Jeff Strasburg is an accomplished Employment Support Specialist with 8+ years of experience facilitating job placement and vocational support for individuals with disabilities. His expertise lies in Job Matching, Advocacy, Employer Relations, and Adaptive Employment Strategy. He now serves as the Director of the MERS/Goodwill Lippman Career Center, where he oversees 8 programs, and a staff of 25 people.Jeff is a client-focused professional dedicated to empowering success. He has excelled at MERS/Missouri Goodwill Industries, a $128 million social service agency. Highlights include:-Expertly matched and placed 22 clients at companies like Walmart, Schnucks, and MOD Pizza, achieving a 78% successful closure rate and generating $139K+ in billed income.-Cultivated robust employer relationships through networking, 1-on-1 meetings, and addressing concerns to ensure consistent job offerings.-Championed client advocacy by assigning suitable job sites, ensuring proper support, mediating employer communication, and justifying accommodations.-Dynamically strategized training approaches to maximize client productivity through checklists, reminders, and leveraging natural abilities with employer approval.-Coordinated the Productive Living Board's Summer Work Experience program, managing 150+ client placements and supervising 18-20 job coaches annually.Jeff earned his Ph.D. in English from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is an active volunteer Ambassador for the Job Seekers' Garden Club of St. Louis.Jeff can be reached at jstrasburg@mersgoodwill.orgKey Takeaways:-8+ years experience in vocational rehabilitation and job placement-Expertise in job matching, advocacy, employer relations, and custom employment strategy-Achieved 78% successful placement rate and $139K+ in billed income-Managed large-scale summer work experience program with 150+ placements annually