Martha A. Williams Cassell, O.T.R., Executive Director - Martha Cassell received her B.S. in Occupational Therapy in 1983 from Eastern Michigan University. From the time of her graduation as an O.T.R., Martha has trained and specialized with Traumatic Brain Injured (T.B.I) clients, primarily in the post-rehabilitation phase of recovery. Her strong belief that dignity and self-worth are the cornerstones of vocational and rehabilitation success led her to develop her own business in 1989. As the executive director of Cassell & Associates, she oversees the multiple phases of vocational services for persons with brain injuries, utilizing both traditional and non-traditional methods. In addition to Martha's professional experience in working with people with T.B.I., her mother suffered a brain injury when Martha was a teenager, which gives her an added perspective from the family/survivor standpoint. Martha has presented at conferences at local, state, and national levels. She has been a guest lecturer at a Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment Association's national conference, Eastern Michigan University, Michigan Rehabilitation Services, and the Michigan Brain Injury Association.
Email: marthacassell@cassells.net
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Laurie A. Rentz, M.S., C.V.E., L.P.C., Program Director - Laurie Rentz received her B.A. in Psychology in 1979 from Marygrove College, Detroit, Michigan. She completed her M.S. in Vocational Rehabilitation with an emphasis in Vocational Evaluation at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, 1982. Since completing the requirements of her Masters program, Laurie has worked primarily with the Traumatically Brain Injured (T.B.I.) population in community and supported employment programs, as well as in non-traditional sheltered work settings for the T.B.I. Currently, Laurie is the Program Director with Cassell & Associates’ sheltered worksite program. Her credentials include Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist (C.V.E.), certified by the Commission of Certification of Work Adjustment and Vocational Evaluation Specialist in May 1984 and Professional Counselor License (L.P.C.) issued by the Board of Counseling in the State of Michigan in September 1993.
Email: lrentz@cassells.net
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Joseph F. Youngs, B.S. in Education, O.T.R., Program Manager - Joseph Youngs received his B.S. in Education in 1980 from Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, MI. Joe worked in a variety of health care settings after graduation, but primarily provided outpatient services to persons with Traumatic Brain Injuries. In more than 20 years of working with this population, he has worked as a Community Reintegration Specialist, Vocational Services counselor, Workshop Supervisor and Case Manager. Joe returned to school to earn a second B.S. degree in Occupational Therapy from Wayne State University in December 1996. Currently, he is the program manager for the woodshop, packaging, and shipping and receiving areas at Cassell & Associates.
Email: jyoungs@cassells.net
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Katherine L. Walker, L. M.S.W., A.C.S.W., Program Manager - Katherine Walker received her B.S. in Psychology in 1988 and her Masters in Social Work in 2002, both from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan. Currently, she is a licensed social worker with the State of Michigan. Katherine has worked with children and adults who survived traumatic brain injuries in residential, day treatment, and supported employment programs since 1983. She has been a certified crisis intervention instructor for 12 years. At Cassell & Associates, Katherine is the program manager of the Main Office program and specializes in positive behavior modification strategies.
Email: kwalker@cassells.net
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David Vailliencourt, B.S., A.A.A., C.B.I.S., Program Manager - David Vailliencourt received his B.S. in Business Administration from Ferris State University in 1981 and his Associates of Applied Arts in Social Service/Correctional Rehabilitation from Ferris State University in 1980. He received his Brain Injury Specialist Certification(C.B.I.S.) in 2008. Before Dave began working with the Traumatically Brain Injured population he was an educator, teaching Business and Marketing in the School District of Hillsborough County, Tampa, FL. Prior to teaching, Dave spent more than 15 years working in business, primarily with the Detroit Regional Chamber where he specialized in health care and business advocacy. Dave is the program manager of the Gift Shop Program and Able Works Program at Cassell & Associates.
Email: dvailliencourt@cassells.net
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David Reicher, M.S., Fitness Program Manager - David Reicher received his Masters in Exercise Science from Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan in 1995. Dave began working with people with traumatic brain injuries in 1988 as an Interdisciplinary Team Technician. In 1997, he was the Program Coordinator for an outpatient Day Treatment Program at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital-Oakland. His concentration in exercise has centered on its therapeutic uses socially, cognitively, behaviorally and physically with people with T.B.I. and other special needs populations. In addition to working full-time at Cassell & Associates developing and monitoring individualized fitness programs for our employees with T.B.I., he is a partner/owner in a rehabilitation company named Martial Arts Therapy. He has been using the martial arts for therapeutic purposes since 1997, teaching night and weekend classes to individuals with neurological impairments.
Email: dreicher@cassells.net
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Melanee Towne, Office Manager - Melanee Towne has worked as an office manager and in other administrative positions for a variety of business and healthcare settings for more than 25 years, including pharmaceutical, internal medicine, podiatry, and health insurance organizations. Her enjoyment of young people has led Melanee to volunteer and work with many youth organizations, including Girl Scouts, Parent Teacher Associations, and high school marching bands.
Email: mtowne@cassells.net
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