Paola Premuda Conti

Paola Premuda Conti is an educator and practitioner specializing in rehabilitation counseling, vocational evaluation, and mental health counseling. She has more than 30 years of experience in the field, beginning her academic career in Uruguay and later expanding her expertise through graduate study in the United States. She earned a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation with a focus on vocational evaluation from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, supported in part by a Fulbright Scholarship.

Paola currently serves as an Associate Professor at Troy University, where she teaches and contributes to the development of rehabilitation counseling professionals. Her academic expertise includes research methods, assessment and evaluation, job development and placement, and the medical aspects of chronic illness and disability. Previously, she taught at Universidad de la República in Uruguay and completed postdoctoral research in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Virginia Commonwealth University.

In addition to her academic career, Paola has practical experience in mental health counseling and rehabilitation services. Her areas of specialization include employment and vocational support for people with disabilities, supported employment, brain injury rehabilitation, vocational evaluation, employment outcome disparities, trauma, immigration-related trauma, and EMDR. She is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist, reflecting her commitment to helping individuals overcome barriers to employment, recovery, and community participation.