The focus of the October 2025 monthly report is DSB's Business Relations Team. This critical team serves a dual role at the agency. They assist DSB's Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) customers to prepare for and find employment in their chosen career field; and they help employers who want to create an inclusive workplace, ease their concerns of hiring people with disabilities, and support their employees who are experiencing vision loss or are Blind, Deaf-Blind or Low Vision.
Voice of the Customer
Hear from two DSB customers who recently worked with the Business Relations team as part of their VR journey.
OTC Intern Daniel Chamberlin
Daniel talks to Carl Peterson, Business Relations and Workforce Initiatives Manager, about participating in a job club with Business Relations Specialist Ashley Douthett, and how he benefitted from an internship opportunity that was offered.
Garage Gecko in Spokane
Dale Jacobs received DSB services that have enabled him to continue working at full capacity at his own business in addition to training and supporting garage door technicians in the Spokane area.
Dale recently spoke to Carl Peterson about his experience:
EmployAbility Career Fairs
DSB, in partnership with DSHS/Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), the State's WorkSource Development Council, the Employment Security Department, and other Community Partners has offered three EmployAbility Career Fairs in the past year. These took place in Seattle, Silverdale, and Yakima. In total, these events were attended by almost 600 job seekers and have allowed DSB to serve 100+ businesses and helped to expose them to hiring individuals who have visual disabilities. Many businesses have reported interest in working with DSB in the future and have been happy with the Career Fair.
- Event promo from organizers, JC Alvarado from DSB and Jessica Moreno from DVR
- Reg George, DSB Adaptive technology Specialist, speaks at the job fair
Business Relations Notable Statistics
In the relatively short time this small but mighty group has been part of the agency, DSB's Business Relations Team has made significant strides in increasing the Employer Services and Job Search Services that DSB is able to provide to our customers.
Services to Business are direct interactions with our business customers and include things such as accessibility consultation and training, recruitment assistance, and employee retention. The number of services to business provided by DSB staff increased significantly each of the past three years:
- 2023 - 72 services
- 2024 - 306 services
- 2025 - 602 services
Job Search Services are provided to DSB's VR customers as an integral part of their journey towards a career goal and include things such as resume review, interview prep, and development of internships and work experiences. This number went from 19 services provided in the period of July to December 2024 to 128 provided from January to June 2025.
Another focus for the Business Relations Team is assisting DSB's VR customers who have a career goal of self-employment. The number of successful self-employment outcomes increased from four (4) in 2024 to nine (9) in 2025.