Beyond the Award Letter: Expanding Your Advocacy to Include Economic Empowerment Through Work – 2026 Spring National Conference – Track I (Presented by National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives)

Stephanie Whelan, LISW-CP, LICSW is the Director of Workforce Strategy and Operations at EmployReward Solutions (ERS), a national Employment Network under the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work Program. In this role, she drives strategic workforce initiatives and operational excellence to empower individuals with disabilities through meaningful employment opportunities. Stephanie holds dual licensure as a Licensed Independent Social Worker — certified in South Carolina (LISW-CP) and licensed in Massachusetts (LICSW) — bringing a clinical and human-centered perspective to the intersection of disability, workforce development, and program operations.

Rob Pfaff is the Chief Operating Officer of EmployReward Solutions (ERS), bringing over 25 years of federal leadership experience in disability policy, program operations, and employment support. Before joining ERS, he served as Director of the Office of Employment Support at the Social Security Administration, where he led the Ticket to Work Program and related initiatives designed to help SSA beneficiaries achieve self-sufficiency through employment. His federal career also included roles as Director in SSA’s Office of Medical and Vocational Expertise, disability adjudicator, vocational rehabilitation specialist, and a detail to the U.S. House of Representatives Social Security Subcommittee. His leadership has influenced national disability policy, expanded access to benefits and employment for underserved communities, and strengthened cross-sector collaboration on behalf of individuals with disabilities.

Tripp Carter is Vice President of Compliance & Special Projects at EmployReward Solutions (ERS), a national Employment Network under the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work Program. Since joining ERS in 2010, he has contributed across the full scope of the organization’s growth — leading strategic partnerships, operational improvements, and software development alongside hands-on service delivery. With nearly 15 years of experience, Tripp specializes in program compliance, inclusive recruitment partnerships, and leveraging technology to improve outcomes for ticketholders and employers. He is a committed advocate for disability inclusion and works to connect mission-driven services with measurable, real-world results.

Lindsey Braciale is a social entrepreneur and workforce innovator working at the intersection of data, legal advocacy, and human potential. As the Founder and CEO of Advocations, she has spent nearly two decades demonstrating that disability-inclusive employment is a powerful engine for economic growth. Under her leadership, Advocations has dismantled systemic barriers for over 21,000 individuals, transforming perceived risks into resilient, competitive workforces. A Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Work Incentive Practitioner, her work is deeply rooted in the practical realities of the Social Security system, and her impact spans from building programs at Fortune-ranked companies to shaping City of Charlotte policies.

Debora Wagner is a nationally recognized specialist in Social Security work incentives and benefits law, with a career spanning legal services, law school clinical education, and policy-level training and advocacy. She spent 25 years representing individuals with disabilities in benefits cases before the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration, with a specialization in work incentives planning. Since December 2021, she has been a member of the Work Incentive Support Center at Cornell University’s Yang-Tan Institute, where she provides work incentives training and technical assistance. She serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Benefits and Work Incentives Specialists (NABWIS), on the SSA’s Standing Committee of Medical and Vocational Experts for Disability Programs, and became a member of the National Academy of Social Insurance in January 2025.

Megan Jones is a managing attorney with Disability Rights Maryland (DRM), Maryland’s Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Agency for individuals with disabilities. Since entering the P&A system in 2015, she has built a career dedicated to advancing the rights and employment opportunities of individuals with disabilities across multiple states. Prior to joining DRM in 2019, she gained experience in the P&A system through positions in Florida and Connecticut, and she now leads two of DRM’s core program areas in Maryland.