Russell J. Thelin - MS, LVRC, CRC

Expertise: Vocational Rehabilitation, Organizational Leadership, Policy Development, Youth with Disability, Business Engagement/Relations, Transition and Special Education

Russ is a senior policy fellow at the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI). He has 28+ years of experience working on the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the workplace. This includes providing clinical counseling, executive leadership, and technical assistance within vocational rehabilitation (VR) and other organizations.

Russ is a past president of the National Rehabilitation Association of Rehabilitation Leadership. He also oversaw the Utah Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, and is a past member of the Utah Statewide Workforce Services Board.

In his ICI role, Russ specializes in vocational rehabilitation, agency organizational and cultural change, public policy development, Social Security disability benefits, business engagement for meeting talent needs, and postsecondary education for students with intellectual disabilities.

Before joining the ICI, Russ was the executive director of the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation, where he worked for 25 years across a range of roles, including VR counselor, district and regional director, administrative services director, and division director. He is a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor and Utah licensed vocational rehabilitation counselor. He has completed programs in Executive Leadership in Rehabilitation (San Diego State/George Washington University), Emerging Leaders in Rehabilitation (Western Washington University), and Public Management Certification (state of Utah).

Russ was presented the Ethical Leadership in Government Award (2014) by the Daniels Fund, Zions Bank, and the University of Utah Center for Public Policy Development. He also received the Garth Eldredge PhD Excellence in Rehabilitation Award (2012) from the Utah Chapter of the National Rehabilitation Association.

Email Russ Thelin. russell.thelin@umb.edu