: One year towards M.S., Rehabilitation Counseling, Kent State University, required to take the Certified Counselor Examination 2001-2002.

• Assessment in Rehabilitation Counseling, Individual & Group Counseling, Fundamentals of Rehabilitation Counseling, Medical Information, Psychosocial Issues in Disabilities.

Post-Graduate: Certified Ergonomic Specialist, Back School of Atlanta.

Post-Graduate: University of Florida, enrolled, in Life Care Planning, 2013 to

September 2014. Completed 120 accredited hours in catastrophic case management.

Post-Graduate: University of North Texas. Took vocational rehabilitation courses to become a Community Rehabilitation Provider.

Post-Graduate:  Intermediate Economics, AREA, reviewing and examining earnings records,  converting wages into constant, loss of household services calculations, fringe benefits calculations, and computing to present value, May 2023.

 

INTERNSHIPS/PRACTICUM

Vocational Guidance Services, Work Evaluator II, Clinical hours and full-time employment in vocational evaluation and situational assessment, 2001-2002, Cleveland, OH.

Cerebral Palsy Foundation: Clinical Intern, Supervised by a clinical social worker and a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, 2001, Cleveland, OH.

Work Force Investment Act: Developing training and development benchmarks for Lucas County and evaluated job satisfaction for a corporation, 1998-2000, Toledo, OH.

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP/FACULTY POSITIONS/HONORS

American Board of Vocational Experts (ABVE), Diplomate member. Serve on Peer Review and Conference Planning committees, 2012-present. Serve as a Director of the ABVE Education Committee, 2023.

International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP),2004-2006, Life Care Planning, & Texas Chapter 2012-Present. Volunteer Mentor, 2021-present.

Secretary of Texas Chapter, 2017-2018; Board member of South-Central Texas, 2016.

Regional Correspondent on the Membership Committee of Forensics Division, 2005-2006, 2013, and 2015-2018.

SIOP, The Society For Industrial Organizational Psychologists, Professional Membership, 2022-present. Serving as an interview mentor.

National Rehabilitation Association (NRA), 2005-2006, 2016-Present.

San Antonio Regional Rehabilitation Association (SARA), 2005-2006, 2018

AREA, American Rehabilitation Economics Association (AREA), Professional Member, 2018-present.

The Center on Brain Injury Research and Training, subscription, 2020-2021.

Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services/Texas Workforce Commission (DARS/TWC), Faculty, Job Coaching, Interviewing, 2005-2018.

Volunteer as a telephonic Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor resource for Veterans, 2013-Present.

Wounded Warrior Program through Veterans Administration, Volunteer, 2013.

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Member, 2013.

San Antonio Regional Rehabilitation Association (SARRA), one year as a Board member. Planning CLE events and community fundraising for individuals with disabilities, 2005-2006.

Veteran’s Administration Vocational Rehabilitation program, faculty, Job Club moderator and facilitator, 2002-2003.

Axia Community College, Cultural Diversity Adjunct Instructor, 2004.

Psi Chi National Honors Society, served as Secretary and Information Chair, 1997-1998. 

PUBLICATIONS / PRESENTATIONS

Kiel, Jeffrey T. (2022). Correlating Five-Factor Personality Traits and Job Satisfaction among Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors. (Publication No. #29062387). [Doctoral Dissertation, Grand Canyon University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Thesis Global.

Speaker, University of North Texas Rehabilitation Counseling Master's program, "Careers in Vocational Rehabilitation & Vocational Rehabilitation in Practice." October 2021.

Speaker: "Interviewing and job seeking skills", Presented to the Lighthouse for the Blind Customers, San Antonio, TX, September 2021.

Speaker: "Traumatic Brain Injuries in Vocational Rehabilitation and Forensic Cases", Virtual Presentation for the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, October 2020.

Speaker: “Quantifying Vocational Expert Testimony.” Presented to Social Security Disability Advocates. San Antonio, TX, October 2018.

Speaker: “Advocacy for Individuals Applying for Social Security Disability” Presented to Consumer Benefits Professionals, Texas Chapter, Austin, TX, April 2018.

Speaker: “Valid Vocational Assessments Utilized on Traumatic Brain Injury Cases” Presented to International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, St. Louis, MO, October 2017.

Speaker: “Hydraulic Fracturing & Its Vocational Implications in Litigated & Non-Litigated Cases” Presented to American Board of Vocational Experts, San Antonio, TX, March 2015. Based on an article/blog post, from October 2014.

Changing Tides: An Empirical Review of Vocational Expert Testimony in Social Security Disability Appeals Hearings, 2013.

Rising to the Challenge: Social Security Vocational Expert Testimony Regarding Claimants’ Limitations and Transferability, 2011.

 

 

Updated: January 22, 2024