About Betty

She has guided employees with many different disabilities — orthopedic, psychiatric, cardiac, visual, immunological problems and HIV — helping them deal with the emotional and practical interactions between disabilities and work. She is a strong and effective advocate for her clients' rights to reasonable accommodations at work, making it possible for many people to remain productive and valuable in their jobs, to find new careers or to succeed in self-employment. She is the vocational consultant to Positive Resource, a work referral agency for people living with HIV/AIDS. 

Betty provides expert information for attorneys and mental health professionals regarding the human, legal and financial aspects of employment. As an expert witness, she has testified as an Independent Vocational Evaluator for the California Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, the Social Security Office of Hearings and Appeals, the Federal Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs and the Superior Courts in many Bay Area counties. 

Building on her M.S. in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling from St. Cloud State University (MN) and her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, Betty’s expertise lies in appraising vocational abilities, designing and assessing vocational plans. She integrates psychological factors into vocational choice, enabling clients to identify the personal qualities that create job satisfaction and success. 

A born teacher, she has conducted workshops and seminars on interviewing and other employment topics and has been featured on local television, public radio and quoted in Bay Area newspapers. 

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See more: 

Curriculum Vitae
Credentials
Seminars and Presentations
Publications

Curriculum Vitae
BETTY KOHLENBERG, M.S., CRC, ABVE

1981-Present
Vocational Counselor & Consultant
Kohlenberg & Associates 
San Francisco, CA 

Vocational evaluation, career counseling, career planning and expert testimony services in personal injury, marital dissolution, employment law, Workers’ Compensation, OWCP, long term disability, Social Security & California Compensation cases. Vocational seminars and workshops for employees with disabilities, case managers and rehabilitation professionals. Vocational Consultant to Positive Resource Center, which provides employment services and benefits counseling for people living with HIV/AIDS. 

1984-1994
Workers’ Compensation Rehabilitation Instructor
Insurance Education Association 
San Francisco, CA 

Taught vocational rehabilitation management to Workers' Compensation insurance carrier representatives. 

1979-1981
Manager, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Rehabilitation Associates 
San Francisco, CA 

Opened and managed a rehabilitation counseling office and provided rehabilitation services to industrially injured workers. 

1978-1979
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Vocational Rehabilitation Services 
South San Francisco, CA 

Supervised and trained counselors and job developers in providing rehabilitation services. Developed rehabilitation plans for industrially injured workers. 

1977-1978
Compensation Insurance Representative
State Compensation Insurance Fund 
San Francisco, CA 

Adjusted Workers’ Compensation claims for a wide variety of injuries. 

1975-1976
Employment Representative
Minnesota Department of Employment Services 
St. Cloud, MN 

Worked with employers to coordinate reemployment of displaced workers. 

1973-1974
Rehabilitation Counselor
Minnesota Services for the Blind
St. Cloud, MN 

Counseled blind and visually handicapped clients. 

Education

M.S., Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling, 1974
St. Cloud State University
St. Cloud, MN 

B.A., Psychology, 1966
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 

Credentials

C.R.C., Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, 1987
Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification
#C 20463 

A.B.V.E., Diplomate, 1995
American Board of Vocational Experts
#1101181 

Professional Affiliations

CARRP
California Association of Rehabilitation & Reemployment Professionals (formerly CARP)
Board of Directors, 1987, 1988, 1990 

IARP
International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (formerly NARPPS, National Association of Rehabilitation Professionals in the Private Sector) 

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Seminars and Presentations

    "Informative, direct and useful to anyone seeking employment" 

    "...motivated me to start my job hunting on the right foot. Betty has been inspiring!"

    "Betty is very professional and informative. She has a vast knowledge of the skills needed for today's job market." 

    "very insightful, really helped with the specifics of how to find a job."

    "focused, fast and fun!"

    "Betty is a marvelous instructor... extremely knowledgeable... delightful & pleasant personality., interesting course."

— Insurance Education Association  

    "I would highly recommend Betty. She is one of the most natural educators that I have had the opportunity to be around. She enjoys teaching, does an excellent job of teaching (both one-on-one and in groups) and is a well organized instructor."

Thorv Hessellund, Ed.D. 
President, Rehabilitation Associates  

Recent Seminars and Presentations

Sep 2002 
Speaker on “Returning to Work with Cancer: Issues to Consider” for the 7th National Brain Tumor Conference, San Mateo

Jun 2002 
Speaker on “Reasons for Vocational Evaluation in Marital Dissolution” for the Alameda Bar Association Family Law Section, Oakland

Apr 2002 
Speaker on “Staying in Your ‘DO’s’ for Just for Women: A Private Space for HIV+ Women Considering Options For Training and Employment sponsored by Positive Resource Center, UCSF’s AIDS Health Project and Shanti, San Francisco

Feb 2002 
Speaker on “Cancer in the Workplace” for the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Cancer Resource Center, San Francisco

Thank you so much, Betty.  You really helped me out more than you know!  I learned a wealth of information at Monday's workshop.  DJC

Oct 2001 
Speaker on “The Next Steps: Pursuing Options for Work or Education” for PRC’s Just for Women: Employment Services for HIV+ Women, San Francisco

September 2001 
Speaker on “The Medical Assessment Process for Vocational Issues” for HIV and Work: What Providers Need to Know, a conference sponsored by CPMC and the Community Consortium, an association of health care providers who care for the majority of people with HIV infection in the San Francisco Bay area. 

March 2001 
Speaker on “A Client-Focused Model for Considering Work for People Living with HIV/AIDS” and “Workplace Re-entry Preparation” at the 13th National AIDS Update Conference, San Francisco 

March 2001 
Instructor on “Vocational Issues in Social Security Disability Hearings” for San Francisco AIDS Foundation, San Francisco 

November 2000 
Speaker on “Thinking about Job Goals: Deciding What You Really Want” for PRC’s Just for Women: Employment Services for HIV+ Women, San Francisco 

September 2000 
Instructor on “Interviewing and Selecting Candidates within Disability Guidelines” for Bay Area Video Coalition Media Link Program staff, San Francisco 

August 2000 
Speaker on “Who’s in Charge: Taking Control of Your Career with RSI” for the Repetitive Strain Injury Support Group, Mills Health Center, San Mateo 

July 2000 
Instructor on “Helping People with HIV/AIDS Consider a Return to Work: Issues and Answers” for clients and Case Managers, sponsored by the AIDS Education Project, Department of Psychiatry, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 

June 2000 
Speaker on “Employment Issues for People Living with AIDS” for Contra Costa HIV/AIDS Consortium, Richmond 

June 2000 
Speaker on “Strategies for Managing Cancer and Career” for the CPMC Community Health Resource Center, San Francisco 

May 2000 
Speaker on “PRC Return to Work Programs” for the Positive Resource Center Board of Directors’ monthly meeting, San Francisco 

February 2000 
Speaker on “The American Experience of Employment for People Living with HIV/AIDS” for the Positive Futures Initiative, London, England 

November 1999 
Speaker on “Returning to Work with Cancer” for the UCSF Clinical Cancer Center’s Cancer Resource Center, San Francisco 

October 1999 
Speaker on “Answering Employment Questions for People with Cancer” for the National Carcinoid Conference, sponsored by UCSF Stanford Healthcare’s Cancer Resource Center, Novartis Oncology and the National Carcinoid Support Group, Inc., San Francisco 

11/10/99
We recently booked Betty Kohlenberg to speak at our national conference on issues of employment discrimination.

She not only met our expectations, but exceeded them.  Betty is without doubt one of the top ten speakers I have ever seen. Her information has proven to be immensely beneficial to us.

Sincerely,
Jean M. Michaux
Executive Director
National Carcinoid Support Group

August 1999 
Speaker on “Answering the Hardest Questions: Employment for People Living with HIV/AIDS” for vocational rehabilitation counselors, employment specialists and social workers; on “Starting to Think about Work: Choosing Jobs and Careers While Living with HIV” for people with HIV, for Northern Nevada HOPES, Reno, NV 

8/23/99
Dear Betty,
    Thank you.  I found your workshop to be informative as well as entertaining.  (There's nothing worse than being a captive audience in a boring "lecture".)  I appreciated your sense of humor, your style and your information. 

Betty Manning, MSW

July 1999
Speaker on "Answering Employment Questions for People with Cancer" for the Community Health Resource Center of the California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco 

    "Many thanks for a terrific workshop this morning. The material you presented was excellent and everyone had their needs and questions addressed. The evaluations all said that the participants thought that this was important information and many people indicated that it should be repeated for other cancer patients." 

Nancy Robinson, MSW 
Community Health Resource Center 
CPMC

    "I appreciate your speaking at the EB RSI meeting. You provided a lot of fire to light my dampened struggles."

   "Your presentation was excellent - helpful and practical."
 

April 1999
Career Counselor for "What on Earth Will You Do? Navigating Environmental Career Paths", a conference for 125 eighth grade students and their guidance counselors, for the Family Ecology Program and the Alameda County Office of Education, Oakland 

March 1999
Speaker on "Mental Health Issues in Returning to Work for Persons Living with HIV" in The Changing Epidemic: Emerging Mental Health Issues at National HIV/AIDS Update Conference, San Francisco 

March 1999
Speaker on "Employment Issues for People with HIV" at Positive Resource Center's training for social/vocational service providers, The Challenge of Employment: Meeting the Emerging Needs of People with HIV/AIDS, Oakland and Novato 

January 1999
Speaker on "AIDS in the Workplace" on At Work with Marty Nemko, on Public Radio station KALW, 91.7 FM, San Francisco 

August 1998
Speaker on "Helping People with HIV Return to Work" at ABC Positive Resource Center's training for social/vocational service providers, The Challenge of Employment: Meeting the Emerging Needs of People with HIV/AIDS, San Francisco 

June 1998
Speaker on "The Vocational Evaluation Process in Marital Dissolutions" at San Francisco Bar Association Family Law Section monthly meeting 

March 1998
Seminar Instructor on "Interviewing - Specific Answers to Hard Questions" and "Answers to Illegal Questions" for the Mann AIDS Project's Employment Support Group, San Rafael 

February 1998
Panelist on "Employment Issues and Resources for People with HIV/AIDS" for the Second Western H.E.A.R.T. Conference, San Francisco State University, San Francisco 

January 1998
Speaker on "Planning Your Return to Work" for the HIV/AIDS Resources and Counseling Department, Kaiser Permanente, Santa Clara 

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Publications

Kohlenberg, Betty
Training People with Disabilities in Interviewing, IARP Case Management Section Newsletter, Oct/Nov/Dec 2001, pages 3-5

Kohlenberg, Betty
Group Employment Counseling for People with HIV, in Focus, A Guide to AIDS Research and Counseling, UCSF AIDS Health Project, November 2001, v16, n 12, pp 4-6

Goldblum, Peter and Kohlenberg, Betty
Considering Work: A Client-Focused Model for People with HIV, in Focus, A Guide to AIDS Research and Counseling, UCSF AIDS Health Project, November 2001, v16, n 12, pp 1-3

Kohlenberg, Betty and Watts, Meredith 
Group Employment Counseling for People Living with HIV/AIDS: Making A Plan (MAP) Groups, a report of the first year of a pilot program, paper presented at the 13th National AIDS Update Conference, San Francisco, March 2001 

Kohlenberg, Betty and Goldblum, Peter 
A Client-Focused Model for Considering Work for People with HIV/AIDS, paper presented at the 13th National AIDS Update Conference, San Francisco, March 2001 

Kohlenberg, Betty 
ASK BETTY: Employment Questions and Answers, a column in ENABLE, the Official Magazine of the American Association of People with Disabilities 
A New Column to Answer Your Questions about Employment, March/April 1998, p. 121. 
Are “Yes- Buts” Keeping You from Work?  May/June/July, 1998, pp. 93-94.
Thinking about Schools, Aug/Sept/Oct, 1998, pp. 92-94.

Kohlenberg, Betty 
Career Questions in What’s Next: Planning Your Future, a chapter of the Thrive Guide, A Survival Manual for Young People Living with HIV, Health Initiatives for Youth, 1998. 

Kohlenberg, Betty 
Employment Issues for People Living with HIV/AIDS, Discussing Your Disability: Should You Say Anything?  and Answering the Hardest Questions: Why did you leave your last job?  What have you done since then? in Reconstruction Kit, a program of AID Atlanta, 1997. 

Kohlenberg, Betty 
It's Back to Work We Go: HIV and Re-entering the Job Market in Focus, A Guide to AIDS Research and Counseling, UCSF AIDS Health Project, Volume 12, Number 8, July 1997, pp. 5-7.

Kohlenberg, Betty 
Employment Issues for People Living with HIV/AIDS in The Vocational Expert, newsletter of the American Board of Vocational Experts, Summer 1997, Volume 14, Issue 2.

Kohlenberg, Betty 
Employers Want to Know in Gateway, the newsletter of the Golden Gate Business Association, July 1997. 

Kohlenberg, Betty 
ETHICS: Kickbacks Requested from Schools in CARRP's Keeping California Working Newsletter, August 1996. 

Kohlenberg, Betty 
Storytelling or HOW to TALK ABOUT YOURSELF in an INTERVIEW in Lawyers in Transition Newsletter, July-September 1995. 

Kohlenberg, Betty 
The Grief Process in Workers' Compensation, in the CARP Newsletter, July 1994. 

Kohlenberg, Betty 
Can Rehabilitation Professionals Provide Services Ethically Under AB110?  in the CARP Newsletter, June 1994. 

Kohlenberg, Betty 
Integration of Vocational Rehabilitation is Essential: Healthy Worker/Healthy Workplace, the Productivity Connection in the CARP Newsletter, September 1990.  A review of the 1990 report of the California Legislature's Senate Committee on Industrial Relations. 

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