Meet the Staff

Matt Simet is the Director of Career Advantage, a department of Advance that provides Supported Employment services to individuals with disabilities.  Matt began working in Human Services in 1996 and has been employed by Advance since 2000.  Matt has over 28 years of experience within the Human Services field, with 17 years of experience in Supported Employment. He is recognized for his contributions to the field of vocational services by South Dakota’s RehabACTion and has been recognized with three State awards.  

Matt achieved national accreditation as a Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP) in April 2015, and participated in South Dakota's Customized Employment pilot program in 2019.  He achieved his Customized Employment certification from ACRE (Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators) and Griffin-Hammis Associates the same year.  He served eight years on the Brookings Committee for People with Disabilities, chairs the Brookings NDEAM committee, served on USD’s Center for Disabilities Committee Advisory Committee for 7 years, and the State of South Dakota's Employment First Alliance for 5 years.  

Matt helped start the SDSU Brookings Project SEARCH program and is still heavily involved in the program's operation.  Matt works closely with the Department of Human Services, the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS/VR), and has overseen over 1600 supported employment cases since 2008. 

Kyrsten Zimmerman was hired in 2013 to be the Job Coach for the inaugural Project SEARCH site on the SDSU campus.  Kyrsten holds Bachelor’s (Public Health) and Masters (Healthcare Administration) degrees from Indiana University.  She earned her CESP credential in 2015.  As the Job Coach for Project SEARCH, Kyrsten collaborates with departments across campus to develop internship rotations that will provide meaningful work experiences for interns. She also works directly with interns, helping them master skills that will prepare them for competitive employment.  When interns secure competitive employment, Kyrsten supports them and works with employers to ensure a good fit for both.  Kyrsten and her colleagues have given presentations at the international Project SEARCH conference and state special education conferences.  She transitioned back to her new role as Employment Consultant in May, 2022.

Ann Pavek is the SDSU Project SEARCH Skills Trainer.  Ann collaborates with departments across campus to develop internship rotations that will provide a meaningful work experiences for student interns.  She works directly with interns, helping them master skills that will prepare them for competitive employment.  When interns secure competitive employment, Ann supports them and works with employers to ensure a good fit for both.  Ann has over 25 years working in a residential setting and 9 years working in Day Services. 

Katelynn Throntveit started at Career Advantage in August. 2023.  As an Employment Consultant, Katelynn is very eager in her new role. She is excited to collaborate with a wide variety of businesses, work directly with the clients, and support them throughout their journey of locating employment opportunities and establish that best fit for them and their skills. Katelynn is currently attending Cankdeska Cikana Community College online as a full-time student and will be finishing up her Associates Degree in Liberal Arts in December of 2023. Katelynn’s goal is to continue her education and believes that her new position as an employment consultant will help guide her down the right path.  

Julie Jordan-Graham joined Career Advantage in March, 2024 as an Employment Consultant. Julie is very excited to be a part of the Career Advantage team and will be supporting clients to gain meaningful employment with area businesses.  Julie brings several years experience with all aspects of staffing along with a background in customer service, sales support and administrative roles.  Julie has had successful careers in a variety of industries including retail, portrait studios, promotional products, and the bovine genetics field.  Julie recently relocated to the Brookings area from Central Wisconsin and looks forward to supporting area businesses and industries with quality team-members through Career Advantage.  Julie will be working with the Young Adult Transitions (YAT) interns and Pre-Employment persons to help them develop meaningful skills to help gain meaningful employment.  Outside of work, Julie enjoys family, photography, road trips and good music.

We're excited to welcome Chris Ruggles, who joined our Career Advantage team in May 2025 as an Employment Specialist. Chris brings genuine enthusiasm for helping people find their path to meaningful work and develop the skills they need to succeed long-term.

What really stands out about Chris is his incredible breadth of real-world experience. Over thirty years in the workforce has taken him through healthcare, tax prep, lawn care, retail, and the food service industry.  Chris truly understands what it's like to work in different environments and what employers are looking for. His background gives him authentic insights that he can share with the individuals he supports.

Chris is eager to dive into this new chapter of his career and is already setting his sights on earning his Certified Employment Support Professional certification. When he's not at work, you'll find him spending quality time with family and friends, staying active, exploring new places through travel, and yes - like many of us - thinking ahead to retirement and what that adventure will look like.