Meet the Team
Directors
Erin Riehle, RN, MSN, CESP
Erin is a recognized authority and national leader in promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. She is a founder and Senior Director of Project SEARCH, an employment and transition program that has received national recognition for innovative practices pioneered under Ms. Riehle’s guidance.
Susie Rutkowski, BS, M.Ed., CESP
Susie is the Co-Director and Educational Specialist for Project SEARCH. She is a nationally recognized transition expert with specific experience in program development in career technical education and job development for young adults with disabilities. She served as the Manager for Disability Education at Great Oaks Career Campuses for over twelve years. During that tenure she co-founded Project SEARCH.
Program Specialists
Cindy Burns, CESP
Cindy has more than 25 years of experience in employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She is currently a program specialist assisting schools, community rehabilitation agencies, funding agencies and employers with the development of new programs in 5 states. Cindy is based in Savannah, Georgia.
Joy Burress, BA, CESP
Joy has more than 25 years of experience in teaching children and adults. While building a training and auditing program in the Scheduling Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, she worked with Project SEARCH as a manager of an internship site and served on the Project SEARCH Advisory Council at Cincinnati Children’s. Joy now works for Project SEARCH as a Program Specialist.
Molly Michels, BA, MA, CESP
Molly provides training and technical assistance for Project SEARCH sites in several US states and Canada. Prior to joining Project SEARCH, Molly spent more than a decade developing and implementing employment initiatives for people with disabilities on behalf of the University of Wisconsin Madison Waisman Center and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Molly is based in Madison, Wisconsin.
Holly Opatick, BA, MS
Holly Opatick is a Program Specialist with the National Project SEARCH office. In this role she serves Project SEARCH teams in 8 states primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and the District of Columbia. As an accomplished Director, Educator and Counselor her 20 years of experience covers a broad range of training and student service functions including implementation, operation, and oversight of 4 Project SEARCH programs. Holly is based in Pittsburgh, PA.
Carly Detlefsen, BS, M.Ed.
Carly is a Program Specialist, providing training and technical assistance for Project SEARCH sites in several states. Prior to joining Project SEARCH, Carly spent over 22 years in education as a teacher, school counselor and district transition specialist. Her most recent experiences were with the Florida Department of Education providing technical assistance to 21 school districts in all areas of transition, and in that role served as Florida’s Statewide Coordinator for Project SEARCH for almost 8 years. Carly is based in St. Augustine, Florida.
Business Office
Belinda Grant, MSM
Belinda has a BS in Sociology/Criminology from Mount St. Joseph University and a MSM specialization in Human Resources from Indiana Wesleyan University. She has 20 years of experience working in healthcare administration and customer service. Belinda is the Senior Operation Specialist for the Disabilities Services Department at Cincinnati Children’s. Her role with Project SEARCH includes invoicing, payments, and other financial duties.
Kyle Seigel, BS
Kyle is the Project Management Specialist for the Disabilities Services Department at Cincinnati Children’s. His role with Project SEARCH includes technical assistance, portal/ website maintenance, conference planning, and other project duties. He has 4 years of experience working in non-profit project roles. Kyle has a BS from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH.
Kristen Wright, MBA, FACHE
Kristen Wright is the Business Director for the Department of Disabilities Services at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. She supports Project SEARCH from the business office, with duties in contracting, billing, strategic planning, process improvement, and grant management.
Research Team
Dennis Cleary, OTD, OTR/L
Dr. Cleary is Assistant Professor and Senior Researcher for Project SEARCH. He is the co-creator of Vocfit.com, a free work skills assessment and employment matching tool with over 11,000 registered users worldwide. As an occupational therapist and researcher, Dennis has worked to test and refine methods to support young adults in work, academic, and social environments through the use of technology, activity analysis, curriculum development, and job-matching strategies.
Maryellen Daston, PhD, CESP
Maryellen is responsible for identifying state and federal funding opportunities, preparing grant applications, and managing the database and website content. Maryellen also contributes to the Project SEARCH website and other communications, including a book on the history, philosophy, and practices of Project SEARCH.
Employment Supports
Meredith Kincaide, MS
Meredith has been supporting people with disabilities in their place of employment for over four years. In 2023, she will complete the Masters of Communicative Sciences and Disorders program at New York University. CCHMC Employment Supports (IES) is a provider agency for the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. Meredith, along with the Employment Supports Specialists, support employees at CCHMC with developmental disabilities to learn and maintain their competitive job.
Anna Meloy, LISW
Anna is a Licensed Independent Social Worker in the state of Ohio. She has been working in the field of disabilities for over fifteen years. She has a passion to help individuals with disabilities excel in their places of employment. CCHMC Employment Supports (IES) is a provider agency for the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. Anna, along with the Employment Supports Specialists, support employees at CCHMC with developmental disabilities to learn and maintain their competitive job.
Jody Clyde
Jody is new to our department and will be supporting people with disabilities as an employee specialist. She comes with twelve years of services with clinical experience at CCHMC and a certified preceptor trainer. She has a BA in Early Education from Thomas More University. CCHMC Employment Supports (IES) is a provider agency for the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. Meredith, along with the Employment Supports Specialists, support employees at CCHMC with developmental disabilities to learn and maintain their competitive job.
Vocational/Educational Clinic
Wendy Ray, MRC
Wendy is the Vocational educational coordinator for the department of disability services at Cincinnati Childrens Medical Center. Wendy has 17 years experience working with individuals with disabilities in the educational and healthcare sectors. She has a master’s degree in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Jenny O’Brien, LSW
Jenny is a Licensed Social Worker in the state of Ohio. Jenny obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Social work at the Mount St. Joseph University here in Cincinnati, OH. She has worked for Hamilton County DDS, the state of Ohio with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD), an independent provider with DODD. Currently, with Cincinnati Children’s in the Disabilities Services Department, she works as a Vocational Educational Coordinator. In her role she helps patients and their families with developmental disabilities or chronic health conditions assess their transition plan(s), and subsequently, assists them in obtaining other services in place and provide resources needed to succeed past employment transition.