Dr. Michael J. Leahy is a Professor and the Director of the Office of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies at Michigan State University. He has a doctorate in Rehabilitation Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and over 30 years of experience in rehabilitation as a counselor, administrator, researcher and educator. Dr. Leahy is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). His continuing research interests include issues related to professional competency development and education, professionalization of practice, vocational assessment, case management, evidenced-based practice research, and vocational outcomes.

Dr. Leahy is a Past-President of the National Council on Rehabilitation Education, a Past Chair of the Alliance for Rehabilitation Counseling, and a Past-President of the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA). He has published more than 100 referred journal articles, books, book chapters, and research monographs, and presented his research to a variety of rehabilitation and business audiences, including international presentations.

He is a recipient of the 1989 Outstanding New Career Award in Rehabilitation Education, a two-time recipient of the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association Research Award (1990,1993), recipient of the 1995 American Counseling Association (ACA) Research Award, the 1994 Rehabilitation Educator-Researcher Award from NCRE, the 1993 Award for Outstanding Leadership by ARCA and NRCA, 1997 ARCA Professional Service Award, recipient of the Lifetime Rehabilitation Achievement Award from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) in 1997, Switzer Scholar Award in 1998, Exemplary Professional Service Award from the Alliance for Rehabilitation Counseling in 1999, the George N. Wright Varsity Award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Distinguished Career Award from the Alliance for Rehabilitation Counseling in 2001, and the 2002 Award of Excellence from the Michigan Rehabilitation Association. Most recently, in 2004, Dr. Leahy was a recipient of the Michigan State University Distinguished Faculty Award, and the James Garret Distinguished Career in Rehabilitation Research Award from the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association.