Our VR Y-TAC Team

Wendy Quarles

Co-Project Director: VR Youth Technical Assistance Center (VR Y-TAC)
Extension Associate: K. Lisa Yang Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, Cornell University

Deputy Director Woman

Special Skills

  • Innovative curriculum design
  • Event management
  • Solutions focused leader
  • Creating questions that cause conversations
  • Inspirational facilitator/presenter
  • Amazing outdoor adventurer

Through a cooperative partnership with Cornell. Wendy serves in the role of Co-Project Director of the VR Y-TAC, a national technical assistance center funded by the US Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration.  In this role, Wendy provides leadership to the team of Technical Assistance Liaisons and Program Associates who are charged with supporting state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies to recruit and serve youth with disabilities under the new federal guidelines provided by the Workforce Innovations Opportunity Act (WIOA).

Wendy brings to the VR Y-TAC and IEL over 30 years of experience focusing on employment services for youth and adults who experience life with a disability. She has spent a majority of her career directing projects dedicated to providing education, training and staff development to professionals in the vocational rehabilitation field. Wendy is currently employed by Cornell University’s K. Lisa Yang, Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability as an Extension Associate where she is assigned to manage the VR Y-TAC project and the New York State Consortium for the Advancement of Supported Employment Project.

Wendy’s prior experiences have included:

  • Director of the Community Rehabilitation Program Continuing Education Program (CRP RRCEP) at the State University of New York at Buffalo
  • Director of the Center for Human Services Education at Heritage Christian Services – providing leadership to New York to state-wide staff development projects through state Vocational Rehabilitation and Office of Developmental Disabilities
  • Leadership of Supported Employment projects at several New York state and Maryland based Community Rehabilitation provider agencies

Wendy is a nationally recognized leader in the Supported Employment filed. For the past two decades she has served in leadership roles of New York State APSE, National APSE and the Association for Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE). She has directed the New York State APSE Supported Employment Training Institute for 20 years drawing 350+ professionals, families and educators from across the state. In 30 years thousands of learners have participated in courses, seminars and training sessions developed by or taught by Wendy.

Wendy lives in Rochester, New York and she lives a life that demonstrates the values of inclusion and community engagement. In her spare time she has worked at the local YMCA for 36 years and is actively involved in her neighborhood association and church community.  Wendy graduated from Frostburg State University with a BS in Health, Recreation and Physical Education. Additionally, she completed post-graduate work at Coppin State College (Baltimore Maryland) in Rehabilitation Counseling