Anya Sheftel

Biography

Education

• Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, University of Oregon
• M.S., Counseling Psychology, Chatham University
• B.A., Economics, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

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Research Interests

Dr. Sheftel is a a disabled, white, and multilingual woman. Prior to coming to WSU, she worked as a psychologist in rural and underserved areas. Her lived experiences inform her commitment to supporting academic, employment, and independent living/community participation for disabled youth and young adults. Her scholarship focuses on developing, implementing, and evaluating student- and systems-focused interventions. This includes scholarship related to capacity building interventions designed to support interagency collaboration and coordinated service delivery between high schools, post-secondary education programs, vocational rehabilitation, and other community partners. Dr. Sheftel also collaborates with scholars in WSU’s Murrow College of Communication to increase medial literacy and health equity in rural areas. Dr. Sheftel embraces critical participatory action research and uses mixed methods to support her scholarship.

Teaching Interests

Dr. Sheftel views teaching as an extension of her scholarship. Her teaching supports evidence-based interventions to improve post-school outcomes for disabled youth and young adults. At WSU she teaches courses in Special Education and Teaching and Learning. Additionally, Dr. Sheftel provides professional development and coaching in evidence-informed transition practices to special educators, mental health providers, and other community partners. She collaborates with national and international partners on building sustainable service delivery systems.

Recent Peer Reviewed Publications

[Graduate and former graduate student co-authors are italicized]

• Sheftel, A., Bridenbaugh, E., Russell, C., Spence, S., Stout, E., & Poppen, M. (Accepted). What do youth with disabilities want from the transition planning process? In P. Wehman, J. Taylor, & H. Whittenburg (Eds), Life Beyond the Classroom: Transition strategies for young people with disabilities. Brookes Publishing Co.
• Taylor, J.P., Ramazan, O., Whittenburg, H.N., Sheftel, A., & Dai, S. (In Press). Career and technical educational experiences and career trajectories of youth with disabilities: An examination of High School Longitudinal Study data. Career and Technical Education Research.
• Sheftel, A., Hagiwara, M., & Velasquez, C. (2025). The Role of School Psychologists in Transition Planning for Latinx Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Scoping Review. International Review of Research in Developmental Disabilities. Advance online publication
• Austin, E. W., O’Donnell, N., Rose, P., Edwards, Z., Sheftel, A., Domgaard, S., Mu, D., Austin, B., Bolls, P., & Sutherland, A. D. (2024). Integrating Science Media Literacy, Motivational Interviewing, and Neuromarketing Science to Increase Vaccine Education Confidence among US Extension Professionals. Vaccines, 12(8), 869.
• Poppen, M., Sheftel, A., Lindstrom, L., Rowe, D., Unruh, D., & Mazzotti, V. (2024). Transition Self-Assessment Tool: The development and field testing of a statewide assessment of pre-employment transition services [special issue]. H. Whittenburg, J. Taylor & P. Wehman (Eds.). Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation.
• Sheftel, A., Poppen, M., & Ruiz Brown, A. (2024). Pulling the Lever: Supporting Critical Consciousness in Secondary Special Education and Transition [special series]. J. Sinclair & S. Kocharczyk (Eds.). Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals. Advance online publication.

Recent Evaluation Reports

[Graduate and former graduate student co-authors are italicized]

• Poppen, M., Sheftel, A., Whittenburg, H., Velasquez, C., & Gauthier, B. (2024). Extended Statewide Evaluation of the Coordination and Delivery of Pre-Employment Transition Services in Virginia. Final Evaluation Report. Submitted to Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services.
• Poppen, M., Sheftel, A., Dunn, M., & Xue, Y. (2024). Understanding the Reentry Needs and Challenges of Individuals Exiting Juvenile Rehabilitation in Washington. Final Evaluation Report. Submitted to Washington Juvenile Rehabilitation.
• Poppen, M., Whittenburg, H., Sheftel., A., Taylor, J., & Xue, Y. (2024). Washington Transition Program and Motivational Enhancement Group Intervention, Model Demonstration Project. Final Report. Submitted to Washington Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
• Poppen, M., Sheftel, A., & Dunn, M. (2023). Brief on Family Engagement: Preliminary Results from the Evaluation Report. Findings Brief. Submitted to Washington Juvenile Rehabilitation.
• Poppen, M., Sheftel, A., & Dunn, M. (2023). Challenges and Barriers to Successful Reentry: Recommendation. Recommendations Brief. Submitted to Washington Juvenile Rehabilitation.
• Sheftel, A., Xue, Y., Scheef, A., & Poppen, M. (2023). 2023 Washington Summer Transition Institute Final Evaluation Report. Submitted to Washington Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.