Assistant Professor/Program Coordinator
Mississippi State University
Dr. Ahonle is an assistant professor and program/graduate coordinator of the rehabilitation counseling program at Mississippi State University, as well as a certified rehabilitation counselor. He graduated with a Ph.D. degree from the Rehabilitation Counseling Program at The University of Texas at Austin. He is currently affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a WOC. Betweeen 12/01/2021 - 09/30/2024, Dr. Ahonle was a Research Health Scientist with the Veteran Rural Health Resource Center in Gainesville, Florida, under an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Agreement.
Prior to joining the faculty at Mississippi State University, he was a National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Advanced Rehabilitation Research & Training (ARRT) Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Florida, College of Public Health and Health Professions.
Dr. Ahonle specializes in quantitative analysis of rehabilitation data and mixed-method research on disability rehabilitation. His extensive publications and conference presentations underscore his commitment to advancing employment and community integration. Currently, his research focuses on employment, return to work or school, and independent living for Veterans and individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury, cognitive impairments, and Long COVID. Dr. Ahonle serves as Principal Investigator on the Career Horizons Project, a recently funded $10 million, 5-year Disability Innovation grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration, aimed at enhancing competitive integrated employment opportunities for Mississippians with disabilities accompanied by or resulting from Long COVID Syndrome.
Passionate about addressing disparities in rehabilitation outcomes, Dr. Ahonle focuses on using holistic approaches, interdisciplinary teamwork, and technology to improve access to evidence-based vocational and psychosocial rehabilitation for individuals with disabilities and chronic illnesses, especially those from vulnerable and underserved populations such as rural communities.