Welcome to Brazen Careerist!

About Me

I love:
▪ Creating systems that value people more than anything else.
▪ Connecting with and empowering people to bring their brilliance into the world.
▪ Good, healthy, fresh food that tastes great. And I believe everyone should have access to it.

I am particularly good at:
▪ Synthesizing seemingly disparate ideas.
▪ Designing & building systems; organizational development, event production, data management, it's all systems. It's just a question of what you want the system to do.
▪ Editing: I can turn a verbal mess into a coherent, readable, engaging story.

I learn quickly, am resourceful, and know how to make things happen.

Work History

• Community United Against Violence
• Executive Director
• August 2006 to July 2009

• ▪ Represented the organization and constituencies as a public spokesperson and advocate. Built and maintained relationships with policy makers, diverse community networks, and collaborative partners, as well as media reporters and outlets; engaged volunteers and community members as advocates.
  ▪ Set strategic direction: led participatory, transformative strategic planning process with full board and staff that established a renewed vision and strategies for increased effectiveness.
  ▪ Staff supervision and support: guided staff in developing programs; established organization-wide expectations and supervision practices, implemented annual work plans and performance reviews.
  ▪ Oversaw, monitored, and maintained fiscal health: fiscal management, budget setting, contract negotiation & management, and fund development. Increased budget from $650,000/yr to $900,000/yr, eliminating $150,000 debt in two years.
  ▪ Earned competitive LeaderSpring Fellowship for Executive Directors, 2008-2009.

• The Women's Building / San Francisco Women's Centers
• Associate Director
• June 2002 to July 2006

• ▪ Provided organizational leadership as a member of the senior leadership team. Served as staff leadership to Board Program Committee.
  ▪ Developed and supervised community program activities, staffing and budgets, including: drop-in center; career development support; college access program; financial education; Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Site; community arts activities.
  ▪ Designed and implemented public relations and external communications strategies to strengthen organizational visibility with community partners, clients, and funders. Designed and disseminated outreach materials, designed and maintained web site. Represented TWB at press conferences and media interviews.
  ▪ Volunteer management: Screened and placed volunteers organization-wide; as Coordinator, designed and facilitated formal Internship program, developing young women’s leadership through mentoring in program design and service delivery in a multicultural setting.

• Destiny Arts Center
• Program Coordinator
• September 2000 to June 2002

• ▪ Program management: oversaw logistics & operation of five concurrent after-school programs based on a youth development model; produced four annual performance events for over 200 participants and their families.
  ▪ Youth Guidance: maintained a safe and supportive multi-cultural environment for participants in all programs; developed curriculum and team-taught Summer Leadership Intensive and Outdoor Adventures program for Oakland teens.
  ▪ Communications: Prepared and distributed press releases, program brochures, outreach and recruitment materials for programs; edited and produced quarterly newsletter; initiated and developed organization’s first web site; created and maintained connections with community agencies, donors, volunteers & participants; maintained database of program participants and supporters.
  ▪ Volunteer Management: Coordinated up to 70 volunteers annually throughout educational and administrative programs; designed and managed formal internship program.

Education

• Mills College
• BA, Consciousness Studies - A social sciences degree, Women's Studies, Computer Science
• 1996 - 1999