National Employment Network Association

Interest Areas

NENA's Interest Areas provide an excellent opportunity for members to continue fine-tuning the Ticket to Work Program. If you are not a member yet, click here to complete your Membership application and select your preferred areas of interest.

NENA’s Interest Areas meet regularly, or host special meetings as needed. Please know that all meetings and events are chaired by NENA Board Members and ALL NENA members, regardless of membership type, are invited (and encouraged!) to participate in all NENA events.

If you are already a NENA member and would like to get involved in any of these areas of interest, simply send an email to us at: admin@nenaticket.org. NENA will contact you about working together with other members on projects that may also put you in touch with the Social Security Administration, State vocational rehabilitation (SVR) agencies, or Ticket Program contractors.

Interest Area Meeting Links

Ticket Operations

The Ticket Operations interest area provides guidance and supports to streamline processes surrounding TPA changes, compliance, service and supports reviews, payments and other operations related topics.

Meeting Schedule: 1st Thursday, monthly at 3:00 pm Eastern
Co-chairs: Angelina Bush, Brenna Schaefer and Jonathan Belmont

Advocacy

To work with NENA Members, TPM, SSA and other relevant organizations to provide resources to empower NENA Members to advocate for their Ticket to Work program. This includes increasing awareness of the Ticket to Work program, resolving communication barriers, and advocating for policies that benefit NENA members and ticket holders.

Meeting Schedule: Meets the 2^nd Thursday, bi-monthly at 2:00 pm Eastern (odd-numbered months)
Co-chairs: Sherri Stone, Lisa Purdy and Shelley Paquette

Training & Development Opportunities

To provide ongoing training and development opportunities for ENs, SVRs, AJCs and their staff to grow, sustain and streamline business practices and services.

Annual National Training Conference - Evaluate effectiveness of prior year’s Annual National Training Conference, and lead development and delivery of current year’s conference.

Meeting Schedule: Non-standard meeting dates
Co-chairs: Amy Wallish, Brenna Schaefer, and Portia Matheny

Ticket Talk with Q&A - Provides a platform for brief trainings relevant to EN business practices, updates from SSA national EN calls and forum for open Q&A with discussion.

Meeting Schedule: 3rd Tuesday of each month at 2:00 pm Eastern

*In the event of a conflict with the SSA's All EN call, this meeting will move to 3:00 pm Eastern (currently scheduled for August and November).

Co-chairs: Amy Wallish, Christa Nivens, and Portia Matheny

Quarterly Training Teleconference - To provide quarterly trainings to members about different Ticket to Work topics.

Meeting Schedule: Meets quarterly as determined
Co-chairs: Amy Wallish, Christa Nivens and Portia Matheny

VR/EN Partnership Plus

Monitor, evaluate and share information with NENA members on SVR/EN/AJC Partnerships. Promote best practices in this area. Collaborate with Partnership Plus activities led by SSA, State SVRs and national SVR organization (including CSVAR) on the experience of NENA members.

Meeting Schedule: 4th Thursday, bi-monthly at 2:00 pm Eastern (odd-numbered months)

Co-chairs: Claudia Barrios, David Leon and Donna Osburn

Marketing & Outreach to Customers

To collaborate with NENA Members and Ticket to Work Program stakeholders (SSA, TPM, SVR, etc.) to leverage existing and develop new marketing strategies. Monitor, evaluate, and advise on target marketing initiatives such as the SSA Data Marketing Program and promote the Ticket to Work Program to all SSI/SSDI beneficiaries.

Meeting Schedule: 3rd Wednesday bi-monthly at 3:00 pm Eastern (even numbered months only)
Co-chairs: Brenna Schaefer, Matt Silverstein, and Claudia Barrios

Newsletter signup

The National Employment Network Association (NENA) serves Employment Networks (ENs), American Job Centers (AJCs), State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies (SVRAs) and other Stakeholders involved in the Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program.

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