Kathleen (Kat) Oertle, Ph.D., CRC is currently an assistant professor and the Co-PI/Co-Director of the Rehabilitation Counseling Master’s Program at Utah State University. She has extensive interdisciplinary training and experience that includes both special education and rehabilitation among other disciplines.

Dr. Oertle has developed a strong research focus in transition planning and services, within and cross-systems collaboration, access to postsecondary education, and supported employment with refereed articles and book chapters in all of these areas. Nationally, she has developed curricula and delivered numerous training to pre-service and in-service special educators, career and technical educators, and rehabilitation professionals as well as to individuals with disabilities and their parents and families. In addition, Dr. Oertle has over 15 years of experience as a state and local level program evaluator. Dr. Oertle has worked as a postsecondary student support services program coordinator, vocational rehabilitation counselor, and addictions and mental health therapist. Dr. Oertle also has expertise in graduate education