Fred McFarlane, Ph.D.

Bio

Dr. McFarlane is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Administration, Rehabilitation and Postsecondary Education and Co-Founder Emeritus  of the Interwork Institute at San Diego State University. His vision and leadership skills, along with those of Dr. Ian Pumpian, led to the creation of the  Institute in 1990.

Dr. McFarlane specializes leadership, organizational and program development, communication,  and public policy. He has over 50 publications in referred journals, monographs, and book chapters, many with a  focus on public policy and personnel development. He is sought-after as an educator, \ and mentor. With colleagues Dr. Fred Schroeder and Manny Enriquez, they developed the National Rehabilitation Leadership Institute in 2003 for State VR senior leaders.  As of 2023 they have trained more than 450 senior administrators from over 40 State VR agencies.

From 1996 to 2002, Dr. McFarlane served as Chair of the Commission on Work and Employment for Rehabilitation International. He is an internationally respected consultant who has presented over 130 lectures and speeches at local, state, regional, national, and international conferences and seminars on topics ranging from education development to performance management, and from ADA to disability management. He has presented and worked with colleagues in over 40 countries throughout Europe, and  Brazil, Israel, Japan, China, Korea, Mexico, Vietnam, Thailand, New Zealand, and communities in the Pacific.

Dr. McFarlane graduated with his Ph.D. in Counseling in 1972 from the University of Georgia. After graduation he accepted the position of professor and administrator of the Rehabilitation Education Program at SDSU and was elected as Chair in 1985. He received the 2001-02 Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Faculty Contributions to the University.  The ARPE Doctoral alumni initiated the McFarlane Leadership Lecture Series in 2011 and an Outstanding Leadership Award for graduate students in Postsecondary education