Ray Cebula

Ray Cebula spent a total of 23 years working with legal services and protection and advocacy programs providing direct representation to disabled individuals having legal issues with the Social Security Administration, before joining the faculty of the Yang-Tan Institute. He began working with the Legal Services Corporation of Iowa as a Reginald Heber Smith Community Lawyer Fellow. After returning to his home state of Massachusetts he worked with the Southeastern Massachusetts Legal Services Corporation, serving as the Supervising Attorney of the Disability Benefits and Medicare units, until joining the staff of the Disability Law Center in 1987. While at the Law Center his duties included providing technical assistance and training to Massachusetts advocates and attorneys as well as engaging in impact litigation against the Social Security Administration.

Over time he became a specialist in post-entitlement and return to work issues. He has written extensively on both topics and has provided training to many local and national organizations. It was this aspect of his work that developed into a contractual relationship with the Work Incentive Support Center at Cornell University's ILR School. He became part of the Work Incentive Support team in 2000, and began providing technical assistance, training and advice to attorneys and legal advocates in the 16 states and territories associated with the WISC. In January of 2005, Ray was brought on staff at Cornell and continues to provide training and technical assistance concerning work incentive programming.

Ray serves as the Director of ytiONLINE; the Institute's distance learning program for Work Incentive Practitioners and others interested in learning about the Social Security disability and work incentive programming. This one of a kind, scientifically developed curriculum and credentialing protocol is also made available as a 5 day, on site, training. It is currently the largest and most accessible benefits planning program in the nation and continues to grow each year.

Ray has been a long-time member of the Board of the National Association of Benefits and Work Incentive Specialists (NABWIS) and currently serves as President of the Board.