About the Company
Who We Are
Our Practice
Human-Centered and Differentiated.
Vocational evaluations are rarely simple. Many clients enter the process years after an injury, overwhelmed by medical treatment, financial uncertainty, and the demands of a complex legal system. At VCO Vocational Specialists, we believe the evaluation process should not feel impersonal or transactional.
Our approach is rooted in rehabilitation counseling and centered on understanding the individual and their functional capacity behind the records. We take the time to look beyond surface-level answers and explore the real-world impact of pain, educational barriers, work history, transferable skills, and functional limitations. By meeting clients where they are, we develop vocational opinions that are thoughtful, individualized, and grounded in both compassion and objectivity.
Our team of vocational experts brings extensive experience in rehabilitation counseling, vocational evaluation, expert analysis, and client advocacy. Our team also includes a former owner and operator of a vocational rehabilitation company whose decades of experience contribute valuable industry insight and leadership to our evaluations. While each evaluator contributes unique strengths and professional experience, our group maintains a consistent standard of quality, structure, and integrity across every report we produce.
We are committed to delivering timely, well-supported evaluations that provide clarity, credibility, and meaningful vocational analysis within the legal system.
Our Philosophy
What Sets Our Approach Apart.
Clients are often years removed from injury and overwhelmed by the legal process. We make evaluations less painful by gathering the full personal picture behind every opinion.
We look deeper than surface answers — understanding pain, transportation limits, and psychosocial factors to translate real-world realities into legally supported opinions.
Honest, fair evaluations grounded in evidence, not advocacy. Our reputation for objectivity strengthens the value of every opinion we deliver.
Timeliness, consistency, and a workflow built around the demands of legal practice — so every referral moves efficiently from intake to final report.
Our Specialists
Meet the Team.
Vocational Expert and Consultant
Mark Alexander specializes in SIBTF and workers’ compensation vocational evaluations, bringing more than three decades of experience in vocational rehabilitation, counseling, job development, and vocational assessment. His professional background spans both the public and private sectors, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of employability, transferable skills, labor market analysis, and vocational capacity within complex legal and rehabilitation systems.
Mark previously owned and operated a vocational rehabilitation company, where he oversaw vocational counseling and re-employment services while working directly with injured workers and individuals navigating significant employment barriers. His experience also includes serving as an Independent Vocational Evaluator (IVE) for the State Department of Rehabilitation for over ten years.
His areas of expertise include vocational assessment administration and interpretation, transferable skills analysis, labor market surveys, job placement counseling, and SIBTF and workers’ compensation vocational expert determinations. Mark’s approach combines objective vocational analysis with a practical understanding of the real world challenges clients face following injury or disability.
Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of California, Davis, and a Master of Science in Counseling from California State University, Hayward, with an emphasis in Career and Adult Life Changes.
Outside the office, Mark enjoys cycling, mountain biking, skiing, and being “Opa” to his four grandchildren.
Vocational Expert and Consultant
Sara Abdrabou, MA, CRC, specializes in workers’ compensation and Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF) vocational evaluations, bringing more than 10 years of experience in vocational rehabilitation, disability services, and return to work planning. Her professional background spans both public rehabilitation systems and private disability management services, providing her with a comprehensive understanding of employability, vocational barriers, rehabilitation planning, and vocational adjustment.
Sara earned her Bachelor in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling from California State University, San Bernardino and holds the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) credential. Sara previously worked with the California Department of Rehabilitation, where she provided comprehensive vocational counseling services to individuals with disabilities throughout California’s state vocational rehabilitation system. Her experience also includes work with the Texas Workforce Commission and serving as a Return to Work Specialist and Clinical Disability Specialist with Sedgwick.
In recognition of her leadership and contributions to the rehabilitation field, Sara has worked with veterans and was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to serve on the State Rehabilitation Council from 2022 to 2023. She has additionally presented at vocational rehabilitation conferences and educational forums on disability services, rehabilitation systems, and best practices in service delivery.
Her areas of expertise include vocational rehabilitation counseling, employability assessment, return to work planning, disability-related vocational barriers, and workers’ compensation and SIBTF vocational evaluations. Sara’s approach combines objective vocational analysis with a thoughtful, person centered understanding of the unique challenges individuals face following injury or disability.
Credentials & Certifications
Recognized by the Highest Standards in Forensic Vocational Rehabilitation.
Certified Rehabilitation Counselor
National certification from the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification. Required for independent vocational evaluation in California.
International Psychometric Evaluator
Certifies competency in the selection, administration, and interpretation of standardized vocational and psychometric assessment instruments.
Independent Vocational Evaluator
Appointed by the California Division of Industrial Accidents. Authorizes provision of vocational rehabilitation services in the California workers' compensation system.
Certified Ergonomics Assessment Specialist
Specialty certification in worksite ergonomic evaluation, functional job analysis, and accommodation assessment for employers and counsel.