Experience

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director

  • Jan 2020 - Present

  The mission of the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy is to produce analysis to inform public decisions with a focus on state budget, tax, and economic issues that impact Idahoans of low to moderate income. We believe Idaho’s economy is strongest when all Idahoans have the opportunity to participate, including members of our communities who face many barriers. In this role I lead organizational strategy in all aspects and lead the team. Some of my duties and achievements include:Hired, managed, mentored and coached team of 11 across research, communications, outreach and development roles with aim of increasing responsibility based on interests and strengthsCreated a collaborative and equity-oriented work culture, ensured work was aligned with annual goals, clarified roles, and supported staff in developing workplans and executing day-to-day workBuilt productive relationships across our parent organization - Jannus Inc - and helped improve organizational policies and practices as a member of the program leadership groupEnsured effectiveness of partner and coalition work by nurturing relationships with partners, identifying their goals, and adjusting our workplans to support transformational relationships with partnersPrepared budget proposals for funders and managed organizational budget of up to $500,000 across a diversified set of revenue sources; doubled program budget over three years Led team to state policy wins in affordable housing, tax, education, and safety net policyDesigned year-round research portfolio including new areas of work and authored reports as neededRepresented organization as a policy expert with the media, partner organizations, and policymakers Show less

• Policy Director

  • May 2016 - Dec 2019

  In this role I led policy research and contributed to advocacy and communications strategy. I also formed part of a senior leadership team that included the director and assistant directors. Key duties and achievements include:Hired, trained, and mentored 3 research and policy staff of varying experience to take on increasing responsibility based on interests and strengths, for example a new criminal justice research initiative Developed workplans and cultivated close relationships with leadership team to coordinate workplans, collaborate on shared goals, and improve organizational policies and practices Influenced legislative proposals such as a new state child tax credit and Medicaid ExpansionConducted research and authored/co-authored reports on: tax and budget, affordable housing, K-12 finance, post-secondary education, Medicaid Expansion, criminal justice, and other topicsCreated innovative policy research products such as chartbooks on Medicaid and housing affordabilityRegularly made headlines with new research and data framed in strategic communicationsLed team in planning and executing new policy forums and events Delivered dozens of policy presentations on tax and budget, housing, education, and economic policy Show less



Idaho Voices for Children

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Policy and Development Coordinator

  • May 2015 - Apr 2016

  This role covered both policy research/advocacy and fundraising, reporting to and collaborating with the director. On the fundraising side, I served as the manager of all fundraising activities, working with one development associate and several contractors. Some of my duties and responsibilities included: Hired, trained and mentored development associate to take on increasing responsibility Re-launched gala fundraising event, increasing proceeds from about $50,000 to $90,000 year over year Developed core fundraising messaging for several campaigns Authored a grade-level reading report that helped gain passage of a new state K-3 literacy initiative Engaged partner organizations, coalitions, state agencies, and legislators on our policy priorities Compiled and analyzed data on child and family policies, Medicaid Expansion, and other topics Show less



Every Texan

• United States
• Public Policy
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Economic Opportunity Policy Intern

  • Sep 2013 - Aug 2014

  This was a paid internship position with a focus on policy research and data analysis, reporting to a policy analyst. Every Texan (formerly Center on Public Policy Priorities) is a state policy advocacy organization. My duties and achievements included: Co-authored an immigration report used by executive director to launch immigration initiative Compiled and analyzed data on higher education, immigration, and workforce policies and created graphics and slides for wide audiences Prepared blogs, briefs, and literature reviews on post-secondary education and workforce policy topics Show less



The University of Texas at Austin

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Graduate Teaching and Research Assistant

  • Jun 2012 - Dec 2013

  For nearly two years I held appointments in teaching and research at UT-Austin. I held a research appointment with the Texas Institute for Child and Family Well-Being, a group committed to uniting academia and research with practitioners and advocates who work directly with children and families. I conducted with qualitative coding, literature reviews, and phone interviewing. I also team-taught the course U.S. Poverty in Nonfiction and Film, an undergraduate signature offering, with a professor and four graduate students. For that, I led two weekly discussion sections and lectured on public safety net programs. Show less



Casa Central

• United States
• Civic and Social Organizations
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Education and Employment Caseworker

  • Aug 2009 - Jan 2011

  The La Posada transitional housing program at Casa Central serves Chicago families with private apartments and wraparound social services. My work with La Posada led to the following: • Connected approximately 55 homeless families to permanent housing during their interim residence at our program, and new employment or training and additional support services. • Assessed program applicants for basic needs, identified immediate support services from our program and partner organizations, connected applicants to services. • Outreached proactively to local employers and managed relationships; researched local labor markets • Collaborated with WERC, a group for nonprofit job developers, to leverage and promote shared talent pools and outreach to regional and national employers. • Planned and managed Put Illinois to Work, an ARRA-funded jobs program, at Casa Central; successfully placed residents into living wage jobs. • Organized workshop series for clients on workplace rights with partner organizations • Evaluated program outcomes and adapted program strategies. Show less



University of Illinois Chicago

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Field Supervisor, College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs

  • Nov 2004 - Jul 2009

  I served as a manager in the field operations division of this policy school's survey research lab, which provided research services to academic institutions, governments, and other clients working in the public interest. Under the direction of the Field Manager and together with other managers, I was responsible for achieving daily production goals on multiple concurrent research projects in the field, both phone and in-person. My work included: • Managed staff of 30-40 telephone and face-to-face survey interviewers • Planned daily workflow and schedules for multiple projects at the phone center and in the field • Wrote daily production reports for upper management, project managers, and principal investigators • Coached new interviewers on phone technique, survey software, and computer hardware and delivered feedback. • Developed sampling and recruitment strategy with principal investigators and managers. • Piloted instruments in English and Spanish to ensure quality data • Developed field procedures for intensive human subject survey research including projects such as race in housing preferences, homeless youth service access; navigation of breast cancer treatment. • Coordinated technical assistance for computer and software issues. Show less