Meet Our Staff
President & CEO
Allison Chase, with more than twenty-five years’ experience, has dedicated her career to the employment of people with disabilities. As President & CEO, Chase is committed to ensuring The Able Trust is the leading expert in Florida for disability workforce inclusion, providing valuable resources to businesses, employment service providers, communities and Floridians with disabilities. Chase has worked in the public, private, and non-profit sectors giving her a 360-degree perspective of the field. She has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Rehabilitation Services, and completed the National Executive Leadership Institute for rehabilitation leaders at the University of Oklahoma.
Senior Vice President
Joey D’Souza is the Vice President of External Engagement for The Able Trust where he interacts and collaborates with a variety of partners, community organizations and other stakeholders that focus on employing Floridians with disabilities. D’Souza has more than ten years’ experience with The Able Trust managing programs including Disability Employment Awareness Month, Internship Business Training and the statewide program for students with disabilities — High School High Tech. D’Souza worked with various nonprofit organizations before joining The Able Trust and he holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Florida State University.
Donna Wright serves as the Vice President of Development and Marketing, cultivating engagement opportunities for Florida businesses who support the mission of The Able Trust to promote employment for persons with disabilities in Florida. Wright started her career as a Special Education teacher focusing most of her time on students with disabilities. Wright received Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Education, as well as a Master’s degree in Special Education. Wright has also served as the COO for the Florida Chamber Foundation, the External Affairs Manager for the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and the Public Relations Director for Goodwill Industries, Big Bend Inc.
Communication Manager
Justin Adams is the Communications Manager for The Able Trust. Adams joined The Able Trust’s team following over a decade of work in higher education as a traditional and social media writer, public speaking instructor, and competitive speech and debate coach. He oversees and crafts content for The Able Trust’s social media platforms; designs and executes graphics and video deliverables; creates and edits written content for communications-related aspects of The Able Trust’s operations; and works closely with the team’s marketing initiatives and event planning. A native of Illinois, Adams holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism & Mass Communication from Arizona State University, and a Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communication from Florida State University.
High School High Tech State Director
Coleen Agner is the High School High Tech State Director for The Able Trust. After spending 24 years in education serving students with disabilities and overseeing secondary transition programs, Agner joined The Able Trust to oversee High School High Tech, a program that gives high school students with disabilities opportunities to learn about postsecondary training and workforce opportunities. Agner has served on the board of directors of the Taylor County Farm Bureau and the R.O. Ranch, Inc., and she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Valdosta State University.
Vice President of Strategic Communications
Tracey Lowe is the Strategic Communications Director for The Able Trust and brings wide-ranging experience in communications and marketing to the important work of raising awareness of disability employment. Having worked for private and nonprofit organizations, Lowe has worked to promote and raise awareness of a variety of products, services and issues including technology, educational programs, association services, economic data, and research. Lowe’s background also includes program research, database management and the development of public information materials. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Florida State University.
Office Administrator & Executive Assistant to the President & CEO
Arnaldo Ramos is the Office Administrator & Executive Assistant to the President & CEO. Ramos supports The Able Trust leadership team and board of directors, as well as managing overall office operations.
Ramos’ experience also includes working for the Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities in their provider relations unit. He brings more than ten years of experience in various administrative roles in the health care industry, and he is working toward completion of his degree in Public Health.
Director of Partner Relations
Leanne Rexford is the Director of Partner Relations for The Able Trust. In this new role, she is responsible for the development and implementation of The Able Network, an initiative that involves working with Florida businesses, disability service providers and the education system to make Florida’s workforce more disability inclusive. Rexford brings a wealth of experience having worked across the private, disability service provider and government sectors. She has more than seven years of experience in a human resources capacity during which she worked directly with people with disabilities. Her responsibilities included training individuals with disabilities in all areas of the hospitality and warehousing industries. Rexford received a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Central Florida.