Dr. Toni Saia is an Associate Professor, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Director of the Rehabilitation Technology Certificate at San Diego State University within the Department of Administration, Rehabilitation, and Postsecondary. Dr. Saia earned her M.A. in Rehabilitation Counseling and her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision. Her professional work history has involved advocating for a progressive understanding of disability within the applied fields, with a shift from diagnosis to disability as a culture and identity. She has secured over $1 million in external funding dedicated to dismantling societal barriers for disabled people.

She teaches a range of graduate courses, including ARP 684 (Rehabilitation Foundations), ARP 607 (Applications of Rehabilitation Technology), ARP 708 (Human Development), ARP 755 (Policy and Governance in Disability Systems), ARP 744 (Intermediate Practicum), and ARP 745 (Internship). Dr. Saia is one of the originators of the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association’s Disability-Related Counseling Competencies, which guide the work of over 55,000 counselors nationwide. In recognition of her scholarship and leadership, she received the Association of University Centers on Disabilities Young Professional Award and the Western Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (WACES) Research Award in 2025. Her work continues to champion disability culture, community, and liberation across counseling, higher education, rehabilitation counseling and other applied fields.