Project SEARCH
Caren Husby has extensive experience in education and vocational training, currently serving as an Instructor for Project SEARCH since August 2018, where the focus is on providing total workplace immersion for employment preparation. Prior to this, Caren spent 15 years at the Menomonie School District as a Special Education Teacher and Transition Coordinator, managing caseloads and facilitating transitions for students with cognitive disabilities. Earlier roles include serving as a Vocational Evaluator at NE Metro Intermediate School District and Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute, delivering vocational evaluations and guidance to students and individuals with disabilities. Caren holds a Special Education Certification, a Master of Science in Vocational Rehabilitation, and a Bachelor's degree in Child Development and Family Life, all from the University of Wisconsin Stout.
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Project SEARCH
Project SEARCH was developed at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, a research environment that fosters visionary thinking and innovation. It all began in 1996, when Erin Riehle was Director of Cincinnati Children's Emergency Department. Erin felt that, because the hospital served individuals with developmental disabilities, it made sense that they should commit to hiring people in this group. She wondered if it would be possible to train people with developmental disabilities to fill some of the high-turnover, entry level positions in her department, which involved complex and systematic tasks such as stocking supply cabinets. As a starting point, Erin presented her ideas to Susie Rutkowski, then the special education director at Great Oaks Career Campuses. Erin and Susie formed a partnership that was instantaneous, and together they launched Project SEARCH. Since its inception, Project SEARCH has grown from a single program site at Cincinnati Children's to over 600 sites across the United States, Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Portugal, Iceland, New Zealand and Australia. Project SEARCH's primary objective is to secure competitive employment for people with disabilities.