Steven E. Simon, Ph.D.

The rehabilitation career of Steven E. Simon, Ph.D. spans direct service, organization leadership, editing, writing, research, teaching, and consulting.

In 1967 Dr. Simon began his professional career as a counselor at a psychosocial rehabilitation center. In 1969 he entered a new VA Department of Veterans Benefits counseling psychologist trainee program in Washington, D.C. After completion and a stint as a VA counseling psychologist in Newark, N.J., he spent the next 23 years as chief of the 2 largest statewide VA vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs, first in Ohio and then in Florida. His government leadership with veteran rehabilitation spans the Vietnam Era to beyond Operation Desert Storm. He directed and co-directed task forces that developed VR quality assurance and program evaluation systems that were implemented nationwide. He also became the first editor of a nationwide VA journal, the Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling Professional Review. While in Ohio, he developed an employee assistance program that served thousands of Federal employees. Among Dr. Simon's proudest achievements, no less than 14 of his VA staff and graduate students later moved on to statewide VA VR program chiefs throughout the U.S., central VR policy staff positions, and in one instance national director of the VA VR program.

In the early 90's Dr. Simon was elected editor and president of the Journal of Rehabilitation Administration (JRA) Corporation. He published a textbook in rehabilitation and human services management, as well as journal articles and editorials on rehabilitation administration. He also conducted research and co-published articles on consumer satisfaction in human services.

Dr. Simon taught graduate courses in rehabilitation administration at Kent State University, The Ohio State University, the University of South Florida, and in the rehabilitation administration training program at DePaul University. After retiring from VA, he founded a rehabilitation consulting company, Human Services Outcomes, Inc. (HSO). After 10 years, he continues as President and CEO of HSO which provides diversified services in multiple states.

Dr. Simon holds a Ph.D. in Counseling from Kent State University, and a Master's in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Florida. He is a certified rehabilitation counselor, a certified life care planner, is licensed as a supervising professional counselor in Ohio and a licensed professional counselor in Georgia. He and his wife Gail, a school principal, live in Palm Harbor, Florida, They have a daughter and son, both married, and 2 young grandchildren. Dr. Simon's hobby is personal fitness, spending as much of each week at the gym as he can. He is also a sports car enthusiast (convertibles of course)!