Biography

Laura A. Owens, Ph.D., CESP, has over 30 years of experience as a national leader in the disability employment field. She is currently the President of TransCen, Inc. (TCI) and a Professor at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee (UWM) in the department of Teaching and Learning. Laura founded Creative Employment Opportunities, Inc. (CEO) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, an employment agency for individuals with disabilities in 1991 (now part of TransCen) and ArtWorks for Milwaukee, a non-profit jobs-training program in the arts for youth with and without disabilities in 2001. At UWM, she teaches courses focusing on high school inclusion and transition from school to work, and coordinates the graduate Transition Certificate program. She served as the Executive Director of APSE, a national organization focusing on the advancement of integrated employment for citizens with disabilities based Washington, DC from 2008-2014. Laura is an internationally known speaker and has published widely on transition and employment topics.