Manager Minute-brought to you by the VR Technical Assistance Center

VRTAC Team

Vocational Rehabilitation

Artificial Intelligence

Vocational Rehabilitation Tools

Ethics In Rehabilitation Counseling

Montana Combined

Virtual Reality In Vocational Rehabilitation

National Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center

Oregon Commission For the Blind

Federal Funding

Behavioral Health

Employment

Order Of Selection

Public Administration / Policy

State VR Agencies

Retention

Four-Day Work Week

Supervisor Support

Hawaii Division Of Vocational Rehabilitation

Documentation and Case Notes

Rehabilitation Counseling

ONE CENTER. ONE TEAM. ONE MISSION.

14 ratings

Publishes	Monthly	Episodes	63	Founded	5 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	ManagementBusiness

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Latest Episodes

VRTAC Manager Minute: Breaking the Mold: How an RSA Disability Innovation Fund Grant Is Opening Doors to High-Paying Tech Careers

What if VR looked beyond traditional employment pathways? In this episode of Manager Minute, Carol Pankow sits down with Kristy Schenderlein, Vice President of Operations at the Blind Institute of Technology (BIT), to discuss how an RSA Disability In... more

1 Jul 2026 • 39 min • Most popular

VRTAC Manager Minute: From Brainstorm to Breakthrough — Innovation Through the Minnesota Blind DIF Grant

This episode features a conversation with Dacia VanAlstine, Project Director of the Evolve Employment Model demonstration project at Minnesota Blind.

What began as a brainstorming conversation at a national conference evolved into an innovative Dis... more

1 Jun 2026 • 24 min

VRTAC Manager Minute: Stay Curious, Stay in Charge: AI and Ethics in VR

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere—but where does it actually fit in vocational rehabilitation?

In this episode, Carol Pankow sits down with Dr. Robert Froehlich to cut through the noise and get real about AI in VR practice.

This isn't hype—an... more

1 May 2026 • 32 min

VRTAC Manager Minute Stop Chasing Perfect: How Washington DSB Is Moving Faster—and Getting Real VR Results

In the latest episode of Manager Minute, host Carol Pankow sits down with Michael Mackillop, Executive Director of the Washington State Department of Services for the Blind, to explore how one agency is rethinking how VR services are delivered—and th... more

1 Apr 2026 • 34 min

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Blind AbilitiesBlind Abilities Team

That Real Blind Tech ShowBrian Fischler, Ed Plumacher, and Allison Meloy

Recent Guests

Dacia VanAlstine

Project Director for the Evolve Employment Model demonstration at Minnesota Blind

Minnesota Blind

Episode: VRTAC Manager Minute: From Brainstorm to Breakthrough — Innovation Through the Minnesota Blind DIF Grant

Robert Froehlich

Dr. Rob Froehlich, Associate Professor of Counseling at George Washington University, ethics and technology in rehabilitation counseling

George Washington University

Episode: VRTAC Manager Minute: Stay Curious, Stay in Charge: AI and Ethics in VR

Michael Mackillop

Washington Blind Executive Director

Washington State Blind/VR community (as described)

Episode: VRTAC Manager Minute Stop Chasing Perfect: How Washington DSB Is Moving Faster—and Getting Real VR Results

Stephanie Nelson

VR counselor extraordinaire

VR Counseling and Vocational Rehabilitation

Episode: Manager Minute: Stop Letting Documentation Drive the Bus — How Smart Tools Are Changing VR

John Robinson

CEO of OurAbility, partner on the FAST project

OurAbility

Episode: VRTAC Manager Minute: When Systems Connect: A DIF Model Linking VR, TANF, and Employment

Lea Dias

Director of the Hawaii Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

Hawaii Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

Episode: VRTAC Manager Minute: Leading with Heart: Rebuilding Trust and Results in Hawaii VR

Jim Herbert

Long-time researcher, educator, and advocate for rehabilitation counseling

Penn State (academic from Penn State)

Episode: VRTAC Manager Minute: The Real Reasons Behind VR Counselor Turnover (and What You Can Do About It

Chaz Compton

Co-Project Director of the National Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center

Interwork, VRTAC

Episode: Reimagining VR: How the NVRTAC is Transforming Technical Assistance Nationwide

Meera Adya

Co-Director of the Center, researcher/evaluator

Interwork, VRTAC

Episode: Reimagining VR: How the NVRTAC is Transforming Technical Assistance Nationwide

Host

Carol Pankow

Host of Manager Minute; focuses on leadership, organizational change, and operational improvements within VR settings.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 14 ratings

Quality guests and information
Very informative and insightful. This is great information especially if you are in the vocational rehab rehabilitation world for The Blind, deaf blind, low vision. And if you’re interested in working for vocational rehab rehabilitation, this is the best podcast to learn about the inner workings of an agency.
Apple Podcasts
5
VirdieTweeTwee
United States4 months ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

many find the content highly relevant for VR program optimization and staff development.

sponsors and guests benefit from clear, actionable discussions tied to public-sector outcomes.

listeners praise the depth of practitioner-focused insights and real-world lessons.

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Apple Podcasts

#143

Finland/Business/Management

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

VRTAC Manager Minute: The Real Reasons Behind VR Counselor Turnover (and What You Can Do About It

Q: What did your research reveal about the biggest factors that predict whether the counselor stays or leaves?

Key predictors include the level of organizational support, the perceived usefulness and presence of supervisory support, opportunities for career development, job engagement, and overall job satisfaction; these factors together influence whether a counselor plans to stay or leaves within 12 months.

From the Big Sky to Big Wins: Montana's VR Story (Final Episode)"

Q: Any tips regarding Order of Selection and RSA engagement?

Revisit CSNA data early, engage RSA sooner rather than later, and prepare to articulate why selective funding and prioritization are necessary to sustain high-quality services, backed by concrete data and a clear state plan.

From the Big Sky to Big Wins: Montana's VR Story (Final Episode)"

Q: What would you say to colleagues in other states who want to pursue a similar strategy?

Start by listening to what leaders are prioritizing, build relationships over time, get invited to the policy conversations, and frame employment as a critical component of safety and housing stability, using data to support every narrative.

From the Big Sky to Big Wins: Montana's VR Story (Final Episode)"

Q: What kind of data did you pull together to support your funding requests?

We aligned elected officials' priorities with our data, including caseloads, behavioral health prevalence, and the broader social determinants of health, and used stories of real clients to illustrate impact, which helped us secure additional counselors and telecommunication funding.

From the Big Sky to Big Wins: Montana's VR Story (Final Episode)"

Q: Tell us about Montana Combined. How many staff and consumers do you serve and what's your budget like?

Montana Combined operates with roughly 100 staff across Voc Rehab and Blind/Low Vision services, about $19 million annually, serving around 5,000 people in Voc Rehab and 3,000 students in pre-ETS, with staffing and budget adjustments tied to legislative outcomes.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This series centers on vocational rehabilitation leadership, program design, and the practical realities of delivering employment services to people with disabilities. Across episodes, listeners encounter hands-on discussions about rapid service delivery, staff development, centralized intake, and wraparound supports, along with ethical uses of AI in rehabilitation, data governance, and consent. A standout theme is cross-agency collaboration—VR agencies, employers, and workforce partners working together to expand access, reduce time-to-service, and improve outcomes. The show often features practitioners and leaders who share concrete lessons, scalable strategies, and real-world anecdotes that help leaders make measurable improvements while... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. Blind Abilities
2. That Real Blind Tech Show

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this podcast launched 5 years ago and published 63 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Dacia VanAlstine
2. Robert Froehlich
3. Michael Mackillop
4. Stephanie Nelson
5. John Robinson
6. Lea Dias
7. Jim Herbert
8. Chaz Compton

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