Michele Schutz is an assistant professor in the Department of Special Education at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She earned her Ph.D. in special education from Vanderbilt University. She previously taught high school students with disabilities and worked as a transition specialist connecting students to postsecondary opportunities. Dr. Schutz’s research interests center upon the transition of youth with significant disabilities from high school to adult outcomes, especially meaningful employment. She is particularly interested in (a) the roles that various school staff play in facilitating career development for students with disabilities; (b) their collaborations within and beyond their school systems; and (c) building staff capacity to capitalize upon the resources and networks of their local communities to connect students with significant support needs to work experiences, particularly in rural communities.