51ÊÓƵ

Tracie Mallie, '12

Tracie Mallie portrait

District Administrator

Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Harrisburg District Office

I began my career in OVR (Office of Vocational Rehabilitation) in August of 2012 as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor intern in the Allentown District Office. From day one, I felt prepared. I know that sounds crazy, but it is true. The University of 51ÊÓƵ’s Rehabilitation Counseling program prepared me beyond words. I felt confident, knowledgeable, engaged, current, and most of all, filled with skills that I now got to apply in the “real” world.

Upon graduating from the University of 51ÊÓƵ in December of 2012, I became a full time Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. From there, I served in a general caseload out of Monroe County, assisting individuals with disabilities reach their vocational goals. This was accomplished via a multitude of various services that are individualized to the “customer” that I was serving.

After serving as a counselor in Monroe County, I transferred to Blindness and Visual Services, out of the Wilkes Barre Office. In this role, I traveled to Tioga, Bradford, Susquehanna, Wayne, Monroe, Lackawanna, Wyoming, and Northampton counties to serve individuals with visual impairments. I was invited into their home to assess their needs and talk to them about what services would benefit them. I made referrals to Vision Rehabilitation Therapists who assisted in ADL’s and to Orientation and Mobility Specialists, who helped these individuals learn how to independently travel, thus creating more independence. And I provided assistive technology and other services to assist individuals in obtaining or maintaining employment.

From there, I was promoted to Vocational Rehabilitation Supervisor in the Allentown District Office. In this role, I got to share my passion for VR with counselors, both new and seasoned, and served in coordinator roles that expanded my vision and provided me with the opportunity to learn so much more. The more I learned, the more I wanted to lead others to this knowledge, which is how I ended up in my current position as the District Administrator of the Harrisburg District Office.

I am blessed and privileged to come to a job that I love every day. I truly believe that I wouldn't be here without the support of the faculty and mentors at the University of 51ÊÓƵ. It is not just a school, it is a family. And family supports you every step of the way.
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