About

Work Without Limits is an initiative of ForHealth Consulting, the consulting and operations division of UMass Chan Medical School. Our goal is to position Massachusetts as the first state in the nation where the employment rate of people with disabilities is equal to people without disabilities.

Download the Work Without Limits Overview. (pdf)

Who We Are


Work Without Limits is a network of employers, educational institutions, employment service providers, and state and federal agencies.

Through collaboration and partnership, our goal is to increase the employment of people with disabilities until it is equal to those without disabilities.

Work Without Limits programs and services are geared to meet the needs of businesses that actively recruit people with disabilities, individuals with disabilities who are seeking jobs, and the employment providers that serve them.

We provide training and consulting services to help build the capacity of employers, employment service providers, state agency personnel, and educational institutions in advancing workplace disability inclusion.

Work Without Limits coordinates a Business Network that shares best practices and builds confidence and success through their commitment to the inclusion of people with disabilities as employees, customers, and suppliers. Private and public-sector businesses join Work Without Limits by becoming a member of the Work Without Limits Business Network.

Our Benefits Counseling service assists individuals with disabilities to understand how work earnings or wage increases affect eligibility for public benefits, such as SSI, SSDI, Medicaid and/or Medicare.

Our Employment Network (EN) provides the administrative functions that allow community based organizations to access payments through the Social Security Ticket to Work program. The EN also offers on-going benefits counseling to support Social Security beneficiaries as they work and increase their earnings.

We offer educational and networking events for employers, employment service providers, and individuals with disabilities. Our events have included our Raise The Bar HIRE conference and Career Fair for Individuals with Disabilities, as well as Disability Mentoring Day where member companies host job seekers for a day of career exploration, mentoring, and networking.

Our History


In 2008, members of Massachusetts state government, the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS), and other key stakeholders formed a partnership with the help of a federal grant. They began a strategic planning effort to maximize employment opportunities for people with disabilities in Massachusetts, and to address the barriers keeping them from finding work. From these efforts, Work Without Limits was established.

In 2010, Work Without Limits established a B2B Network with a handful of leading employers looking for a peer-to-peer network in which they could, as a business community, positively impact the employment of people with disabilities.

In 2012, Work Without Limits introduced its corporate sponsorship program and the first twelve companies joined to become the B2B Network’s Founding Corporate Partners. Each of these organizations share a commitment to disability inclusion and include BCBSMA, Clarks Companies, Eastern Bank, Fidelity Investments, John Hancock, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, MIT Sloan School of Management, National Grid, Professional Staffing Group, State Street, TJX Companies, and UMass Chan Medical School.

In 2016, the Work Without Limits B2B Network became the Massachusetts affiliate of the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN) and became the MABLN. In 2018, the USBLN changed its name to Disability:IN  and the MABLN became Disability:IN Massachusetts.

In 2021, Work Without Limits dis-affiliated with Disability:IN to further expand our footprint beyond Massachusetts borders. Our robust Business Network remains and continues to grow!

Thanks to the unwavering support of UMMS, our Founding Corporate Partners and all our Corporate Sponsors and Business Network Members, we have not only been able to sustain Work Without Limits beyond the initial federal grant funding but have also expanded our programs and services to help achieve our goal of equal employment for people with disabilities.

Meet Our Staff

Kathy Petkauskos Headshot
Kathy Petkauskos (she/her)
Director, Work Without Limits
Bonnie Rivers Headshot
Bonnie Rivers (she/her)
Director of Employer Relations
Kathy is a white woman, smiling with light brown curly hair, wearing a blue top
Kathy Muhr (she/her)
Director of Community Engagement
Lynn DeCouto
Lynn DeCouto (she/her)
Marketing and Communications Manager
Marjorie is a white woman with blond hair and blue eyes, smiling, wearing a blue top
Marjorie Longo, CPWIC (she/her)
Manager, Employment Network
Peter is a white man with white hair and a mustache, smiling, wearing a light purple shirt with a dark necktie
Peter Travisano, CPWIC (he/him)
Senior Work Incentives Counselor, Employment Network
Brian is a white man with gray hair and glasses wearing a blue button down shirt
Brian Forsythe, CPWIC (he/him)
Senior Work Incentives Counselor, Employment Network
Dennis is white man with blue eyes, mustache and light beard wearing a black shirt and a gray suit jacket
Dennis DeYoung, CPWIC (He/Him)
Senior Work Incentives Counselor, Employment Network
Diane is a white woman, smiling, with short brown hair, wearing a red top
Diane Ricker, CWIC (she/her)
Work Incentives Counselor, Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA)
Ashleigh Hesler has straight long brown hair, white top and is smiling
Ashleigh Hesler, CWIC (she/her)
Senior Work Incentives Counselor, Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA)
Stephanie is a young woman with short dark hair, wearing glasses and smiling
Stephanie Major (she/her)
WIPA and EN Administrative Support