Meet the Staff
Aliza Hauser, Program Director of NVSU
Aliza Hauser MA, CRC, PHR has been a dedicated member of NVSU, serving as a staff member, board member, and now the Director of NVSU. She has experience with the ADA, workplace accommodations, comprehensive vocational evaluations, community-based assessments, job placement and retention. Over the past 10 years, Aliza has been a partner in disability services within the workforce, equipped with knowledge on workplace injury, workers’ compensation insurance, return-to-work strategies, and the interactive process that supports employers in accommodating their employees’ on-the-job needs.
Robert Fraser, PhD, Former Director of NVSU
Honoring Dr. Robert Fraser
Dr. Bob Fraser served as the Clinical Director of NVSU since its inception for over 40 years. While we mourn his recent untimely death, we honor his memory by acknowledging his many accomplishments and the pivotal role he played in NVSU's success. He held appointments as a professor in the University of Washington’s Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, joint with the departments of Neurological Surgery and Neurology, and served as a consultant with Associates in Rehabilitation and Neuropsychology. He was an active counseling and rehabilitation psychologist, a certified rehabilitation counselor, and a certified life care planner. Throughout his career, Dr. Fraser was involved in numerous grants, serving as a Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Investigator. Most recently, he was the PI for the PACES program, a grant focused on Epilepsy Self-Management. He also authored numerous books and publications and specialized in epilepsy, brain injury, and multiple sclerosis within the field of neurological rehabilitation. For the past two years, Dr. Fraser held the title of Professor Emeritus, but he continued to support NVSU through clinical work, managing the NVSU Board of Directors, acting as a resource to the community, and actively participating in the Emerald City Rotary. His legacy will live on through the work of NVSU.
Eleanor Pawley, BFA, CDMS, NVSU Program Manager
Eleanor has been an integral part of NVSU since 2016, starting at the front desk under the guidance of Dr. Fraser and Barbara Beach. Eleanor is now the Program Manager, directly assisting NVSU clients with Community Based Assessments, Job Placement/Development, and Job Retention. Alongside Barbara Beach, Eleanor updates policies and procedures for CARF accreditation and represented the unit during the 2022 CARF survey. She previously co-moderated NVSU's weekly job club with Dr. Fraser and now leads it. Eleanor is passionate about helping people and working with disadvantaged populations. Coming from a background in conference planning, event management and theatre production, she plays a critical role in program oversight, development, fundraising, managing the office, and is Bilingual in English and Spanish. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Design/ Technology from the Conservatory of Theatre Arts and Film, Purchase, NY and completed her CDMS (Certification Disability Management Specialist) in late 2023.
Erica K. Johnson, Ph.D., FAES - Co-Investigator for PACES in Epilepsy
https://www.drericajohnson.com/
A rehabilitation psychologist and a certified rehabilitation counselor, as well as a Fellow of the American Epilepsy Society. Dr. Johnson is the Co-Investigator with Dr. Poolos (formerly with Dr. Fraser) on PACES in Epilepsy, a CDC-funded epilepsy self-management treatment program for adults. In addition to her work on PACES, Dr. Johnson is the incoming Principal Investigator for Project UPLIFT, a program to prevent and treat depression in adults with epilepsy. Outside of her research program, Dr. Johnson is in private practice in Lynnwood, WA, where she conducts psychosocial and neuropsychological assessments and therapy with individuals with various disabilities, such as traumatic brain injury, blindness and low vision, chronic pain, and post-traumatic stress.
Barbara Beach, M.Ed, CRC, Program Consultant - (Retired NVSU Program Manager)
Direct: 206-744-9135
Barbara has extensive years of experience working with TBI, chronic pain, spinal cord injury and other physical disabilities in vocational 2003 rehabilitation inpatient and outpatient settings. Trained as a Rehabilitation Counselor and having worked in Administration in numerous capacities, today, Barbara functions as Department Manager of NVSU in both administrative and clinical capacities, working with a smaller caseload of clients, providing Comprehensive Vocational Evaluations, Community Based Assessments and Job Placement services. In addition to NVSU, she is also the vocational counselor in Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation.
Ethan J Blanco, NVSU Employment Specialist
Ethan, a University of Washington Public Health-Global Health alumnus, is a passionate advocate for accessibility and disability awareness. With extensive experience in disability advocacy, universal and inclusive design, and supporting non-traditional students at UW, Ethan brings a wealth of knowledge to his role. He joined the NVSU to support their mission of serving and empowering people with disabilities to successfully enter the workforce. Looking forward, Ethan aims to continue his work by developing innovative solutions and partnerships that further accessibility and inclusion in the diverse environments he interacts with.
NVS Interns & Support Team
NVS, the non-profit raises funds through the Annual Spring Gala and private donations to pay for direct client support, by paying to support our Employment Specialist Interns, Marketing Interns, Job Developers and Consultants. The NVS Interns provide one-one job coaching services, under the direction of NVSU staff members.
Talia Eagle, Employment Specialist Intern
Talia is a senior at the University of Washington, majoring in Psychology and Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies. She intends to get her master’s degree in mental health counseling after taking a gap year to explore the wonderful field of social services. Dedicated to incorporating the perspectives of people with disabilities in her future practice, as well as in her everyday life, Talia is excited to contribute to NVSU’s mission! In her free time, she loves crocheting, painting, drawing, cooking, and baking– anything to keep her hands busy!
Kristian Foster, Employment Specialist Intern
Kristian is a senior at the University of Washington Bothell majoring in Psychology and plans on pursuing a Masters in Clinical Psychology. With passion for helping others, he believes that everyone is entitled to pursue self-dependence and fulfillment and looks forward to helping clients do this through interning as an employment specialist with the NVSU.
Halle Kolar, Marketing Intern
A junior at Arizona State University, Halle is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration within the W.P. Carey School of Business. She finds purpose in applying what she’s learned to accomplish business objectives, driven by a genuine passion for making a positive impact. Through her time at NVSU, Halle is excited to explore the functions of a business including marketing, client services, employer outreach, and office administration. Halle is spending the summer with her family at Lake Tapps and looks forward to boat days, playing badminton with her little brother, and fetch with her dog, Zozo.
Luis Lopez, Employment Specialist / Job Developer
Luis "Louie" Lopez worked full-time for NVSU for over 15 years as our Job Developer/ Employment Specialist. During his tenure, Louie excelled in the field, successfully convincing employers to hire NVSU clients while educating the community about the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities. He has provided on-site job coaching to clients employed by companies such as the Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, Safeway, Holland America Line, Sea-Tac Airport, Sky-Chef, ABM Janitorial, Penny's Salsa, and many others. Louie has also worked in radio advertising, another opportunity he used to spread awareness to employers about hiring people with disabilities. Louie grew up in Burlington, Washington, where he worked in agricultural labor as a youth and later transitioned to the grocery business, where he actively hired people with disabilities. After some serious health problems, Louie has returned to NVSU/ NVS as a consultant to continue his passion for job development.
Kevin Rocha, Marketing Intern
Meet Kevin, a passionate Senior at Seattle University, diving deep into the world of communications and media. With a heart dedicated to making a difference, Kevin channels his skills in communication and marketing to create lasting, positive change. At NVS, he’s thrilled to bring his expertise to the table, helping to amplify the buzz around our impactful events and fundraisers that play a crucial role in supporting our community. With a background in crafting visually stunning content and informative, engaging formats for non-profits, Kevin is all about using creativity to drive awareness and action. He's here to ensure that every initiative not only gets noticed, but truly makes a difference.