Meet the Team
PAULA VIEILLET, CEO
Our CEO and Founder, Paula Vieillet, has been helping people with physical, mental, and emotional challenges find suitable jobs for over 20 years as a Nationally Certified Vocational Evaluator. She is nationally recognized as a consultant and speaker and has consulted with the Social Security Administration on their Ticket To Work Program. Paula is passionate about helping citizens with disabilities find meaningful work and founded the company in 1993. In 2019, Paula was also chosen as the Invisible Disabilities Association (IDA) Corporate Leadership Award Winner.
She is also the author of several books including Disabilities/Different Abilities: A New Perspective For Job Hunters (EO Press), this nationally acclaimed workbook has been used in rehabilitation counseling, private and non-profit return-to-work programs and government agencies like the Veterans Administration. Paula also wrote Employment Options: The Ultimate Resource for Job Seekers with Disabilities and Other Challenges, which we use with all new clients. (See Resources to purchase.)
PAM BARNETTE
Rehabilitation Services Professional Level Senior Manager
Pam Barnette is a Rehabilitation Services Professional Level Senior Manager at Employment Options, after several years as a Regional Human Resources Manager at Montgomery Wards. She has earned her Master’s in Counseling/Sociology from East Texas State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Psychology from the University of Florida. Pam has had a vocational consulting business specializing in Labor Market Surveys for litigated cases, as well as, helping recovering homeless addicts find employment. Pam is an accomplished job developer and manages our Front End and Job Counselor teams. She is responsible for ensuring quality job placement services by all counselors of both Work From Home and Community clients in accordance with the Ticket To Work Program.
NANCY REUBEN GREENFIELD
Board of Advisor and Communications Consulant
Nancy Reuben Greenfield is currently on our Board of Advisors and is our Communications Consultant. She directed communications and marketing for many years for her big sister Paula and has supported and helped Employment Options since Paula founded the company. Always believing in Paula’s positive and realistic approach to job placement, she edited all of her Disabilities/Different Abilities books and used them for over a decade when teaching Oral Communications at El Centro Community College in Dallas, TX.
TERESA ELLINGER
Benefits and Payments Manager/CPWIC
Teresa Ellinger is our Social Security Benefits and Payments Manager and a Community Partner Work Incentives Coordinator. (CPWIC). She plays a vital role at My Employment Options by helping clients better understand Ticket to Work Program guidelines and submitting necessary documentation to Social Security on behalf of the company and our clients. Teresa knows the Ticket to Work Program inside and out and enjoys helping our clients! When she is not working, Teresa enjoys family time the most, swimming, and going to the beach!
SHIEKA JONES
Front End Screener and Customer Service Advocate
Shieka Jones is our Front End Screener and a Customer Service advocate with a friendly voice. She is a compassionate, hardworking professional known for her enthusiasm, attention to detail and making each person who contacts Employment Options feel welcome. Shieka has been working with Employment Options since May of 2008.
SARAH LIND
Senior Community Employment Counselor
Sarah Lind is a Senior Community Employment Counselor. She was a family counselor for eight years before joining the My Employment Options team in January 2011. Sarah has been a supporter of MEO from its inception. She is known for finding good job matches and specializes in helping people get Schedule A positions with the federal government. Earlier in her career, Sarah successfully managed an employment agency office for four years. Sarah earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida.
LISA SEELEY
Senior Work at Home Employment Counselor
Lisa Seeley is a Senior Work At Home Employment Counselor. She attended Cayuga Community College and majored in Early Childhood Development. She is driven to help our clients find empowering and successful employment. Seeing clients working is a major reward. When she is not working she is busy caring for her family. Lisa has been with Employment Options since April 2010. She is also a SSA Ticket to Work Program Work At Home Success Story.
LORI ADLER
Communications Manager
Lori Adler is our Communications Manager and helps oversee and collaborate on both internal and external communications for the company and helps with marketing, outreach and technical support. She also supports our CEO and management with various company operations. Lori earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management from Oakland City University. She comes to us with a background including technology, administrative support, customer service, procurement, and employee training. She is very passionate about helping others and is a Ticket to Work Program participant and is willing to share her personal story of having an invisible disability and how the program changed her life. In her free time, Lori enjoys spending time with family, friends, and doing Zumba. She has been with the company since 2011.
SANDY DARNELL
Outreach Specialist and Work at Home Employment Counselor
Sandy Darnell is a Work at Home Employment Counselor and is an Outreach Specialist. Sandy comes to us with 33 years’ experience as founder and co-owner of Darnell’s Painting & Contracting and Turf Tenders Lawn Care. Her experience lies in the areas of business ownership, bookkeeping/accounting and human resources. Her compassion, understanding and empathy for her clients is built on her personal experience with her own disability of Chronic Lyme Disease. She is a member of Toastmasters, enjoys fishing, dabbles in purchasing storage units and has a true zest for life.
RUTH MINER
Database Administrative Assistant
Ruth Miner is our Database Administrative Assistant and has been with MEO for over 12 years. She is a participant in the Ticket to Work Program and she will be glad to tell you how happy she is working for Employment Options. She worked at Bankers Life & Casualty for 33 1/2 years & has experience in doing database work. Ruth loves to work on the computer and with various software programs that she has learned over the years. When she is not working, she loves to watch TV, cook home-style meals, crochet, and is a huge fan of the Chicago Bears football team!
ROBYN ALARCON
Billing Specialist and Reporting Manager
Robyn Alarcon is a Billing Specialist and our Reporting Manager who comes to us with over 12 years of accounting and billing experience in the mortgage and advertising industries. She is a southern girl at heart who loves being a mom and a wife. When she is not working, she loves spending time outdoors with her family and enjoys reading, doing craft projects with her two children and camping adventures. She also enjoys regular family BBQ’s with her husband who is a chef.
DESIREE BUFFIN
Work at Home and Community Employment Counselor/Recruiter
Desiree Buffin is a Work at Home and Community Employment Counselor and also is a recruiter for our MEO Staffing division. She comes to us with 14 years experience at IBM in marketing, communications, and human resources. She also has HR experience in healthcare and a degree in Information Systems from Pace University. She is very passionate about using resources to help people return to their independence. She loves the entire placement process from introduction to placement to follow up.
KIMBERLY BOUNDS
Work at Home Employment Counselor and HR Operations
Kimberly Bounds is a Work At Home Employment Counselor and is in HR Operations. She has been with MEO since 2014. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Information Systems with 10+ years of Human Resource experience. Her background includes New Hire Orientation, HRIS, Training and Development, Light Industrial, Clerical and Professional Staffing. She is a team player and loves assisting clients with finding employment so they can become financially stable.
KIMBERLY WHITESEL
Accounts Payable Administrative Assistant
Kimberly Whitesel is a 6-year US Army veteran recently out of the service. While in the Army, she worked on electronics, avionics, and armament of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter as well as spent a year in the role of Training and Personnel Manager. She served one tour to Kandahar, Afghanistan. After proudly serving her country, she is now rejoining the Employment Options’ family and returning to her position as our Accounts Payable Administrative Assistant, a role she previously filled nearly 15 years ago while in high school. In the future, she plans to acquire certification in Makeup Artistry for beauty and special effects makeup. In her free time, Kimberly enjoys spending time with friends and family, hanging out with her cat, and challenging herself with new makeup techniques.
SHANDRIKA GREVIOUS
Integrated Marketing Specialist
Shandrika Grevious is our Integrated Marketing Specialist. She works directly with our Communications Manager and supports numerous Marketing Department functions including social media, events, newsletters, research and database projects. She also specializes in Graphics Design. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and over ten years experience in working from home. She came to Employment Options with experience in Administration Support, Customer Service, Legal Coding and Technology. In her free time, she is just a southern country girl who loves spending time with her kids and family by enjoying the outdoors and boiling seafood. She loves computer work and learning new technology and also loves helping others with her side Stationery and Print design business.
ANN SETTLE
Work at Home Employment Counselor
Ann Settle is a Work at Home Employment Counselor who came to us with 8 years of recruiting experience in the Merchandising industry. She also obtained a professional recruiter certification through Airs. She has experience working in a hospital setting as a Medicaid Enrollment Specialist and also has been a business owner in which she owned a consignment shop for children. Ann is very passionate about helping others. When she is not working, she loves spending her free time with friends, family, and her pets. She also enjoys gardening and reading.
DAVE ROSA
Work at Home Employment Counselor/Recruiter
Dave Rosa is a Work at Home Employment Counselor and also helps as a recruiter in our MEO Staffing division. He comes to us with 12 years of HR experience at Hewlett Packard Company where he was a HR Manager and Generalist. He specialized in Executive international transfers and assignments. Dave has a Bachelors Degree from the University of South Florida. He is also a client of Employment Options and a participant in the Ticket to Work Program himself. He is very grateful for the opportunities the Ticket to Work Program has given him and it really has changed his life. In his free time, Dave enjoys music, reading, cooking, going to the gym, theater, on-line shopping, and religious activities.
KETWAN WILLIAMSON
Community Employment Counselor
Key Williamson is a Community Employment Counselor and assists with processing new client individual work plan agreements and client counselor assignments. Her background includes assisting individuals from various backgrounds with job searching, resume and cover letter creation, and interview practicing skills. She enjoys helping individuals accomplish their goals and volunteering within her local community. Outside of work, Key loves spending time with family and attending hockey games.
SARAH GARVEY
Business Manager
Sarah Garvey is our Business Manager who assists our CEO with major Administrative duties including Payroll, HR assistance, updating procedures and assisting with projects and company development as required. Sarah has 5 years of project management experience and a strong technical and corporate background from her 11 years working as an Environmental Scientist. When she is not working, Sarah enjoys spending time with her family, jogging and listening to True Crime podcasts.
TAKITA ANDERSON
Clerical Billing Specialist
Takita Anderson is a Clerical Billing Specialist. She helps assist various parts of the company including clerical, marketing, communications and billing teams. She has over 20 years of experience in customer service and administrative assisting and also 1 1/2 years in Banking. She attended Central Georgia Technical College for Accounting. When not at work, Takita enjoys crafting and volunteering at school and church ministries for young girls.
VICTOR VIEILLET
Business Development Specialist
Victor Vieillet is our Business Development Specialist at My Employment Options and for our sister company ASK MEO. Victor joined My Employment Options to help develop our new sister company ASK MEO. Victor utilizes his considerable sales background to help develop relationships with outside partners to help serve more clients on SSI and SSDI in returning to work through the Social Administration Ticket to Work Program. Victor in his spare time likes to travel, exercise, spend time with friends, and go to the beach.
VERONA JACOBS-SAMS
Work at Home and Community Employment Counselor
Verona Jacobs-Sams is a Work at Home and Community Employment Counselor. She comes to us experienced as a Vocational Coordinator, Behaviorist, Administrative Assistant, Senior Technical Advisor, and Customer Service Representative. Verona earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing Education from the University of South Florida. She is very passionate about helping people who are hurting. She is also a Ticket to Work Program participant with an invisible disability, but is determined to LIVE and not just exist! Being a part of the Ticket to Work Program has gifted her that opportunity. However, the greater gift is that, now, she gets to help others just as she was helped. She is also an Inspirational Poet who loves writing and enjoying her family and friends.
ASSAF TAMIR
Vice President of Business Development/Product Manager- Employment Options, Inc.
Assaf is VP of Business Development and a Product Manager. He helps across all of our divisions and came to our organization with a diverse background including 12 years at NBCUniversal working in various roles in digital media. He also has experience in product management with a network analytics company and has a technical background as a software engineer and systems analyst. He earned his BA in Business Administration from Baruch College, City University of New York. Assaf finds his job very meaningful and likes being a part of helping people find employment and improving their quality of life. In his spare time, he loves to hike and kayak.
DENNIS WOOD
Resource Specialist
Dennis works for our division Ask MEO as a Research Specialist and provides free 15-minute employment assessments to job seekers with employment challenges. Dennis personally uses the Ticket to Work Program and can relate to the job seekers he speaks with. He appreciates and enjoys helping people across the nation to find crucial resources they need. He has experience working at National Car Rental as a Sales Agent for 26 years. He earned his Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling & Administration and also worked at the Brehm Preparatory School that teaches children and young adults with learning disabilities. Dennis loves music, especially the Beatles, and loves classic movies from directors like Stanley Kubrick and John Ford.
TINA GAGNE
Community Employment Counselor
Tina is a Community Employment Counselor who comes to us with 20+ years of experience in Human Services. Her background includes Vocational Counseling, Behavioral Therapy, Advocacy, and Customer Service. As a Ticket To Work participant, she is passionate about supporting others through a variety of personal and career-related challenges. Tina believes that challenges make life interesting, but overcoming those challenges makes life meaningful. In her free time, she volunteers with her local animal rescue and dotes over her own senior and special needs cat.