The Iowa Self-Employment (ISE) Program, operated by Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS), is pleased to announce the addition of Yvette Clausen as a Business Development Specialist to the Self-Employment team. She will work with job candidates in the Des Moines, Ames, Ottumwa, Council Bluffs, Sioux City and Central Iowa area. She joins Kochell Weber-Ricklefs who has been a Business Development Specialist with the ISE Program since 2008. Kochell works with job candidates in Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Davenport, Iowa City, Burlington and Mason City.
Clausen has been employed with IVRS since 2018, where she has served as a purchasing agent and clerk specialist. She graduated from Drake University with an MBA with Business Analytics Specialization in 2022 and earned a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree from Iowa State University in 2009. Yvette serves on the IowaCASA Board of Directors and is Membership Committee Chair for the Iowa Public Procurement Association.
Clausen said she looks forward to joining the self-employment team to help with new business start-ups in Iowa.
“I am thrilled to join a team that supports job candidates in exercising informed choice to achieve individualized, self-supporting and highly creative self-employment goals. As purchasing agent, I had the opportunity to serve at the periphery of a diverse range of ISE start-ups for everything from barber shops and food trucks to pet grooming and landscaping operations. Serving at all stages of the ISE program promises to be even more rewarding.”
Rounding out the team is Linda Vongxay, Rehabilitation Assistant, who can provide guidance to those working with ISE.
The ISE program provides the second largest placement category for job candidates at IVRS. In Program year 2022 (July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022) 59 Iowans with disabilities started or expanded their own businesses with assistance from the ISE Team.
To learn more about the Self-Employment Program, visit the IVRS website and see stories about the endeavors of our ISE job candidates.