Meet John Maier, MA, CRC, CCM: Championing Vocational Success for People with Disabilities

Vocational rehabilitation helps individuals with disabilities, including those resulting from injuries or health conditions like soft tissue injuries, to overcome barriers and re-enter the workforce. The goal of vocational rehabilitation is to assist individuals in acquiring or maintaining employment, fostering independence, and improving their overall quality of life. 

At MacKenzie Life Care Planning, we are pleased to introduce our newest vocational rehabilitation expert, John Maier, MA, CRC, CCM, a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) and expert witness with 26 years of invaluable expertise. 

The Path to Vocational Consultant

John's professional journey has demonstrated his strong commitment to making a difference in the lives of those with disabilities. In 2007, he earned a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling, with an emphasis on psychiatric rehabilitation, and also completed a post-graduate program in assistive technology. Working for both government and private sector organizations, John’s experiences span a wide range of essential vocational counseling skills.  From assessing an individual’s ability to work, to developing goals tailored to help them progress, John leverages support, accommodations, and a focus on specific strengths to help individuals secure meaningful and appropriate employment.

Throughout his career, he has forged partnerships with employers, behavioral health agencies, and various community organizations in Arizona, North Carolina, and across the country, creating hundreds of employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. His expertise has also made him a qualified expert witness, testifying in over 500 hearings across the United States since July 2020, particularly with the Social Security Administration. In these proceedings, he classifies past work, analyzes transferable skills, and identifies appropriate jobs given the person's vocational history and limitations.

Bringing Exceptional Value to Our Clients

John is a Vocational Consultant at MacKenzie Life Care Planning, where he brings a unique set of skills and qualifications to benefit his clients' legal cases. His approach is marked by thoroughness and the use of peer-reviewed methodologies, ensuring that his opinions are reliable and objective. Having placed a diverse range of individuals in various jobs, John provides individual-specific analysis and development for every case, tailoring his expertise to meet the unique needs of each client.

What inspired John to pursue a career as a vocational rehabilitation counselor were his experiences working with adjudicated youth and wild mustangs in rural Arizona. This event revealed a fundamental truth to him – people thrive when they work to overcome their weaknesses and develop their gifts. This realization became the driving force behind his dedication to helping individuals with disabilities reach their full potential.

John's approach to managing cases is characterized by a unique blend of analytical rigor and compassion. This combination is particularly well-suited to the work he does, ensuring that his clients receive not only expert insights but also a deep understanding of their unique circumstances.

Vocational Experts Can Make a Difference

At MacKenzie Life Care Planning, we are proud to have professionals like John on our team. Our dedicated vocational experts possess a wealth of experience and knowledge, making them well-equipped to help injured and disabled individuals regain their independence and achieve employment success. Together, we are dedicated to improving the quality of life for those facing the challenges of disability, turning these challenges into opportunities for a brighter future.