Debby Graham
Secretary/Treasurer of the Board of Trustees
"The biggest benefit of being in the Trust is that we have control over our unemployment costs, something we didn't have when we were in the state system. The professionals at TALX examine each claim to determine if it's legitimate, and if it isn't, they challenge it and they win the vast majority of their challenges. That's something the state never did for us. We also benefit greatly from the Trust's HR Services Program. Many agencies, particularly small ones like ours, don't have in-depth HR staffs or access to attorneys. So when we have a potential personnel problem or a question, the people at HR Services are always at the other end of the phone line, ready to provide the answers we need. Their help is invaluable. "
Debby Graham is executive director of CenterForce in Lakewood, Washington—an employment and training program for adults with disabilities. Her organization has a staff of more than 60 employees and an annual budget of more than $2 million.
Prior to joining CenterForce nearly six years ago, Debby, who has been in the field for more than 20 years, worked in various human service agencies in California, Oregon, and Arizona. She has a Master of Arts degree in Applied Behavioral/Instructional Analysis from California State University at Chico, is a Certified Mental Health Counselor, and earned her Professional in Human Resources certification.