Professional Objective
To continue to utilize my excellent project and program management skills, versatility, enthusiasm and strong work ethic to further my career in the nonprofit or public sector.
Professional Experience
Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Office of Planning & Environment
2015-present
Position: Transportation Program Specialist, Capital Investment Grant (CIG) Program
• Perform functions as outlined in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to ensure proposed News Starts, Small Starts, and Core Capacity projects meet the statutory, regulatory, and procedural requirements of the CIG program.
• Develop accurate, timely, and high-quality information on assigned New/Small Starts and Core Capacity projects as requested to help inform FTA management, other high level decision-makers within the Department and in Congress, and the general public.
• Contribute to the Office of Planning & Environment efforts to implement the provisions of Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) legislation. This includes helping to develop simplified and streamlined CIG program procedures through revised policy guidance, regulation, reporting instructions, and internal guidance documents.
Straughan Environmental Services, Inc.
2011-2015
Position: Community Liaison, Maryland Transit Administration – Baltimore Red Line Project
More available at http://baltimoreredline.com/public-involvement/meet-the-community-liaisons
● Acted as a communication conduit between the Red Line Project Development Team and targeted community stakeholders, passing information, issues and concerns to and from both entities through various forms of communication including, but not limited to, community meetings and events, and single stakeholder meetings.
● Developed communication content and strategies for the project, including utilizing social media, eblasts and newsletters to update communities on the progress of the Red Line project
● Conducted informational presentations with community and business associations, schools and other community stakeholders to ensure distribution of correct information, collect any issues, concerns or suggestions, and to collect information and forms to ensure compliance with Title VI and National Environmental Protection Act Environmental Justice guidelines.
● Advised the General Engineering Consultants on community input as it pertains to project design elements
● Worked within a multidisciplinary team to develop a construction mitigation plan, which includes developing a customer service information system, a canvassing strategy and a resource toolkit for stakeholders in order to proactively minimize impacts when possible
● Attended community events/festivals to disseminate information to the general public
● Developed and maintained relationships with government partners, including elected officials, to help facilitate public/private development partnerships for Red Line related initiatives, such as workforce development and sustainability
● Develop a Red Line Task Force to include community stakeholders in the process of educating fellow stakeholders on the Red Line project and public transportation in general
Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development
2007-2011
Position: Neighborhood Project Coordinator, Neighborhood Revitalization
● Engaged city agencies and community stakeholders in the development and implementation of city-driven housing revitalization efforts such as site assembly. This included, but was not limited to, developing acquisition budgets and providing disposition recommendations with community input
● Worked with private developers to complete projects using former city-owned property by navigating investors through development process, from the purchase of city property through construction completion
● Managed the coordination of various agencies to troubleshoot stalled development projects by identifying challenges and providing creative solutions in order to move forward. This includes, but is not limited to, targeting housing code enforcement and permit issues and working with developers to identify additional capital and operating resources.
● Acted as a liaison between communities, developers and Baltimore City agencies in order to ensure effective communications between partners during redevelopment efforts
● Provided capacity building technical assistance to community-based organizations, helping match needs with city resources
● Assisted Community Development Block Grant division with program and fiscal monitoring of grants to community development corporations
Enterprise Community Partners (Formerly The Enterprise Foundation)
2001-2007
Position: Program Associate, Housing and Community Development Workgroup (2005-2007)
● Assisted the contract and grant administration division with program and fiscal manager for
Section 4 and Living Cities-funded consultant subcontracts and pass-through grants and
developed narrative and using grant reporting data for annual funder reports and external marketing tools
● Acted as a liaison between the Housing and Community Development Workgroup (HCDW)
Program Directors and external partners in order to facilitate capacity building, which
Included developing trainings on board governance, property construction and asset management, safety and neighborhood leadership and financing
● Collaborated with the HCDW program directors in designing community development training curriculum and materials
● Collaborated with the Consortium for Housing and Asset Management (CHAM) board and staff to redevelop the CHAM website and design marketing materials for the annual conference
● Managed student volunteers and collaborated with the HCDW team in designing workshops for the Enterprise Community Partners Annual Network Conference
● Provided technical support via WebEx to the online community development training facilitator
● Assisted in the development of the Affordable Housing Preservation and Green Communities programs by researching national models of and best practices for these community development initiatives
Position: Program Assistant, Housing and Community Development Workgroup
2004-2005
● Acted as a liaison between the Housing and Community Development Workgroup (HCDW)
Program Directors and external partners in order to facilitate capacity building, which included developing trainings on board governance, property construction and asset management, safety and neighborhood leadership and financing
● Coordinated with the HCDW program directors in developing community development training materials
● Managed all sales and customer service for Enterprise-developed housing rehabilitation software
● Partnered with the HCDW team in designing and coordinating Enterprise Community
Partners Annual Network Conference various workshops
● Collaborated with the CHAM board and staff in designing the CHAM Program Graduates’ 2orkshop and presentation
Position: Senior Administrative Assistant, Housing and Community Development Workgroup
2002-2004
● Coordinated with the Housing And Community Development Workgroup in developing community development training materials
● Coordinated staff meetings on-site and off-site
● Provided direct administrative support to the Senior Director of the Housing and Community
Development Workgroup
● Collaborated with the Housing and Community Development team in developing
● Developed materials for Enterprise Community Partners Annual Network Conference workshops
● Processed vendor invoice in an efficient manner
● Coordinated travel for Program Directors and processed travel reimbursements
Projects/Accomplishments
The Baltimore Red Line Light Rail Project –Project Manager
Business Outreach/Mitigation Liaison: 2012-present
Develop strategies for business outreach and impact mitigation for roughly ten year the construction process. This includes outlining impacts and issues like maintenance of traffic, accessibility and parking, and developing a mitigation resources collaborative and outreach management information systems. This also includes developing outreach materials and assisting with printed and online fact sheets, newsletters and brochures.
Red Line Outreach Task Force: 2011-present
Developed a mission statement and strategy for an outreach task force that would include Red Line Station Area Advisory Committee (SAAC) members. The purpose of the task force is to actively involve SAAC members in the outreach process by engaging them in county-wide community events and activities and having the group assist in planning Red Line/SAAC member-initiated events and activities
Baltimore Housing – Project Manager
Temporary Code Blue Shelter at Baltimore City School #32, Project Manager: 2008-2010
Facilitated and managed community and city agency relations during the development of a temporary code blue shelter in the former Mildred Monroe Elementary School building located in the Greenmount West neighborhood
Coldstream Homestead Montebello Redevelopment Project, Project Manager: 2009-2011
Managed the site assemblage of approximately 200 properties on the 2700 blocks of Tivoly, Fenwick and Hugo Avenues per the city-adopted Coldstream Homestead Montebello Area Urban Renewal Plan by creating an acquisition budget, organizing the actions of appropriate city agencies and effectively communicating with community partners
Baltimore Montessori Charter School, Project Manager: 2008 – 2011
Facilitated negotiations for the lease/purchase agreement between the Baltimore Montessori Charter School and Baltimore Housing and Community Development (HCD) for re-use of the former School #32 building located at 1600 Guilford Avenue in the Greenmount West neighborhood
The Central Baltimore Partnership (CBP) Resident Preservation Task Force, Chair: for 2008-2011
Participated in a committee of local public and private partners dedicated to identifying affordable housing resources and solutions for current low-income residents in the CBP target area
Reservoir Hill Housing and Community Revitalization Task Force, Chair: 2008-2011
Managed the redevelopment of city-owned properties, including 33 vacant city lots scheduled for mixed-use development. Partnered with Healthy Neighborhoods Inc., who was awarded $5.6 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding to rehab foreclosed housing, to identify potential city-owned property in the target area.
Woodbourne-McCabe Revitalization, Project Manager: 2008- 2011
Managed the redevelopment of 35 vacant and blighted properties on the 600-800 blocks of McCabe Avenue in the Woodbourne-McCabe neighborhood by identifying development partners and project funding resources
Education
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Earned: Bachelor of Arts, Psychology Fall 1999
Minor, Biology
University of Baltimore
Earned: Masters, Public Administration Fall 2013
Awards
Baltimore Department of Housing and Community Development, Neighborhood Investment Division
Employee of the Year – December 2008
Skills
● Proficient in Microsoft Office 1997-2013, including Office 365 and Publisher
● Intermediate experience with Salesforce Customer Relations Information System
● Experience with ArcView Geographical Information Systems
● Experience with Microsoft Visio versions 2002-2013
Courses/Certifications
● Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia: Reinventing Older Communities Conference: 2014
Philadelphia, PA; Workshop Attendee
● Rail-Volution: 2012
Los Angeles, CA; Workshop Attendee
● Rail-Volution: 2011
Washington, DC; Workshop Attendee
● Dreamweaver 8 Website Development: 2006
Enterprise Community Partners, Columbia, MD; Certificate of Achievement
● Managing Real Estate Maintenance Operations: 2006
NeighborWorks Training Institute, Washington, DC; Certificate of Completion
● Managing Nonprofit Housing: 2006
NeighborWorks Training Institute, Washington, DC; Certificate of Completion
● Nuts and Bolts of Asset Management: 2005
NeighborWorks Training Institute, San Francisco, CA; Certificate of Completion
● Working in Diverse Communities: 2005
NeighborWorks Training Institute, San Francisco, CA; Certificate of Completion
● Nonprofit Housing Management Specialist: 2004
Consortium for Housing and Asset Management, Denver, CO; Nonprofit Housing
Management Specialist Certification
● Introduction to Microsoft Project and Project Management: 2004
Enterprise Community Partners, Columbia, MD
● How to Communicate Effectively in the Business World: 2001
Skillpath, Baltimore, MD; Certificate of Completion
