Aletha Alexander

Aletha Alexander currently serves as a Community Research Specialist for the SWTCIE Illinois project and the Illinois Institute for Rehabilitation & Employment Research at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). In January 2023, she retired from the Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Rehabilitation Services where she served as a public service administrator/rehabilitation services supervisor (RSS) and a regional planning specialist.

Aletha served in the Champaign DRS local office for more than 29 years. Her responsibilities included managing a local office team of vocational counselors and coordinator staff. She also oversaw the IHFS Home & Community Based Medicaid Waiver Program, which provides in home health care for eligible individuals to remain in their homes to avoid institutional placement. Additionally, she was responsible for overseeing contractual partnerships with local community rehabilitation programs, disability service organizations, PACE Center for Independent Living, Community Colleges, and Champaign County high schools. During her career with DRS, Aletha also served as the RSS for the DRS Danville office for 18 years and supervised vocational rehabilitation counselors and coordinator support for the Bloomington DRS office for three years.

Aletha served on the LWIB #17 Workforce Development Board and was a primary managing partner in the development of the Illinois WorkNet Center in Champaign.

Education

M.S., Rehabilitation Administration/Counseling – Supported Employment, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 1997
B.S., Criminal Justice Administration – Juvenile Delinquency, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1987