Gary Shaheen

Gary ShaheenSenior Fellow, Former BBI Director for Mental Health Initiatives , Ph.D.

geshahee@syr.edu
Curriculum Vita (PDF)

Dr. Gary Shaheen was the former Senior Vice President of BBI and served more recently as BBI’s Director for Mental Health Initiatives and Project Director of the California Psychiatric Advanced Directives Evaluation Project. He has over 45 years of experience developing and managing national and international projects addressing employment and social entrepreneurship for people with disabilities. Dr. Shaheen has also conducted qualitative research on disability policy issues, including homelessness and supported education and workforce inclusion for people with disabilities, including Veterans. He directed the Training and Technical Assistance Center for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program, New York State’s Medicaid Infrastructure Grant- “New York Makes Work Pay” and developed curricula and was a trainer for Syracuse University’s Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities. Dr. Shaheen co-developed and co-taught an “Inclusive Entrepreneurship/Emerging Enterprises” course at the Syracuse University Whitman School for many years that received a Chancellor’s Award for Academic Excellence. Dr. Shaheen has written book chapters, published in peer-reviewed journals, and prepared policy and practice reports for the US Department of Labor, Center for Medicaid Services, National Governor’s Association, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration and other national and international agencies supporting rights, inclusion and economic opportunity for people with disabilities.

Teaching and Training Credentials

  • Adjunct Faculty: Syracuse University Whitman School of Management teaching Emerging Enterprise Consulting (“Inclusive Entrepreneurship”) for seniors and graduate students working as student consultants to enterprises owned by veterans and other entrepreneurs with disabilities. 2010 Recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Academic Excellence. (2009-2014)
  • Trainer/Business Advisor: Syracuse University Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities. Developed modules and trained veteran entrepreneurs on principles and practices of social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship for people with disabilities. (2007-2014)
  • Trainer/Curriculum Developer: EI Lilly ‘Community Conversations’ Program. Co-developer and trainer of the Supported Employment for People with Psychiatric Disabilities curricula and for state-level public and private mental health and workforce development agencies as a member of the EI Lilly national cadre of training experts. (2009-2012)

 

  • Trainer/Curriculum Developer: New York City Small Business Services. Led the development of employment materials and resources for use by Veteran Employment Specialists located at American Job Centers located in Metropolitan New York City, Staten Island and Brooklyn (2013-2014)
  • Trainer/Facilitator: VetNET Social Entrepreneurship Training Series: http://www.youtube.com/user/VetNetEntrepreneur (2014)
  • Instructor: Emerging Enterprises Consulting course at Stellenbosch University, South Africa as a component of the Syracuse University Whitman School ‘SU Abroad Program’ (2011)
  • Trainer/Curriculum Developer-National: Developed and conducted on on-site and distance learning homelessness and employment, supported employment and IPS evidence based practices; entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship and mental health recovery for public and private agencies across the United States in support of the SAMHSA Projects to Assist in the Transition from Homelessness (PATH) Program, US Department of Labor (VETS) National Veterans Technical Assistance Center (NVTAC) and other state and national public and private agencies. (1993-2007).
  • Trainer/Curriculum Developer-National International: Developed and conducted on on-site and distance learning programs on homelessness and employment, supported employment and IPS evidence- based practices; entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship and mental health recovery. Training conducted internationally in the countries of Ireland, Israel, St. Maarten’s, Bermuda, Netherlands and Ghana and others (1996-2012).

Selected Publications

 

  • Shaheen, G. & Tihic, M. (2025) In Press. From Warrior to Entrepreneur-Social Entrepreneurship for Veterans with Disabilities. In Cases on Inclusive Entrepreneurship. UC Business School, University of Canterbury, NZ. Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. Cheltenham, UK.
  • Goodman, N., Deane, S., Hyseni, F., Soffer, M., Shaheen, G., & Blanck, P. (2024). Perceptions and bias of small business leaders in employing people with different types of disabilities. Journal of occupational rehabilitation, 34(2), 359-372.
  • Arndt, F.; Tihic, M; & Shaheen, G. (2020). How Entrepreneurs with Physical and Mental Health Challenges can Benefit from an Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Approach. In Exploring Intersectionality between Disability and Entrepreneurship. Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. Cheltenham, UK.
  • Shaheen, G. (2017). Beyond the Business Case. In Educating Social Entrepreneurs From Idea Generation to Business Plan Formulation. Meising, P. & Aggestam, M.; New York, NY.
  • Shaheen, G.; Nibbelink, L. & Gonzalez, A. (2016). Provider Transformation. Washington, DC. US Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy.
  • Shaheen, G. (2016) “Inclusive Entrepreneurship”. (2016). Journal of Policy Practice. (March). New York. Routledge
  • Shaheen, G & Rio, J. (2013) “Exploring how Downtown Employers Can Hire Homeless Veterans” Syracuse University Institute for Veterans and Military Families, Syracuse, NY.
  • Shaheen, G., LaCorte-Klein, N. & Rio, J. (2013) “Collaborations to Prevent and End Veteran Homelessness: Preliminary Report on Connecting HVRP and SSVF Programs” Syracuse University Institute for Veterans and Military Families., Syracuse, NY.
  • Shaheen, G. & Rio, J. (2013) “Lessons Learned from Department of Labor Grantees: Homeless Female Veterans and Veterans with Families”. Syracuse University Institute for Veterans and Military Families. Syracuse, NY.
  • Shaheen, G. (2011) “Inclusive Entrepreneurship” in Academic Entrepreneurship and Community Engagement-Scholarship in Action and the Syracuse Miracle. Kingma, B., Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. Cheltenham, UK.
  • Haynie, James M. & Shaheen, G. (2011) “Bridging a Traumatic Past to an Envisioned Future: A Case Study of Social Entrepreneurship” in Academic Entrepreneurship and Community Engagement- Scholarship in Action and the Syracuse Miracle. Kingma, B., Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. Cheltenham, UK.
  • Shaheen, G., Golden, T., Dowse, P., Myhill, W., Hill, E., Hoff, D., Thomas, C., & Kenny, C. (2011). Transformation of Center Based Work into Integrated Opportunities into Integrated Opportunities for People with Disabilities in New York State”. Cornell University Employment and Disability Institute/Syracuse University Burton Blatt Institute. Ithaca, NY.
  • Shaheen, G., & Rio, J. (2011) “Community Conversations: Supported Employment for People with Psychiatric Disabilities Curriculum” EI Lilly, Inc. Indianapolis, IN.
  • Ansteth, N., Shaheen, G. & Higgins, P. (2011). “Simply Speaking”: Inclusive Entrepreneurship Guidelines for SBDC Advisors. Cornell University Employment and Disability Institute/Syracuse University Burton Blatt Institute. Ithaca, NY.
  • Shaheen, G & Myhill, W. (2009) “Entrepreneurship for Veterans with Disabilities: Lessons Learned from the Field”. Rutgers University NTAR Center. Piscataway Township, NJ.
  • Shaheen, G., Rio, J. (2007) “Recognizing Work as a Priority in Preventing or Ending Homelessness” Journal of Primary Prevention; June.
  • Shaheen, G., Dennis, D. & Williams, F. (2000) “Work as a Priority: A Resource for Employing People with Psychiatric Disabilities who are Homeless”, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Rockville, MD.
  • Shaheen, G., Golden, T. & Bianco, C. (1998) “Business Planning for Self-Employment” in Orientation to Vocational Rehabilitation, Cornell University Employment and Disability Institute. Ithaca, NY.
  • Shaheen, G., Golden, T. & Bianco, C. (1997) “Integrated Employment for Persons with Psychiatric Disabilities”, Cornell University Employment and Disability Institute. Ithaca, NY.