Ruth A. Fanning

Meeting of November 16, 2011

Ruth A. Fanning was selected as the Director of Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Service in August 2007. In this capacity, she provides executive level oversight of the comprehensive rehabilitation services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefits Administration.

As Director, Ms. Fanning oversees the administration of the VR&E program nationwide for veterans with service-connected disabilities and servicemembers awaiting medical discharge from the Department of Defense.

VR&E program services include vocational evaluation, rehabilitation counseling, training. and employment services necessary for veterans to achieve their employment objectives. Additionally, the program offers assistance that enables veterans to achieve maximum independence in daily living activities, with an ultimate goal of each veteran obtaining and sustaining suitable employment. VR&E serves more than lOO,000 disabled veterans annually.

Prior to her appoinUnent as the VR&E Service Director, Ms. Fanning worked in the Cleveland V A Regional Office as the Assistant Director and Acting Director. In those roles, she worked with Cleveland's management team to ensure quality and timely services to Ohio's 1.1 million veterans. Services provided included the adjudication of compensation claims for disabled veterans and VR&E services. The office also served as a Regional Loan Center, responsible to administer VA's home loan program and Specially Adapted Housing grant program for a six state area; and provided special missions through three unique units: the Tiger Team, the Resource Center, and the Virtual Information Center.

Prior to working in Cleveland. Ms. Fanning was the VR&E Officer at one of the largest Regional Offices in the country, the St. Petersburg VA Regional Office. While in St. Petersburg, Ms. Fanning led the VR&E division to become a top performing office, leading the nation by rehabilitating over 700 veterans in fiscal year 2005. Prior to becoming the VR&E Officer, Ms. Fanning was the Assistant VR&E Officer and a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor at the St. Petersburg Regional Office.

Before beginning her V A career, Ms. Fanning worked in the private sector rehabilitation field and mental health field. She has an MA degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of South Florida and is a certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Certified Vocational Evaluator with over 27 years of experience in the counseling and rehabilitation fields.