Why do so many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) get told to slow down or stop working just when employment matters most? In this conversation, Leslie Quarles—direct service veteran, Employment First Missouri expert, and ICI Boston training associate—joins the show to unpack the intersection of ageism and ableism in disability services.

Rather than treating work or retirement through a one-size-fits-all lens, Leslie challenges providers, case managers, and families to rethink how aging and employment intersect across the lifespan.

Key Themes & Takeaways

• The Power of Continued Employment: Work is about more than just income; it drives identity, connection, routine, self-esteem, and community participation. Assuming someone has "worked long enough" at age 50 ignores what employment actually provides.
  
• Overcoming Institutional Assumptions: The conversation shifts dramatically between age 30 and 50. Leslie explores real-world barriers providers face, why "push versus pull" dynamics nudge people toward premature retirement, and how to address "fake retired" statuses.
  
• Holistic & Technological Support: As life expectancy increases in the IDD population, teams must implement preventative supports for memory, balance, and health changes—leveraging tools like health apps, checklists, and independent travel tech.
  
• Redefining Retirement: Retirement shouldn't mean a forced exit or an abrupt loss of social connection. Just as we ask children what they want to be when they grow up, support teams should help adults "dream" about retirement, utilizing phased transitions and Community Life Engagement models.
  
• Actionable Research & Professional Growth: Leslie shares how her field insights evolved into stakeholder-informed action research, a webinar series, and an online course, highlighting the urgent need for better staff training and cross-system problem-solving.
  

Essential listening for anyone who supports individuals with disabilities, navigates employment services, or wants to build a more thorough next chapter for aging adults.

When does AI support learning, and when does it quietly replace it? We explore that question through the realities of counseling education, supervision, and practicum training. We discuss the ethical challenges of using AI as a study aid, feedback tool, or role-play partner, alongside the pressures educators face when guiding new clinicians. The conversation also examines how AI affects writing and revision, why faculty remain ambivalent, and how students might use AI to practice and learn rather than take shortcuts. From practicum supervision and student mental health to emerging research on AI and professional engagement, this episode looks beyond the hype to ask a deeper question: What should good learning feel like? A thoughtful conversation for anyone interested in counseling education, faculty development, and the role of AI in training and practice.

Timestamps
00:13 - Welcome to Mentor Moments and a mid-semester catch-up
00:54 - Brayton's busy counseling caseload with athletes and university adjustment
02:27 - Michael’s three teaching assignments across different student cohorts
03:06 - What practicum looks like for counseling students in real sessions
04:13 - Three papers in revision, including two studies on AI
05:51 - The 17-item Professional Engagement Questionnaire is ready to use
06:24 - Research plans for how practicing counselors are using AI
08:52 - Where practicum students are placed this semester
10:38 - Why practicum teaching can become an ethical and logistical puzzle
11:57 - Cohort bonding, role-play, and group supervision norms
13:41 - How much hands-on guidance is appropriate for new counselors
16:01 - Michael’s publishing rhythm and how workload changes over time
18:05 - Why research on teaching, learning, and AI keeps him engaged
19:13 - Early findings from the AI studies and the persistence of ambivalence
21:26 - Why some counselors see AI as useful and others as ethically risky
23:31 - Ethics, law, and values in the AI conversation
25:16 - When AI is a learning aid and when it may just be doing the work for you
26:54 - Why Michael is shifting AI use toward study support and role-play
28:23 - Reflection on how scattered higher ed’s AI response feels
29:53 - Maryville’s evolving stance on AI and why the gray area remains
31:30 - A comparison to MOOCs and why that movement never fully took hold
32:36 - AI role-play in practicum and the limits of practice with nonhuman agents
34:31 - Can AI or classmates really prepare students for real counseling clients?
35:36 - The limits of role-play across identity, bias, and lived experience
36:32 - How long research projects really take from idea to publication
37:35 - Why participant recruitment and review timelines slow everything down
40:25 - Music, concerts, and a quick pop culture detour
47:48 - Wrapping up, and one more mentor moment

Elizabeth Perkins shares the career decisions, mentors, and experiences that shaped her 20-year journey in vocational rehabilitation—and the leadership lessons that keep her challenging the system to help more people thrive. From her early days supporting customers at UPS to becoming coordinator of programs for Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation, Elizabeth reflects on the moments that drew her toward counseling, opened the door to leadership, and sparked her passion for advocacy, inclusion, and community partnership. If you care about disability employment, career development, or leading with purpose, this conversation will resonate.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• How an unexpected path through psychology, HR, and counseling led Elizabeth into vocational rehabilitation
• Why one participant’s “dream job” in a junkyard became a turning point in how she tells the VR story
• The leadership qualities she values most: adaptability, authenticity, collaboration, and genuine relationships
• How transformational and authentic leadership shape her decisions
• Why she stays current through boards, training, advocacy, and ongoing feedback
• The mentorship advice that still guides her: “Don’t let boundaries limit your imagination”

Elizabeth also discusses normalizing disability, embracing diverse perspectives, and asking a question every professional should revisit: What is your why? Her answer is a reminder that meaningful work comes from staying rooted in purpose and showing up for the people you serve.

Timestamps

00:00 — Welcome to Mentor Moments and introduction to Elizabeth Perkins
00:31 — Elizabeth’s role with Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation
00:49 — From psychology and UPS to considering counseling and HR
01:46 — Choosing graduate school and discovering vocational rehabilitation
02:43 — Two decades with the agency: from counselor to leadership
03:10 — Why direct counseling work was her favorite job
04:07 — A participant’s dream job and the power of competitive employment
05:01 — Using video to tell participant and employer stories
05:51 — Building partnerships across schools, providers, workforce, and family support
06:49 — Career happenstance and the theory of planned happenstance
08:58 — Why adaptability, trust, genuineness, collaboration, and innovation matter
11:47 — Staying relevant in a changing field and updating old systems
13:17 — Why collaboration and partnerships matter more than silos
15:39 — Transformational leadership and authentic leadership
17:31 — Being solution-focused and challenging legacy processes
18:40 — Wanting to be part of the solution and drive change
19:26 — How boards, advocacy, training, and feedback help her stay current
23:46 — Mentors who opened doors
26:31 — “Don’t let boundaries limit your imagination”
27:31 — What inspires her about serving people directly
29:17 — Encouraging diversity, inclusion, and authentic self-expression
30:39 — Normalizing disability and sharing lived experience
33:07 — Knowing your “why” and keeping it visible
34:41 — Closing thanks and listener call to actionAction items