Body
When Deborah Crown, CRC, LCPC, joined the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (now Shirley Ryan AbilityLab) in January 1991, she began what would become a decades-long career shaping how care, research and systems work together. Starting as a senior vocational rehabilitation counselor, Deborah’s professional path reflects both deep clinical commitment and a willingness to step into complex organizational challenges, often at pivotal moments of change.
Over her first 15 years, Deborah advanced from vocational rehabilitation counselor to director of the vocational rehabilitation program. But after many years in the same area or field, she was ready for something new.
That opportunity arrived through one of the largest and most transformative initiatives in the organization’s history: the implementation of the Cerner electronic medical record system. Recruited by Laura Ferrio, COO of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Tim McKula, VP Research Administration, and former CEO Joanne Smith, MD, Deborah assumed the role of project manager, partnering closely with clinical leaders, IT teams and administrators to guide the effort.
“It was a huge project,” Deb recalls. “But it was exciting. We were moving from paper medical records to a system that made information more accessible to clinicians and ultimately improved patient care.”
Working alongside nurses, therapists, physicians and financial and IT teams, Deborah helped shape how clinical documentation, workflows and financial systems would function together. When Cerner launched in 2017, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab became one of the first rehabilitation hospitals to fully adopt an electronic medical record system.
After the Cerner launch, Deborah moved into human resources, where she led the implementation of HR systems and later served as director of talent management for a decade. In that role, she helped recruit and support countless staff across the organization, further extending her influence beyond any single department.
In 2018, Deborah’s career came full circle when she joined the Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research (CROR). After learning that CROR director, Allen Heinemann, PhD, had received funding for a Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Employment for People with Physical Disabilities, she stepped into the role of project manager.
As project manager for the RRTC, Deborah oversaw timelines, staffing, resources and deliverables to ensure the project met its commitments to funders. She also served as a researcher, contributing her vocational rehabilitation expertise to the development of regional and national surveys of people with disabilities and employers.
Her clinical background, combined with years of operational and systems knowledge, proved invaluable. “Understanding how the organization works, knowing the clinicians, and having experience with IT systems all helps when you’re doing research, recruiting participants and accessing the information you need,” Deborah explains.
“The CROR team and I will miss Deborah deeply,” says Heinemann. “We could not have achieved all we have without her support of our many research projects. Her dedication and perseverance will shape our work for years to come.”
Over time, Deb supported multiple projects within CROR, including the Midwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Care System, the Disability Rehabilitation Research Project on International Length of Stay following Spinal Cord Injury and other projects. What stands out most to her, though, is the chance to integrate everything she’d learned throughout her career.
“I’ve really enjoyed working in outcomes research,” she says. “It allowed me to combine my clinical background with operational experience. And the CROR team is just wonderful to work with.”
As Deborah transitions into retirement, she is thoughtfully wrapping up reports, grant proposals and project handoffs and continuing her role as project manager for the RRTC on Home and Community-based Services (HCBS) project while remaining available to support ongoing work.
Outside of work, Deborah is looking forward to travel, exercise and more time for personal pursuits. She currently serves as board chair of Canine Therapy Corps, a Chicago-based nonprofit that provides animal-assisted therapy across hospitals, children’s programs and veteran services. Under her leadership, the organization expanded program partners from 14 to 18, logged 1,700 volunteer hours in 2025, and served more than 18,700 people — all through volunteer services provided at no cost to clients. At Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, these therapy dogs help patients in rehabilitation practice things like motor and communication skills.
While retirement brings excitement, it also comes with reflection. “It’s a big life transition,” Deb shares. “It’s been a little stressful leaving an organization, colleagues, and work that I love, but I’m looking forward to having more time to do the things I want to do.”