Experience

Mill Mountain Zoo

• United States
• Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Operations Director

  • Jan 2021 - Present

  Responsible for the daily operations of the zoo related to finance, guest services, education, planning, IT and human resources. As a visionary leader, creating a short-term and long-term plan to help the zoo continue its mission of education about wildlife, with an emphasis on native wildlife, and increase conservancy efforts and education around endangered and threatened animals such as the red wolves and snow leopards. In this position, I have been able increase the profitability of our operations through substantial revenue increases in the gift shop and concessions. As a skilled grant writer, I helped secure a grant to provide an overhaul of our IT systems, including purchase of a new POS/CRM system that integrates data into one central location. I continue to write various grants to private foundations and localities, including the proposal and budget development. I oversee all aspects of grant execution such as fiscal responsibility, calculation of outcome measures and data analysis. Over the past year, I researched and submitted a proposal to add employee benefits for health insurance, STD/LTD, and life insurance, which were not previously available, and was approved in full. On an annual basis, I analyze our operating budget to forecast revenue and expenses in the upcoming fiscal year. After careful analysis of all available information, I complete a complex budget for all departments that is presented to the BOD for approval. Show less



Feeding America Southwest Virginia

• Vice President Program

  • Oct 2015 - Sep 2019

  Oversight of program development, implementation and evaluation for all programs at the Food Bank. Current programs include SFSP, CACFP, TEFAP, CSFP, Mobile Food Pantry, Mobile Produce Program, Backpack Programs and Food Pantries. In this position, I developed several new programs, including development the program model, program budget, implementation, and evaluation. Provided direct supervision to 9 full-time staff and 1 part-time staff, including supervising staff at two locations. Worked with community organizations to collaborate on new ways to assure clients that are food insecure had access to healthy food. Oversaw almost 400 partner programs located in 26 counties and 9 cites in Southwest Virginia. The CSC is an innovative, multi-faceted facility that includes a culinary arts job training program for unemployed and underemployed adults, a production kitchen to prepare and deliver fresh, homemade meals to our partner children’s summer feeding and at-risk afterschool programs as well as, hosting a police outreach office. Planning is also underway for a fresh foods market. From the glimmer of an idea in August 2017 and fundraising to full programmatic launch with a physical remodel and construction in between, it was an aggressive timeline to be open and ready for June 2018. My role included developing a comprehensive budget for the programmatic costs of each aspect of the CSC, assisting with the site planning and vision for the rehabilitating the building, creating and executing the program model, and helping to obtain funding for each phase of the project. The project has been well received by the surrounding community and assists the food bank in fulfilling our strategic initiative of helping clients become less reliant on food assistance. At the end of the first year of operations, the programmatic budget saw a +1% variance over projections and has produced over 35,000 meals for our children’s feeding programs. Show less



Roanoke Valley Juvenile Detention Center

• Asst. Superintendent of Programs

  • Jun 2007 - Oct 2015

  Supervise pre-dispostional and post-dispositional programming in an 81 bed coed juvenile detention center. Provide leadership and supervision to various levels of management. Involved in hiring, retention and development of employees. Administrative duties such as policy development and implementation, oversight of licensure requirements, departmental budgets and daily supervision of personnel. Responsible for all aspects of the residential program including training, scheduling, behavior management, intake, etc. Show less



WVEMS CISM

• United States
• Mental Health Care
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Administrator

  • 2000 - 2008

  Managed a team of 30-50 volunteer peer and mental health debriefers. Organized debriefings and defusings for Police, Fire, Rescue and Dispatch personnel after major or serious incidents. Represented WVEMS Council on the State CISM Board. Was instrumental in scheduling 20+ debriefings for fire and rescue personnel after the shootings at VT in April 2006. Managed a team of 30-50 volunteer peer and mental health debriefers. Organized debriefings and defusings for Police, Fire, Rescue and Dispatch personnel after major or serious incidents. Represented WVEMS Council on the State CISM Board. Was instrumental in scheduling 20+ debriefings for fire and rescue personnel after the shootings at VT in April 2006.



Sanctuary Crisis Intervention Center

• Youth Counselor Supervisor

  • Jan 2005 - Jun 2007

  Supervise a 12-bed residential emergency shelter for males and females ages 12-17, including an anger management program, Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Program, and parent education group. Supervised 13 full-time staff. Responsible for oversight of medical, food services, school and residential requirements. Involved in the hiring, training, development and retention of employees. Oversight of departmental budget and purchasing. Supervise a 12-bed residential emergency shelter for males and females ages 12-17, including an anger management program, Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Program, and parent education group. Supervised 13 full-time staff. Responsible for oversight of medical, food services, school and residential requirements. Involved in the hiring, training, development and retention of employees. Oversight of departmental budget and purchasing.



Department of Juvenile Justice

• United States
• Primary and Secondary Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Probation Officer

  • Mar 2000 - Jan 2005

  Supervise adolescents court ordered to Juvenile Probation. Provide professional written reports to Judges including social histories, transfer reports and updates. Case management of juveniles to assure compliance with probation and court orders. Supervise adolescents court ordered to Juvenile Probation. Provide professional written reports to Judges including social histories, transfer reports and updates. Case management of juveniles to assure compliance with probation and court orders.