Tammara Geary
Ms. Geary is a nationally recognized trainer and consultant focusing on creating and supporting community, employment, and economic advancement of people with disabilities. She specializes in customized and self-employment. She is Lead Associate with Griffin-Hammis Associates, LLC. She also publishes InfoLines, a newsletter highlighting practical and successful strategies for customizing employment. Besides providing various conference and training presentations, Ms. Geary is also currently working with an organization in Maryland to improve its outcomes via implementing discovery-based customized employment; heading up a National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)–funded self-employment project for people with brain injuries through the Brain Injury Association of America; and consulting with several statewide customized and self-employment projects in Florida. One of these projects is Start-Up Florida, one of three Office of Disability Employment Policy–funded state self-employment projects.
Ms. Geary was formerly with APSE: The Network on Employment, where she served as Executive Director for 10 of her 12 years with the organization. In that role, she traveled around the country, meeting with individuals and organizations and providing training and presentations at numerous conferences and events. In addition, Ms. Geary has been a leader in protecting the recent advancements in public policy that affect employment of people with disabilities.
Prior to her work with APSE: The Network on Employment, Ms. Geary worked in direct service and program management for a local community services board in Virginia, where she maintained a 100% job retention rate for her entire tenure. She was recognized by APSE for her work, receiving the first award for “excellence in direct service provision” in 1989, and later was honored as the “outstanding graduate student” in her graduate degree program.
Ms. Geary also serves as the primary support for her sister with disabilities, who uses supported employment, supported living, and other community supports, and has had many experiences within her own family with school accommodation, thus giving her a thorough personal understanding of the issues facing people with disabilities as they seek to gain access to employment and all areas of life.