The Employer's Perspective | 2026 Disability Innovation Fund Project Directors' Conference | Podcast

🎙️ Recorded live before two standing-room-only audiences at the 2026 Disability Innovation Fund Project Directors' Conference. In this special live edition of the VR Workforce Studio, hosts Rick Sizemore and Betsy Civilette travel to the Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) Project Directors' Conference in Crystal City, Virginia, to record a live podcast before a standing-room-only audience of vocational rehabilitation professionals, workforce development leaders, educators, and federal partners. This engaging discussion explores how the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) and Enabled Intelligence have built an innovative partnership that is opening doors to careers in artificial intelligence, geospatial intelligence, and registered apprenticeships for individuals with disabilities. Hear directly from the leaders who developed this nationally recognized workforce initiative: • David Leon – Director of Workforce Programs, Virginia DARS • Jackie Kanupp – Business Development Manager, Virginia DARS • Lauren Bacon Smith – Chief People Officer, Enabled Intelligence Together, they discuss: ✔ Building employer partnerships that meet real workforce needs ✔ Leveraging Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) resources to create sustainable workforce pipelines ✔ Registered Apprenticeships and Paid Work Experiences ✔ Skill-based hiring in artificial intelligence and geospatial intelligence ✔ How vocational rehabilitation can become a strategic workforce partner for employers ✔ Preparing talent before jobs become available ✔ Lessons that VR agencies and employers can replicate nationwide Enabled Intelligence shares how its mission of supporting national security through AI data annotation and geospatial intelligence aligns with an equally important mission—creating meaningful careers for talented individuals with disabilities. You'll hear how this partnership grew from a single conversation into a statewide workforce initiative that is helping redefine inclusive hiring. Whether you're a VR professional, workforce development leader, educator, employer, policymaker, or someone interested in disability employment, this conversation demonstrates what's possible when innovation, collaboration, and opportunity come together. Learn more about VR Workforce Studio: 🌐 https://vrworkforcestudio.com Subscribe on YouTube: ▶️    / @vrworkforcestudio   Follow us as we continue podcasting the sparks that ignite vocational rehabilitation through inspiring stories of employment, innovation, apprenticeship, and business partnerships that are changing lives. #VocationalRehabilitation #DisabilityEmployment #RegisteredApprenticeship #ArtificialIntelligence #WorkforceDevelopment #DARS #EnabledIntelligence #GeospatialIntelligence #InclusiveHiring #DisabilityInnovationFund #VRWorkforceStudio #Apprenticeships #EmploymentFirst #AI #NationalSecurity #WorkforceInnovation